Fashion Stake

TrendCentral: Community-based shopping site Fashion Stake was founded out of frustration among aspiring designers who, historically, have had limited means of connecting directly with consumers. Though the original concept for this venture, founded by a Harvard Business School grad, was to give users a chance to invest in designers they wanted to support, it has evolved into an e-commerce bazaar that’s stocked by the same people who make the purchases, allowing them to view collections from new designers and vote on which items they think would fly off the rack. Prices max out around $200, making it a hit with a cost-conscious crowd, as well as some notable investors.

Democracy in Style [TrendCentral]