Threads Styling (Thread)

A London personal styling company, founded by Sophie Hill, that uses chat and social media to find and deliver clothes and accessories for customers around the world (trading as Thread).

About Threads Styling (Thread)

Threads Styling, which trades as Thread, is a personal shopping service. Instead of sending customers a catalogue, its stylists chat to clients through social media and text messages, give styling advice and product recommendations, then find the items and ship them wherever the customer is. It also produces editorial content that shows curated products and brands. In 2015 a magazine profile described it as a global fashion concierge, with partnerships that included luxury names and department stores, and said its aim was "taking the hard work out of shopping".

The company was founded by Sophie Hill, a former fashion buyer and stylist. Sources disagree on the year: a 2015 profile says 2010, and a London tech jobs site says 2009. The company describes itself as female-founded and female-led, and its stated purpose is to uplift, inspire and empower a global community it calls the #ThreadsCollective. It says it wants to be a positive force in the luxury fashion industry, with priorities of sustainability, diversity and inclusivity. These are the company's own words from its jobs profile.

Threads Styling is headquartered in London. The 2015 profile also mentions offices in Paris and New York, which the article called fashion capitals, and a team of 37 staff and consultants at that time. A more recent jobs profile, which is undated, lists 231 employees. We have not seen an address, so we cannot say which part of London the team is in. The company has appeared on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 list for three years running and was named as a Future Fifty business in 2017, which are rankings of fast-growing UK technology firms.

On culture, the company says it wants to be a good place to work in luxury, with opportunities for development, empowerment and belonging, and a welcoming environment for everyone. It describes its people as an ambitious, creative and committed community, and says every employee helps shape its culture and daily decisions. The jobs profile lists no specific benefits. All of this is the company's own claim and we found no independent review of working there.

A styling company that works by messaging needs a mix of people. Stylists and personal shoppers talk to clients and use their fashion knowledge; buying and sourcing teams find items from designers and retailers; software, data and product staff build the chat tools and website; and marketing, content, customer care, logistics and finance teams support them. If you enjoy fashion and talking to people, as well as technology, it is an example of how a fashion service can be built around conversations. The company's website is the place to check current roles.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Stylists give advice and recommendations through social media and text messaging.', 'title': 'Personal styling by chat'}
• {'desc': 'Finds the items clients want and ships them wherever they are.', 'title': 'Sourcing and delivery'}
• {'desc': 'Curated features showing products and brands.', 'title': 'Editorial content'}

Key facts

• Founded by Sophie Hill (2009 or 2010, sources disagree); headquartered in London
• Offices in Paris and New York and 37 staff and consultants in 2015 (dated)
• 231 employees on an undated London tech jobs profile
• Named a Future Fifty business in 2017 and on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 for three years running

Website: www.thread.com