Not My Style Concept Note

Not My Style is an app and digital platform that will create a consumer movement
to push fashion brands to be more transparent about their supply chain.
Our mission is to improve the lives of the women who make our clothes.
Not My Style is a registered company limited by guarantee, and will operate as a
not for profit.
Why It Matters
The fashion industry has changed beyond recognition over the last decade. Gone
are the days of four seasons per year. Now, every week, new styles are delivered
to stores all across our high street. Fast fashion, this incessant cycle, makes
substantial and often unreasonable demands on the complex supply chains.
With 97% of our clothes being made overseas, and 40 million garment workers
across the world (around 85% of whom are women), we cant turn a blind eye. Fast
fashion is literally killing people. Cheap labour and exploitation go hand in hand with
20 dresses found on the high street.
Fashion retailers have made progress in their supply chain practices over the past
few years. There is, though, still a very long way to go. Information on who makes
our clothes and their working conditions remains elusive, even for the savviest
consumer. The industry is in a vicious, opaque catch 22: Brands say that consumers
don't care enough to push them to disclose their data, but consumers can't access
the data easily, even if they try.
Why Were Different
A number of organisations have done an incredible job at tackling this issue,
creating solid data that looks into labour practices and ethical supply chains. But
this too is out of reach of your average consumer.
We're not the first to tackle the fast fashion problem but we believe our idea will
bring something new to the market.
- Our app will be made to be used in the moment: When shoppers come out
of the tube at Oxford Circus, they arent taking the time to read a report on
supply chains from an NGO, or research what Topshops policies on ethical
labour are. They are shopping in the moment, and Not My Style will be there

for them when they need it: when out and about, facing immediate choices
about which store to walk into and where to spend their money.
We've taken the data that exists, included our own analysis and distilled it
into something simple. Our assessment considers leading industry research
and accessibility of information for the high street shopper. We dont want to
reinvent the wheel, instead we are repurposing existing data for an audience
that does not have the time or inclination to make sense of this complex
issue themselves.
It's about small positive incremental actions that, combined, can create a
movement. One woman changing her shopping habits wont have a huge
impact on Primarks bottom line, nor will 100. But with thousands of women
across the UK choosing to shop with the brands making more of an effort,
and being more transparent about their supply chains, we will see a change
in the industry. Consumer pressure can and will exert the outside force that
will make positive change happen, faster.

How Can An App Change the World?

Measuring Our Success

Brands will be evaluated over time well do a mass refresh every year but also
update as new information comes in or is disclosed. The ranking system is relative
not absolute meaning that by sharing more data on their supply chains, brands
can move up (or down) the scale vis a vis each other. Well know weve been
successful when we see brand scores improve on the app.
Well also measure downloads and track usage, first day retention, and user
information, any changes in shopping patterns we can measure from the app, and
media impressions. The app will also be full of shareable content, so we can track
how the message is spread across social media channels.
Target Audience
Let me tell you about Chloe.
Chloe is 26, she works in marketing and lives in a teeny tiny London flat. Chloe goes
to food markets on the weekends, and tries to buy local or sustainable products
when she can. She is pretty savvy and is up to date on current events. She cares
about the state of the world and is known to take steps to change her behaviour,
to an extent.
Chloe also loves shopping. She takes a lot of pride in what she wears and while her
disposable income is bigger than most, she's very much a high street shopper.
When she's got big plans for the weekend, she'll go out and buy something new.
She loves shopping and will happily spend a Saturday wandering in and out her
high streets shops looking for the perfect addition to her wardrobe. Wednesdays
are her favourite commute day as she gets to read Stylist on the tube and keep up
with the latest trends coveted in Grazia and Marie Claire.
She knows about the garment factory fires in Bangladesh that caused Rana Plaza
to collapse and kill over 1,200 people and is vaguely familiar with the problems in
the supply chain. She may have even checked out if her favourite brands produce
clothes in Bangladesh after hearing about Rana Plaza. But what she found was
confusing or unclear - she didnt feel more informed and truth be told, she didnt
really know what answers she should was looking for. Nothing was very specific,
and she more or less gave up, continued to shop, now with a small cloud of guilt
overhanging her decisions. She isn't a huge fan of the so-called ethical clothing
brands, preferring the more well known high street. But she does care, and would

choose one store over another if it meant the lives of the women who made her
clothes were a little better.
Not My Style is for the Chloe's of the world. When she gets out of the tube at
Oxford Circus, she can open the app. Her favourite stores, and their rankings pop
up on the home screen. She opens the map feature and sees the 30 shops within a
couple of blocks from where she is. She follows the greens, choosing to shop at the
stores with the highest rankings on our scale. She tweets the brand after with a
thank you and Instagrams a picture of her purchase.
With enough Chloes we can reward the brands doing well, making strides and
being transparent and encourage others to do the same.
App Features
We are sure once we start the design and testing process, that many features of
the app will change, but here is the initial profile. Not My Style will include:
- A ranking of high street stores, as many as we can find in the UK. The rating
system will be simple: green light (shop), amber (think), and red (stop). While
the information on the app will be simple, full profiles and transparent ratings
will be disclosed on our website.
- A GPS map that users can open when out shopping that will show the stores
and the ratings. This map will offer filters to allow for a customized screen
(e.g., only show me the greens).
- Completely seamless integration into social media to allow users to take an
action if they want to do more than shop, such as:
o Instagram, Facebook, or Pin a photo of what you bought from a green
store to our hashtag and well repost.
o Show of their haul on YouTube if its from a green store, we will
repost on our channel.
o Tweet or email the CEO from a store with a positive or negative
message

