Armoire, the clothing rental membership startup, has announced the appointment of Laura Butler as its new Chief Technology Officer. Laura brings extensive experience to this role as a 20+ year Microsoft veteran. A Harvard drop-out, Laura joined Microsoft in 1989 as a programming intern, rising through the engineering ranks to be the first female Distinguished Engineer and Technical Fellow at the company. She holds more than a dozen patents from her work on Windows ‘95, NetMeeting, the Lumia 1020 phone, Windows 10, and OneNote.
Based in Seattle, Laura is excited to accelerate Armoire’s growth by focusing on world-class fundamentals that translate into delightful experiences for Armoire customers. Laura’s vision for a technology-augmented world has found a home at Armoire as the company continues to deliver on its vision of making the lives of its customers happier, easier and more productive. Butler’s role will focus on driving Armoire’s growth and enhancing the customer experience through technology.
Armoire’s CEO, Ambika Singh, expressed excitement at having Butler join the company, stating that “I couldn’t be more proud to have one of my true-life heroines join the Armoire team. Laura’s vision of a world that leverages the power of technology to fundamentally change people’s lives is core to the Armoire promise”
“We are the woman behind the woman for our members: Laura’s ability to operationalize this vision into our service will transform our commitment to our customers beyond what I had previously imagined being possible. Adding to the slate of incredible female leaders at the company, Armoire is well-positioned to take advantage of the industry momentum behind rental fashion as a sustainable and economical answer to an overstuffed and undervalued closet”
Most recently, Laura was the CTO & Co-Founder of UpLift Group, a startup that delivered analysis and advice about HOAs to buyers and their agents. She is an active investor in companies and funds that are founded by women and minorities, including. Graham & Walker, First Row, Operator Collective, OwnTrail, PredictionStrike, LoanSense, and more. Laura is also a tireless supporter of organizations and efforts that bring tech and tech skills to underrepresented populations.
Butler’s enthusiasm for the Armoire brand was evident in her comments about the company. She highlighted the importance of clothing as a personal and empowering aspect of everyday life and praised Armoire’s use of technology to bring more time, freedom, quality, and joy to its customers.
“Clothing is so much more than trendy fashion,” said Laura.
“It’s intensely personal. It’s your armor and your cocoon. It supports you while you engage in the real world, living your life. The whole point of technology is life, to bring more time, freedom, quality, and joy to more people. Armoire’s clothing rental service is a great use of technology. I’m thrilled to join a company founded by women and led by women, delivering convenient and cost-effective confidence to women. I can’t wait to see a billion boss ladies change the world while looking great in Armoire clothes!
On the heels of the major shakeups in the technology industry, Armoire is further demonstrating our commitment to a technology-driven vision with Laura at the helm. Mordor Intelligence reports that the rental market is slated to grow at a CAGR of 8.89% over the next 5 years: Armoire’s recent performance, an impressive 25% net growth in active customers in just 60 days – is a great sign of momentum to come, said Ambika Singh, CEO, Armoire in an email statement shared with us.
