App Showcase: Moda Operandi

What it does

Moda Operandi is a luxury e-commerce platform that offers a curated selection of designer fashion, fine jewelry, and home decor. The app provides a unique model where users can pre-order looks directly from the runway through its signature 'Trunkshows' months before they are available elsewhere. It also functions as a traditional retailer for in-season items, targeting high-end consumers who value exclusivity and trend-forward pieces.

Where it shines

The app excels in creating an elevated, editorial-style shopping experience. The product detail pages, as seen at 01:37, are clean and image-forward, allowing the craftsmanship of the items to take center stage. A key strength is the "Shop The Look" feature within Trunkshows (07:07). This seamlessly connects inspirational runway photography with the individual products, allowing users to deconstruct and purchase a complete, styled outfit with ease.

UX highlights

• Subtle Urgency Cues: The app uses low-stock indicators like "Only 1 left" (01:47, 09:02) to create scarcity and encourage faster checkouts without feeling aggressive.
• Comprehensive Filtering: The refine and sort functionality (03:02) is robust, allowing users to filter by multiple designers, sizes, and colors simultaneously, with a live count of selected filters.
• Clear Item Status: Items are clearly marked as 'Sale', 'Preorder', or 'Trunkshow', which helps manage user expectations around pricing and delivery timelines.
• Intuitive Bag Management: The shopping bag (08:52) provides clear options to 'Remove' or 'Save for Later', giving users control over their potential purchases.
• Address Autofill: During checkout (09:32), the app uses Google-powered address suggestions to speed up form-filling, a crucial micro-optimization for reducing friction.
• Visual Size Guide: Instead of a generic chart, the size guide (01:57) includes a region converter, helping international shoppers select the correct size with confidence.

Monetization & growth

As a retail app, monetization is straightforward: direct sales of physical goods. There is no subscription or paywall visible. Growth mechanics are focused on personalization and re-engagement. The onboarding flow immediately pushes for notification permissions (00:08) by promising access to "exclusive items." The "Build Your Closet" prompt (00:14) encourages users to follow their favorite designers, which creates a personalized and stickier in-app experience over time.

Who it’s for

Moda Operandi is for fashion-forward, high-income individuals who actively follow designer trends and seek exclusivity. The app caters to two main use cases: the 'planner' who pre-orders next season's key pieces from Trunkshows, and the 'immediate shopper' who buys current-season items from a curated selection. It appeals to users who see fashion as an investment and appreciate a high-touch, editorial approach to online retail.

Notes & opportunities

While generally smooth, there are small points of friction. When a user tries to add more of an item than is available, a generic error message appears at the bottom of the screen (09:08). This could be improved by providing more context directly on the quantity selector. Additionally, the email verification step (01:01) is a necessary but interruptive step that could potentially cause user drop-off if the email is delayed.