Built in DMs, Launched in Public
We bootstrapped. We launched. We’re raising. Cloud Closet’s MVP is finally here and it’s just the beginning.
Some Context
I switched off stealth mode last week—what a joyous feeling. I left my day job 5.5 months ago after building Cloud Closet quietly on the side for two years. Going full-time gave us the chance to fully focus, test, and validate what we’ve been thinking about for so long—how do you actually solve the very real, very messy pain points in getting dressed and buying new things that align with what you have?
So many fashion-tech apps have come and gone, and yet the need has never gone away. The demand is loud and persistent. From viral TikTok pleas to Notes app outfit-planning hacks, people are begging for a more thoughtful, personalized, and action-oriented way to get dressed and shop using the digital tools available to them today. I didn’t realize just how many failed attempts there were until I started really digging in; nearly 80 apps over the past few years trying to become the Clueless closet in some capacity.
And yet… it makes sense.
In our early ideation, we found ourselves cycling through a few foundational phases, starting with closet digitization, then evolving into search, and ultimately landing on something socially powered. Because that’s how style decisions are actually made. Not in a shopping cart, but in the chaos of group chats, mirror selfies, and fashion emergencies.
People don’t just want more recommendations; they want more relevant opinions.
Influencer marketing showed us the power of inspiration and its impact. The influencer marketing industry was valued at $24 billion in 2024—proof of how powerful curated inspiration has become.
Platforms like LikeToKnowIt and ShopMy were built to support that economy, and they’ve done it well. But influencers speak to the masses. They can’t solve your specific style dilemma while you’re getting dressed for a job interview, or offer advice based on what’s already in your closet.
Where do we go when we need that kind of help? Maybe Substack chats. Maybe Instagram DMs. Maybe you drop a prompt in your group chat. These are all better than nothing, but they’re not built for dressing dilemmas.
Substack’s group chats were actually a surprise discovery for me, a safe space for sort of anonymous fashion emergencies. But they weren’t designed to solve these questions, and they lack the structure and memory to make those moments actionable or scalable.
What’s wrong with group chats?
No structure. Your “should I buy this?” text disappears under brunch plans in five minutes.
No actionability and lots of noise. Even with a resounding “yes!” from friends, you're on your own to track the item, compare, and work on styling it.
No memory. There’s no way to track what advice worked and what looks were hits. You start from scratch every time.
We’re building Cloud Closet to solve for the above. Where your closet powers your recommendations. Where you can revisit past looks, crowdsource advice from people with similar sensibilities, and act on feedback & ideas. Not just inspiration, but infrastructure.
There’s a Beauty to Building Before the VC Dollars Show Up
There’s something really special about building before raising. I know how hard that is as a non-technical founder, especially in fashion tech; finding a technical partner is tough, and apps are a dime a dozen. But trust? Trust is harder than attention. And you only get one first impression.
That’s why we’ve built a tight, basic MVP, making it easy to iterate from. Talked to users. We’ve onboarded 200 users in our first week, with a growing waitlist. Now we’re ready to expand, raise some funds so we can build out the full vision.
The tech isn’t simple. The problem isn’t either. But the behavior is already here.
A Search Engine Powered by Your Closet: Real context and a little help from AI.
If you’ve ever:
Wondered what everyone’s bringing to [insert group trip location]
Texted friends, “Which shoes with this dress?” or snapped pics from dressing rooms asking for help
Scrolled endlessly searching for dupes, less expensive options or tops to go with that skirt
Bought the same type of black pants over and over again because you’re not clear on what you have
Cloud Closet is for you. We’re building the tool you’ve been hacking together with Notes apps, wish lists, and screenshots for years.
Join us. I’ll take some of you off the waitlist if you DM here and share this post.
Can’t wait to build with you.
Congratulations - I've been a startup founder and know how challenging it is. Congrats on bootstrapping. Own as much of it as you can.
I'm doing a bonus issue of my newsletter to go out in the morning - I'd like to add this to it.