By Taylor Smith

The day before the start of New York Fashion Week, Alexa Chung announced via Instagram that she was launching a new shopping app called Villoid.

While Chung acts as the face of the app, the CEO and creator is former lawyer Jeanette Dyhre Kvisvik. She launched the app (which was originally called SoBazzar) in her native Oslo, Norway. Within a few months, the app reached a 25 percent marketshare and was backed by Norwegian telecom company, Telenor and online company, Schibsted Media Group.

Before taking the app internationally, Kvisvik searched for a well-known face and fashion figure to add to the brand. After doggedly pursuing Chung, she landed a brief interview in New York City. Chung was convinced and the two worked out the planning on Skype.

Chung’s contribution is more than a name – she helped to shape Villoid’s tone, imagery, and user experience. Users will notice that Villoid is actually a combination of several existing shopping apps. For example, on Villoid, users can create outfits using Pinterest-like “boards.” Each item on the board can be clicked on and purchased. Users can also follow each other and major brand labels like Acne and Adidas.

While the celebrity side of app building is a growing market, only time will tell if Villoid has true staying power and mass appeal.