Startup Lodie brings the pop up retail experience into the smartphone age

Melbourne-based entrepreneurs Gabrielle Kelly and Simon Doukas have developed a mobile application Lodie for emerging designers to showcase and sell their products in a virtual pop-up shop format. The app is currently in its beta phase, and set to launch officially in the upcoming months.

Lodie has a membership-based model, which requires customers to download the app and sign up to gain access to designer pop-up shops. Each pop-up shop is featured for a limited period, with a range of exclusive products and membership pricing.

“We are redesigning the shopping experience by bringing the things we love about pop up retail to a mobile app,” said Kelly in the media release.

The app has two main purposes – firstly, to create a simple and elegant shopping experience that enables their members to explore and purchase designer products; and secondly, to build a mobile platform that helps independent designers reach a global audience.

The community of emerging designers are hand selected and invited to run a pop-up shop on Lodie. The husband and wife team curate designers through a mix of personal taste, fashion trends and social media insights.

Lodie has already established a range of emerging designers from across the country covering Fashion Accessories, Jewellery, Homewares, Skin Care, Art, Illustrations and Stationary categories.

“Imagine having access to unique product designs and inspiring designer stories in your pocket, everyday,” Doukas said in the media release.

After taking time out from the corporate world in July 2013, Kelly and Doukas spent six months bootstrapping Lodie from Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City, with plans to expand into Asia and across the globe.

Their first release will be an iPhone App, with plans to develop an Android version later in the year.

To be notified of the launch date, users need to sign up via www.lodie.com.au. The Lodie team are also offering early bird members the chance earn $10 of credit for every friend they refer before they launch officially.