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Swapping Smart: How One SKEMA Alumnus is Reinventing Your Wardrobe
Livingstone Mekamou (SKEMA 2015), an alumnus of SKEMA Business School's Master in Management (PGE) programme, has launched an innovative app to breathe new life into your wardrobe: DressLike. This app allows users to swap high-quality clothes they no longer wear, offering a fresh collection of garments. All of this is available through an affordable, no-commitment monthly subscription. Mekamou's start-up was recently selected by Showroomprive.com to join its year-long acceleration programme.
Mekamou is one of those alumni who always dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur. After successful roles at Orange Business Services and CHG-MERIDIAN, he decided to create DressLike, inspired by a personal experience. “My partner had a huge amount of clothing in her wardrobe that she no longer wore, and it was taking up my space. That’s when the idea for DressLike came to me,” he says with a smile. He based the concept on a simple observation: “We only wear about 30% of our clothes, meaning three-quarters of our wardrobe is left unused. I realised something had to be done. So, I thought of a solution to connect people so they could exchange clothes. Clothing is the fifth-largest expense for French households, and it’s also the second most polluting industry,” the founder explains.
Our approach is community-driven, aiming to foster social connections. By encouraging face-to-face exchanges, we hope people can meet, share a moment—perhaps over coffee—and create positive interactions [...]
Swapping clothes through DressLike is incredibly intuitive. Users simply upload their items to the app, where an algorithm evaluates their value and suggests similar garments to exchange. “All users have to do is indicate the purchase price of their clothes. Our algorithm takes care of the rest, factoring in the condition of the item, the brand, and so on,” says Mekamou. The app ensures that no worn-out or damaged clothing is listed—only items in excellent condition, some even like new. “That’s a key requirement for exchanges. The goal is to turn dormant wardrobe pieces into clothes you’ll actually wear,” he adds.
Friendly, Face-to-Face Swaps
For €19.99 a month, users can swap as many clothes as they like, within their chosen area. Each exchange is done in person. “Our approach is community-driven, aiming to foster social connections. By encouraging face-to-face exchanges, we hope people can meet, share a moment—perhaps over coffee—and create positive interactions,” explains Mekamou, who graduated from the Sophia Antipolis campus. In addition to these swaps, he plans to organise regional “DressLike Days” to build a community of users and attract new subscribers to this virtuous circle.
2,000 Users and Counting
As of September 2024, the app has already attracted 2,000 users, a number that continues to rise, driven by recent interest from Showroomprive.com. “Being backed by Showroomprive.com is a great opportunity for us. We share common values around fashion and the challenges of circularity. They will provide us with resources, visibility, and personalised support to help us go further,” says Mekamou. Since its launch in the summer of 2023, DressLike has helped save 900 kg of CO2 and enabled users to save over £2,000 collectively. Soon, artificial intelligence will be introduced to streamline the matching process between users.
