America's Gap acquires e-com startup & virtual fitting room Drapr

Part of the Y Combinator class of Summer 2020, Drapr was founded by David Pastewka, Will Drevno and Richard Berwick, who have collaborated on 3D technology for over a decade with early support from Boost VC and Berkeley SkyDeck.

“Fit is the number one point of friction for customers and through their advanced 3D technology, Drapr has shown it can help shoppers efficiently find the size and fit they need. We plan to leverage Drapr to help Gap Inc improve the fit experience for our customers and accelerate our ongoing digital transformation,” Sally Gilligan, chief growth transformation officer at Gap Inc said in a statement.

“With the launch of Bodequality, we reinvented our fit process at Old Navy to give women greater confidence in their clothes, no matter the size. Drapr’s technology will help us continue to build on this expertise and deliver a more personalized and inclusive fit experience for all of our customers by showing them how an item will actually look on their body while also recommending the best fit for them based on their individual preferences,” added Nancy Green, president & CEO of Old Navy.

“Most people either don’t know their exact measurements or are looking for a specific type of fit that numbers alone can’t tell them. Drapr has proven effective, and we are excited about the impact we can have on customers at scale as part of the Gap Inc family,” said Drapr co-founder and CEO, David Pastewka.

The deal was brokered by Gap Inc’s strategic growth office, led by Gilligan, a unit of the company charged with thinking beyond its core business to meet the consumer and industry demands of the future. The strategic growth office seeks out investments that fuel growth and accelerate new capabilities at Gap Inc and across its portfolio of brands.

Through the company’s Athleta brand, the strategic growth office participated in the latest funding round for obé fitness, a digital fitness platform with a focus on bringing entertainment, pop culture and design to fitness. The partnership between obé and Athleta will come to life through its new AthletaWell community platform and is designed to increase brand engagement, with both brands working together on apparel, content, events, and innovative shopping experiences.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)