Budget and Sustainability

Phase 1 - We are currently seeking start-up funding for the development of a beta
version of the app, the graphic design, and marketing costs. We are exploring
fundraising from a small group of committed patrons as well as support from
fellowships, incubators, and accelerators.
We aim to take advantage of generous in-kind support for other needs, including
legal, and all the ranking and development will be handled by our founders, who
are volunteering their time.
We will publically launch a demo of the app with a simultaneous crowdfunding
campaign to cover costs of a big marketing splash a billboard or bus ad on
Oxford Street, for example. Well also aim to buy ads in magazines, like Stylist or
Grazia (whether or not they will sell to us is another story!). Any additional funds
raised will go toward marketing and PR for the app.
Phase 2 - In the long term, we want Not My Style to be more than fully sustainable,
but also to be able to fund an expansion into the future (other countries, other
types of products, etc.). In order to do this, the second phase of the app will add a
new section: a shopping aggregator exclusively for fair trade, ethical clothing lines
that can demonstrate that their supply chains are not only free from the most
harmful, negative impacts, but making positive ones as well.
Similar efforts are underway in other countries (like Accompany in the US, and
Indelust in India), and with other products in the UK (like Stand Seven for jewlery
and homeware), but, to date, there is no Asos for fair trade, ethical, beautiful
womens clothes at high street price points. Once we have built the audience with
the original app, we will add an additional tab that will lead to a shopping platform,
as easy to use and cleanly designed as the main app. Only brands that meet the
highest ethical standards (such as People Tree and Everlane) will be invited to sell
via the platform. It also represents a natural progression for the user, who may
decide the high street is no longer for her, but wants easy options to buy clothes
from committed brands.
In the first instance, we will use the Google shopping model offer an aggregate
search, but purchasing is made through the site of each brand but could
eventually allow for an aggregated shopping cart by partnering with others. We

could generate revenue from a percentage of sales or eventually a membership

fee from brands. We would also give consumers the option to donate to Not My
Style at purchase.
Not My Style is, and always will be, a not for profit company. 100% of all profits
made will be reinvested back into achieving our mission.
Key milestones and next steps
-

Pre launch phase: June November 2015

o Finalise ranking system and rank all brands
o Silent fundraising phase
o Slowly build social media presence
o Design and develop beta of app
Campaign launch: November 2015
o Launch the deisgned app and crowdfunding campaign at Trust
Women Conference
Full build and market: November 2015-Spring 2016
o Refine app post beta
o Line up marketing and PR
o Generate users
Large scale go to market: London Fashion Week Spring 2016

The Team
The three founders of Not My Style combine NGO and corporate responsibility
expertise with business acumen (and of course, excellent style).
Alisha Miranda brings to the team over a decade of experience in CSR,
philanthropy and women and girls related work.
Until recently, Alisha was the Director of TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters
Foundations global pro bono service that helps NGOs and social enterprises in over
170 countries access pro bono legal support. In her first 18 months at the
organization, Alisha grew the network by over 100% and launched two new
products: a global index of pro bono and a training course on social enterprise and
impact investing.
Previously, Alisha managed global community investment at Standard Chartered
Bank, where she designed the global expansion strategy for the Goal programme

which gives adolescent girls in urban slums access to critical life skills and
knowledge like financial literacy and reproductive health through sport. When
Alisha joined the Bank in 2008, Goal was a small, expensive intervention, supporting
just 49 girls. Using a culturally sensitive approach to girls issues and a robust
business model that kept the programme integrity intact, Alisha launched a new
strategy that eventually brought Goal into now 18 countries, with a target to reach
half a million girls.
Alisha is a trustee of Coin Street Community Builders, Women Win, and an advisor
to Lend-A-Hand India. She was previously a trustee of the UK National Committee
for UN Women and member of the Global Reporting Initiatives gender working
group on the G3 Guidelines. She received a Masters Degree in Gender,
Development, and Globalisation from the London School of Economics, and
graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Womens Studies.
Joni OSullivan brings over a decade of corporate experience in community
investment and colleague engagement communications to the team. Joni is
currently leading a cultural transformation programme for Lloyds Banking Group.
During her time with the bank, Joni has helped design and launch the Lloyds
Community Fund, which last year supported over 1,600 good causes around the UK.
Joni has also worked to increase the impact of the banks community engagement,
with a focus on skills-based staff volunteering, leading her division to a 60%
increase in time committed. More recently, she has worked closely with the School
for Social Entrepreneurs, judging their finalists in Scotland and mentoring new social
enterprises in Glasgow and Scotland.
Previously Joni was seconded to Business in the Community as the Business
Connector for Lambeth. The Business Connector programme increases the
positive impact of business in the most deprived communities around the UK, with
an emphasis on education, employment and enterprise. During her secondment,
Joni successfully built capacity in five high potential local charities in Lambeth,
helping them to secure additional funding and support, as well as training to scale
up their activities across the borough.
Joni holds a BA in Modern History from the University of Oxford. She is a mentor
for an Edinburgh social enterprise and is on the board of the London based charity,
Vital Regeneration. Joni also sits on the Africa and Asia awards panel for the Stars
Foundation and previously acted as an advisor to the High Street Fund.

Jessica Perrin brings a valuable understanding of the NGO sector with over 10
years experience supporting the plight of women and girls in some of the poorest
countries in the world. Today, she is Head of NGO and Social Enterprise at the
Thomson Reuters Foundation where she oversees the Foundations network of
over 2,200 NGOs and social enterprises, and supports the annual Trust Women
Conference. She is also Chair of the Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation UK and a
Trustee of Operation Fistula UK.
Jessica has worked extensively in the social impact space as an Evaluation
Consultant at Coffey International Development managing large scale DFID grant
funds, with UNICEF as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and with CARE
International, Amnesty International and Marie Stopes International. She holds a
Masters of International Communications and Development from The City
University of London and graduated from the University of South Australia with a
BA in Communications, Media and Culture.