Contributed by: ElyseRomano on Friday, December 23 2011 @ 03:08 pm
Last modified on Wednesday, May 24 2023 @ 11:03 am
I've had a soft spot for men's style since I was a child. I grew up idolizing the dandies of Victorian England and came to love all things elegant and bespoke.
You can imagine my excitement, then, when I discovered Blackbook365, online dating's attempt to go bespoke.
If it looks like a hybrid of The Sartorialist[*1] and a dating site, well, that's because it kind of is. Blackbook365 calls itself "The lifestyle destination for men and women that curates, connects & matches exceptional singles, while presenting trends & personalities in luxury, fashion, beauty, food and travel." It's a bit of a mouthful, but it's a concept that's catching a lot of eyes.
The site was founded by an anonymous fashion entrepreneur inspired by the stylish young professional set in New York City. Although she's already spoken for, she wanted to create a niche destination that catered to like-minded NYC singles who have similar aspirations for their careers, lifestyles, and, of course, love lives. The unique concept - bespoke dating meets personal matchmaking - is presented as a glossy online magazine that feels luxurious and exclusive, like a highbrow fashion editorial. In addition to the featured man (and soon woman) of the day, Blackbook365 also posts regular editorials on style, trends, food, fashion and travel.
Like a daily deal site, Blackbook365 features a daily profile of a classic New York catch - successful, well-dressed, good-looking, commitment-oriented. Anyone can join the site and add a profile (which consists of two photos and a little basic information) for free, though only the profile of the current featured member appears on any given day. Other members send "calling cards" to that day's catch, then the Blackbook365 team evaluates the interested members and chooses the 20 they believe are the best potential matches for the featured member.
Price will vary by location (the site has only launched in New York so far, but has plans to come to many more cities in the near future), but for now it costs about $340 to be featured for one day. In addition to being the featured member for a day, the fee covers a professional photo shoot and an hour spent with the Blackbook365 team to discuss what you're looking for in a partner. After finding a match, the Blackbook365 team then uses their impressive connections to set up a date by securing exclusive reservations at one of NYC's many trendy hot spots.
Blackbook365 also has plans to bring their unusual fashion-meets-matchmaking sensibility from cyberspace intto the real world, by hosting monthly cocktail parties and dinners made up of 4 single men and 4 single women.
With only two weeks up and running, it's too early to know if Blackbook365 will really produce matches, but so far 60 men are lined up to be featured on the site and 40 calling cards are sent in daily. Blackbook365 just may have a bright, and well-dressed, future.