Simchas are always a time of happiness and excitement, but along with the excitement for a special occasion comes the anxiety of making sure that every detail of the simcha comes out perfectly.
As someone who recently made a simcha, I completely understand the mixture of emotions that takes place in preparing for these momentous occasions. One key aspect of the planning is to make sure everyone is outfitted and dressed to feel their best. Looking for a gown or cocktail dress for oneself and your loved ones is not an easy task. Luckily, the Gown Shadchan, an online marketplace for discounted designer modest gowns, was created to help people overcome this challenge.
Looking for that perfect Zimmermann gown of your dreams? Look no further than the Gown Shadchan. Their listing platform showcases dresses and gowns that are pre-worn as well as brand new. The Gown Shadchan website, www.gownshadchan.com, offers buyers and sellers an easy way to make a shidduch, so that the seller feels fairly compensated while the buyer feels like they’ve gotten a beautiful dress at a discounted price.
Speaking with owner Elisheva Kamin was a true pleasure and she gave great insight into how sellers and buyers can utilize the platform to its utmost. Her inspiration behind the creation of this platform is enlightening and her zest for the Gown Shadchan is apparent. I recommend that readers go to her site and peruse all the listings which include; gowns, bridal, dresses, maternity, kids, and accessories.
Trust me when I say that the Gown Shadchan will become your new best friend. Whether the platform diminishes your “what to wear” worries or alleviates your “help I have to make room in my closet!” dismay, the Gown Shadchan is sure to make the perfect match.
Michal Goldfein: What was the inspiration behind the creation of the Gown Shadchan?
Elisheva Kamin: I realized that buying and renting gowns are expensive. I’ve designed gowns for myself and for family and I noticed how costly the process was. Many of my gowns were rented or sold and I began to recognize the utility of buying and selling gowns that were pre-owned. Firstly, once you wear a gown or dress there is a strong likelihood that the dress will end up sitting in your closet. These gowns are costly and it’s a shame not to capitalize on something you wore only once. Why not make someone else happy by offering them a beautiful dress at a fraction of the retail price. Matching buyers and sellers seemed like the perfect solution.
Once I had my “aha” moment about three years ago, I started the Instagram platform and we’ve been growing our reach and community ever since.
You then incorporated the Gown Shadchan website and WhatsApp group. How did you know it was the right time to add these platforms?
We were bombarded with submissions and adding a robust website simplified both the listing and search process.
Instead of manually listing each gown, listings are now automatically uploaded to the website. Additionally, the website filters greatly enhance searching, making the process much simpler than scrolling through all the Instagram posts.
Can you describe the selling process?
It’s so simple. Just go to our website, www.gownshadchan.com and create an account. Click add a new listing, pick a category for the listing, upload pictures, size, pricing, and location. The website prompts you to fill in the desired fields. Once your listing is created buyers can find and shop your listings.
What is your favorite part of the buying and selling process?
First and foremost, I love enabling both the sellers and buyers to connect and helping them both benefit. Besides for that, I love that the seller can update the listing themselves and that the buyer contacts the seller directly. This makes the process seamless.
What advice do you have for sellers?
It’s always best to list your gowns at a competitive price and make people feel like they’re getting a significant discount. My other advice is to use professional pictures or very clear photos because pictures sell the gown. It is always better to upload a picture of a dress worn by a person, whether it is you wearing the gown or a picture from the website of a model in the gown.
And for the buyers, what recommendation do you have to find what they are looking for?
Thankfully the website has a great filtering feature that enables buyers to search by category and designer. There is a multitude of designers to choose from including Zimmermann, Costarellos, Jenny Pakham, and more. You can also filter according to price, condition, rental/sale, color, size, location, and if shipping is available. Once you find a dress you are interested in, you can contact the seller directly via phone or email.
What are your goals for the future of your brand?
Our future goals are to broaden our reach and expand our community. We would like to continue to be the one stop shop for gowns and dresses, and a platform that assists both buyers and sellers.
For more info, visit www.gownshadchan.com. Jewish Press readers can use the code GOWNSHADCHAN25 for 25% off a listing. Join their WhatsApp 646-883- 5711, and follow them on Instagram @gownshadchan to see listings as well.
