OpenSky
For creating a social, celebrity-powered shopping experience
"It’s a living, breathing shop built just for you," says John Caplan, founder and CEO of OpenSky, a retail platform that lets users receive a Twitter-like feed of recommended products from high-profile curators they choose to follow. Within months of its launch, the site is generating $500,000 a week in sales and creating a new kind of shopping experience for its 1 million members--and the celebrities who inspire them.
Photo by Erin Patrice O'Brien
Cynthia Rowley, Designer
“I love that OpenSky lets me curate things that I like, and not
just things I designed and manufactured. That creates a great testing ground for expanding the Cynthia Rowley brand. A lot of the jewelry I’ve posted, for example, has sold much better than I expected, so I’m starting to think about doing more accessories at my own company. Same with home furnishings. Because the site is so personal, I can really get to know my followers’ tastes.”From top to bottom: Giles & Brother Railroad Spike Cuff, Cynthia Rowley Spring 2012 Sunglasses, Zoku Quick Pop Maker
Photo by Erin Patrice O'Brien![Kelly Rutherford, Actress
“A lot of people know me from Gossip Girl [where she plays wealthy fashionista Lily van der Woodsen], or from seeing me in an ad campaign. OpenSky is a much more intimate experience. It’s like, ‘Hey, come into my closet, come into my jewelry drawer.’ It’s been fun to share my aesthetic with my fans.”
From top to bottom: Lacey Ryan Silk Tassel Bracelet, La Mer Pyramid Stud Wrap Watch, Bella Bloom Classic Stud Earrings](http://www.fastcompany.com/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/mic2012_slideshow_thumb/mic2012/166-slide-opensky-most-innovative-company-2012-slide2.png)
Kelly Rutherford, Actress
“A lot of people know me from Gossip Girl [where she plays wealthy fashionista Lily van der Woodsen], or from seeing me in an ad campaign. OpenSky is a much more intimate experience. It’s like, ‘Hey, come into my closet, come into my jewelry drawer.’ It’s been fun to share my aesthetic with my fans.”
From top to bottom: Lacey Ryan Silk Tassel Bracelet, La Mer Pyramid Stud Wrap Watch, Bella Bloom Classic Stud Earrings
Photo by Erin Patrice O'Brien![Bobby Flay, Chef/Restaurateur
“When people eat at my restaurants, they don’t know how their food is made, or where the ingredients come from—unless they get really nosy, which could happen! [Laughs] And with my television shows and cookbooks, you might see the type of honey or chili powder I use, but you’re still wondering, Where can I get it? OpenSky lets me complete that puzzle. It’s like, you’re walking in an alley, and I whip open my trench coat and I have all these awesome products that I can get for you at below-market prices.”
From top to bottom: MarketSpice Chile Bundle, Brooklyn Slate Cheese Board, Andrew's Local Honey.](http://www.fastcompany.com/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/mic2012_slideshow_thumb/mic2012/166-slide-opensky-most-innovative-company-2012-slide3.png)
Bobby Flay, Chef/Restaurateur
“When people eat at my restaurants, they don’t know how their food is made, or where the ingredients come from—unless they get really nosy, which could happen! [Laughs] And with my television shows and cookbooks, you might see the type of honey or chili powder I use, but you’re still wondering, Where can I get it? OpenSky lets me complete that puzzle. It’s like, you’re walking in an alley, and I whip open my trench coat and I have all these awesome products that I can get for you at below-market prices.”
From top to bottom: MarketSpice Chile Bundle, Brooklyn Slate Cheese Board, Andrew's Local Honey.
Photo by Erin Patrice O'Brien
![Kelly Rutherford, Actress
“A lot of people know me from Gossip Girl [where she plays wealthy fashionista Lily van der Woodsen], or from seeing me in an ad campaign. OpenSky is a much more intimate experience. It’s like, ‘Hey, come into my closet, come into my jewelry drawer.’ It’s been fun to share my aesthetic with my fans.”
From top to bottom: Lacey Ryan Silk Tassel Bracelet, La Mer Pyramid Stud Wrap Watch, Bella Bloom Classic Stud Earrings](http://www.fastcompany.com/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/mic2012_slideshow_large/mic2012/166-slide-opensky-most-innovative-company-2012-slide2.png)
![Bobby Flay, Chef/Restaurateur
“When people eat at my restaurants, they don’t know how their food is made, or where the ingredients come from—unless they get really nosy, which could happen! [Laughs] And with my television shows and cookbooks, you might see the type of honey or chili powder I use, but you’re still wondering, Where can I get it? OpenSky lets me complete that puzzle. It’s like, you’re walking in an alley, and I whip open my trench coat and I have all these awesome products that I can get for you at below-market prices.”
From top to bottom: MarketSpice Chile Bundle, Brooklyn Slate Cheese Board, Andrew's Local Honey.](http://www.fastcompany.com/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/mic2012_slideshow_large/mic2012/166-slide-opensky-most-innovative-company-2012-slide3.png)