Figuring out your outfit for the day is a vicious cycle for women. An outfit is supposed to give off a statement and it’s a reflection of who the individual is. It’s always advisable to watch out for your outfit, as it is someone else’s first impression of you.

Well, Adarsh Alphons wanted to respect women fully by establishing a platform where they can choose any type of outfit or piece of clothing they want, 24/7!

Wardrobe is the virtual cupboard every woman needs. Its doors are always open, day or night!

Adarsh’ story is truly one for the books. He gradually went from a fashion enthusiast to running a clothing rental platform with millions of daily users who rely on the app for their daily look!

If you want to know more about how Wardrobe replaced the traditional way of choosing an outfit, continue reading about the story behind it.

Needles and Threads

They say that God takes a bit more time while creating artists, and so he did with this one. Adarsh Alphons was born on the 4th of July in New York, in the United States of America. His father was Alphons Kannanthanam, an Indian civil advocate, and politician from Kerala who moved to the States.

Growing up in the States as an Indian was difficult for the gentle Adarsh as he had to move throughout his years because of his father’s political career. What he loved most spending his time on was painting. Adarsh would constantly paint and draw to keep his mind calm and clear of negative thoughts and stress. At a very young age, he showed first signs of pure talent, like the strokes of his brush would move so naturally. It was as if he was writing in different languages.

His parents taught Adarsh to always nurture his gift, as that was what made him special. Adarsh faced his fair share of discrimination during his elementary school years which made him a quiet and shy kid, minding his own business.

Adarsh managed to lay low during school hours by drawing different sketches in his notebook. This was his source of entertainment and a safe haven for him. Some teachers celebrated Adarsh’s creativity, while others scorned it. There was an incident in elementary school when Adarsh was being punished due to not paying attention and drawing in class. This resulted in him getting expelled from school. It was at this moment that Adrash knew that he had to guard his gift as much as he could.

Being banished from school because of his talent was frustrating for Adarsh, but he decided to channel that tension in a creative direction.

By the time he was 14 years old, Adarsh was painting full portraits of vital examples of people like Nelson Mandela and the Pope.

Climbing up the Art Ladder

Arash credited art as the reason he still walks the Earth to this day. As years went by, Adarsh gradually became a successful and recognized artist, creating his most celebrated artwork ‘’Mother’s Gold Hands’’. This was after his encounter with Mother Theresa when he said he noticed the Mother’s holy hands and face.

At only 15 years of age, Adarsh had his first painting exhibition in 1990, where he sold his cherished Mother Teresa painting. Later on, he would give painting the Mother another chance, when he painted for Pope John Paul.

After being kicked out of elementary school, and having a global exhibition in a matter of a few years, Adarsh was welcomed at Maryland Institute College of Art. This is where he continued to nourish his gift to full-blown perfection. Even though he was an expert before, this is where he gradually began exploring his talent.

In 2006, Adarsh left college with a BFA in Arts. His journey did not stop there when he went o to earn another credit for his talent, a Master’s degree in Arts Administration. These years were his years of brainstorming for an entrepreneurship future. He wanted to use his talent and intertwine it with something that could be modern and useful for every person.

In 2014, Adarsh became an honorary Community Scholar at Columbia University, where he was invited to lecture on all things art. Before beginning his business journey, Adarsh offered one more nod to his first love when he founded ProjectArt, which later on became the United States’ largest art school.

Calling All Fashionistas!

After years of contemplating, Adarsh made a firm decision to leave the field of drawn and painted art and explore other forms of expression. He wanted to dive into the world of fashion. Adarsh understood an outfit as a form of personal statement an individual wants to portray to the world, something similar to what he did with his paintings.

Adarsh slowly grew interested in establishing his startup which would cater to the artistic angles of everyday people. He thought that clothing and styling can be a form of artistic expression, so he decided to open up his own marketplace. The lightbulb moment struck in his brain after a long time of roaming around his closet when he noticed how much of his items went unworn.

