Pink Mothballs iPhone app launch party at Love & Liquor

Pink balloons, wigs, cocktails and even a giant pink cake could only be the attire for the swanky launch of the new Pink Mothballs iPhone app. Yesterday evening, we were welcomed into the exclusive Love & Liquor bar in Kilburn to celebrate the hard work of Amanda Baker. Having studied Advertising and Graphic Design, Baker now works full-time with Volume Ltd, a company that invests in and aids new projects. She approached them around six months ago with her unique idea and within days she was writing up an investment plan.

So what is Pink Mothballs? The story goes that about a year ago, whilst thumbing through her extensive wardrobe, Baker realised that despite the large amount of clothing in her cupboards, she had nothing to wear. So she went onto Facebook, called a friend and borrowed something. “I thought how great it would be if I could look through my friends wardrobes in one place and just borrow stuff instead of buying new things.” So that’s the idea. You set up a profile, upload some outfits, add your pals via Facebook and suddenly your wardrobe has grown.

Six months down the line and Baker has been working tirelessly on the project, which already has around 200 members without any press whatsoever. “I don’t have a team behind me yet, I’m doing it all on my own with the help of some extremely kind friends. I hope to take on an intern at some point and expand, but for now I’m a designer by day and working on Pink Mothballs by night. It’s tiring, but I love it.” The app is currently aimed at groups of friends: “I don’t think I’d happily lend my clothes to a complete stranger!” But who knows how much the project could grow and progress? Baker mentioned that students are going to be a great audience for the app because of their renowned lack of funds, and that she will be making an appearance at Reading Uni to promote Pink Mothballs.

The party was a huge success and great fun. Baker had all her guests – from friends to bloggers – dressing up in pink wigs and bows to pose in the photo booth. There was an enormous wardrobe cake – the first of it’s kind due to the iPad set into one of the doors – and a shirtless waiter handing out pomegranate cocktails.

Pink Mothballs is not only a brilliant idea, it’s also a simple one. We are all feeling the burn of the economic situation at the moment, so we can’t afford to fork out for a new outfit for every party. Unfortunately, in addition to the recession, women of Britain have got into the habit of only wanting to wear an outfit once. If we made the effort to make clothes last, to recycle them and to lend to and borrow from friends, perhaps our purses would stop being so consistently echoic!

Elizabeth Finney

To download the app or to find out more about Pink Mothballs, follow this link and get borrowing!