We don't usually cover American magazines in great detail, but here's an online fashion publication with a slightly different model (business model, that is) and a Toronto connection.

I Like What You're Wearing (ILWYW) is a New-York based web mag from fashionista Olivia Gossett. The site is driven by her desire to promote up-and-coming fashion designers from around the world. Visitors can browse fashion items on the site and buy them online, while in turn ILWYW receives (an undisclosed) portion of the retail value.



ILWYW collaborates with freelance rising fashion writers, bloggers, photographers (main photographers are Gossett and Cyle Suesz), makeup/hair artists, and models to create its editorial content, said Gossett.

"We also offer a full production service to our rising designers, offering to turn our editorial and product photos into full, unique and beautiful look books, ads, and more," noted Gossett. "We also act as a sort of agency. Meaning, other publications and stylists come to us when looking for pulls and the next greatest designers of higher quality. We do these extra things for designers at a light fee."

User Experience (UX) design studio Playground in Toronto was tasked with dressing up the online platform.

"Everyone in the room wanted to create an experience more akin to shopping with friends," noted Ryan Bannon, Playground's creative director who spearheaded the ILWYW site design.

Playground’s developers created interactive tools that not only allow purchasing of fashion items, but a "dynamic ‘love’ system" that saves users' favourite items and features them on the homepage.

The site is fully maintained and updated by ILWYW through a custom content management system (CMS) built by Playground.

Gossett said there will be special print versions "here and there," but it's electronic-focused.

Some content originally appeared on Masthead sister site DesignEdgeCanada.com