In early 2018, Adarsh opened up Wardrobe in the center of the best streetwear fashion, New York. Founded in 2018, Wardrobe is a fashion rental platform that offers women daily modern, creative yet simple outfit recommendations. From vintage dresses to exclusive luxury clothes, Wardrobe is every fashion lover's best friend!

Wardrobe is the perfect eco-friendly, clothing-rental marketplace available at very reachable and reasonable prices. The company works on a peer-to-peer basis, where users can rent out luxury, designer, and even vintage clothing.

Unlike its competitors, Wardrobe uses only dry cleaners for the inventory. Because of this benefit, the company can expand from country to country without complicating things with giant warehouses and shipping issues. It’s what makes the company eco-friendly.

Users who want to rent clothing from the Wardrobe cupboard need to fill in a questionnaire and get an individual shipping mark through their mail. Once the company approves the outfits, they go to the dry cleaners to get refreshed and ready to be rented. The clothing can be rented for 4, 10, or 20 days. So you can have a Gucci gown ready for you to feel like a star for the next few days.

Renters don’t have to worry a bit, as Wardrobe takes good care of all issues, from shipping to photography. The owner of the clothes owns 70% of the rental cost with only paying the cost of the dry cleaners’.

From Rags to Riches

Wardrobe was Adarsh’s next big step towards providing the less fortunate with luxury and prestigious fashion, deserved by anyone and approachable to anyone’s standards.

After a few years of existing on the market, Wardrobe began to appear on everybody’s cell phone as an app. Adarsh discovered that most users like to browse the app for clothing ideas. Users also seemed to follow specific closets that they find suitable to their tastes. Because of that, Adarsh made the Wardrobe app more prone to forming friendships between users and a fine field of sponsorship for influencers.

In 2019, Wardrobe raised $1.5 million in a seed round from angel investors Cyan Banister and Ludlow Ventures, who recognized the app's potential to reach a global market.

After gathering much success in the rental facility, and a lot of support from influential people, Wardrobe made many partnerships. Through the years, Wardrobe attracted the founders of Airbnb, Vine, HQ Trivia, Ludlow Ventures, and many more on its side.

Art followed Adrash wherever he went. Whether it was through painting or fashion, it found its way back into his life. Adarsh’s dedication and loyalty to his individuality made him prosper in ranks he never thought he would reach. After being expelled from school and dishonored for his gift, it made him raise above anyone who doubted him. It even garnered him some awards along his path, one of them being a CNN Hero, and a top competitor among the 50 biggest philanthropists in the world.

How Full Is the Wardrobe Today?

Wardrobe today has over 50+ employees working tirelessly to fit the place of every closet and show it to the world. Its headquarters are in Brooklyn, New York, where many street fashion enthusiasts draw their stylistic inspiration from.

Today, Adarsh runs Wardrobe as the founder and CEO of the company. But before placing itself in the homes and phones of thousands of users, Wardrobe had to shake off some fierce competition in the field of fashion rentals. Companies like GLADD, and Elanic were Wardrobe’s hurdles to jump over for a shot at the growing market of clothing rentals.

Wardrobe has over 50 partnerships with Manhattan dry cleaners, serving the entire population below 110th Street. Wardrobe offers a wide gallery of clothing pieces, from designer bags to vintage gowns, there is something for everyone. Users currently choose from 100 to 1000 pieces of clothing from the Wardrobe. The company plans on expanding throughout the globe to even more remote countries that could benefit from renting clothes.

Because Adarsh stayed true to his heart, he led himself to accomplish something that many couldn’t in many lifetimes. Art stayed with Adarsh everywhere he went, in different forms and styles.

Thanks to Adrash’s invention, many people have access to the most luxurious outfits they can imagine and have the opportunity to access places and venues that require certain attire.

Whether you’re a teenager still searching for your own fashion stamp or a seasoned fashionista that just can’t afford high-end clothing pieces, Wardrobe is the first-ever startup to give every person the chance to dress to impress!