Customer Highlight – Fashion & Apparel
Tuesday, July 23, 2025
Melanie M., Founder of Noir Theory
“I hope to dress more women who lead with clarity and confidence. Noir Theory is not just a fashion label—it’s a way of living with intention.”
— Melanie, Founder of Noir Theory
How Melanie Built a Quiet, Independent Fashion Brand with Genstore
Melanie Mauva started Noir Theory as a side project during college in Chicago. At first, she posted daily outfit snaps and secondhand finds to her Instagram, mixing vintage minimalism with subtle edge, think DVF meets Mulberry, a little Chanel, a touch of Off-White. Her taste attracted a niche but loyal following: women who didn’t want trend cycles, but clothes with presence.
Over time, Melanie shifted from styling content to sourcing and reselling her own curated edit. Friends started DMing her to reserve pieces before they dropped. Eventually, she knew it was time to grow beyond comments and cash apps.
I didn’t want to just be a style page anymore. I wanted to build something lasting. A brand.
But she also knew she was on her own, just her and one part-time assistant. No developers. No designers. No investors.
Balancing Personal Aesthetic with Real-World Constraints
Melanie had a vision for Noir Theory: clean lines, calm palettes, seasonal rhythm, and a subtle point of view. But when she started exploring platforms, everything felt like a compromise.
She didn’t know how to code, and she didn’t have time to learn.
The templates she tried felt generic or too loud. Worse, some platforms pushed constant discount popups and holiday sales banners she didn’t believe in.
I wanted something that looked like a boutique, not a weekend clearance rack.
Genstore gave her a completely different experience. She chose the Fashion & Apparel category, and the layout that appeared already felt aligned with her brand’s tone, elegant but functional, ready for editorial content or product drops.
Using Genstore’s AI-powered design tools, she could refresh banners and update the homepage with seasonal photography in minutes. No plugins. No developer emails. Just drag, drop, and publish.
My fall drop used to take me days to prep. Now I can update everything between meetings. It feels like I’m finally working at the pace I post.
Staying Consistent Across Platforms, Without a Full Team
Melanie’s audience lives on Instagram. Many of her most engaged buyers see her styling content in real time and expect instant access to new pieces. But linking every product manually from post to store was exhausting and easy to mess up.
With Genstore’s built-in Meta product sync, everything changed. Products from her store automatically appeared in her Instagram Shop and Facebook catalog. Followers could browse and check out directly, even if they skipped the website.
When I post a reel, the product is already there. I don’t have to race to link it. That alone saves me so much stress.
On the operations side, Melanie leaned on Genstore’s AI Agents to help manage basic tasks like restock alerts, customer questions, and product descriptions. With only one assistant and limited time, having an extra layer of automation meant she could focus on sourcing and styling instead of support tickets.
It’s not about doing less, it’s about spending time on what only I can do.
A Brand with Room to Grow
Noir Theory officially launched online in late spring. By early summer, Melanie had already seen a steady rise in traffic and repeat purchases. Customers appreciated the clarity of the layout and the curation of the drops. More importantly, it finally felt like her work was landing in the right format.
Her short-term goal is to reach $50,000 in monthly revenue. Long term, she plans to open a second concept store, either in-person or online, focused exclusively on accessories and archival resale.
I’m not trying to be fast fashion. I just want to build something considered, piece by piece.
With Genstore powering the backend, Melanie finally has the infrastructure to match her ambition. Noir Theory may be quiet, but it’s growing on its own terms.