6 Ways AI is Transforming the Fashion Industry
There have been so many discussions on the potential impacts of AI on the fashion industry, but there are barely any updates on when specific fashion companies have begun to use it. So today we are going through some of the ways AI has made some practical changes to the whole fashion industry.
AI-Driven Data to Improve Fits
Bodify takes pictures of customers and uses computer vision to calculate their dimensions. The metrics are mapped using machine learning against the company’s stored data. Customers are left with a list of brands that appear to fit them in the size they believe to be.
Bodify’s data assists manufacturers in determining the ideal location to have their clothing manufactured, coordinating sizes of various types of clothing, and cutting clothing to a true fit.
Fit for Everyone, another firm, gives customers a video that shows them precisely where to measure themselves. Fit for Everybody’s paying clients, the designers use the data to create designs that are more in line with the dimensions of their clients. The CEO and founder Laura Zwanziger explained, “You’re making clusters; you’re making five sizes that are going to encompass as many people as possible.” Optimizing every cluster is the aim.
Suggestions From AI Helping With Decision-Making
Some retailers have been able to offer virtual styling tools that help customers pick which item would be most flattering to their body type.
For instance, Styleriser creates software for image advice using artificial intelligence. Consumers contribute images to the retailer’s online store, whereupon the image is examined by a virtual stylist. It provides particular color recommendations (wear cream instead of white, or charcoal grey instead of black) based on the user’s skin tone. According to CEO and cofounder Mark Hunsmann, the tool promotes confidence in shopping, which in turn raises purchasing readiness by 80%. Fewer returns also follow, which supports the viability of the sector.
Bounce Ideas Off AI Collaborators
The designer Almossawi uses AI to generate ideas and get inspired. “The early phase involves a lot of explorations and ideation sessions, as part of every designer’s process,” encompassing anything from brainstorming with coworkers to bouncing around big, abstract concepts. According to him, AI facilitates cooperation by extending human-to-machine cooperation beyond person-to-person cooperation. “Despite how bizarre and fascinating AI is, I think we’re still in its early stages, and it will only get better and be able to do much more than just produce images.”
For example, Almossawi used AI to create a line of garments based on the traditional kimono.
Customers Virtually Try on Clothing
AI-driven augmented reality and virtual reality have been transferred to tools and shopping apps that allow customers to see their new clothes and accessories in a much more advanced way by seeing how they would look virtually before ordering and trying them on themselves.
This has been on apps such as DressX and other shopping platforms. This has not only completely transformed the shopping customer experience but will have significant impacts on returns. 30-day returns can be extremely detrimental for a business, as they are losing so much time and opportunities to sell these products, and it is costing them time and money to refund and ship again.
Retail Companies Cutting Down on Waste
Sustainability is extremely important for companies and there has been research into how wasteful the retail industry has become, from designers burning their old stock to every shop not recycling. What is even more crazy is that nearly all returned items end up in landfills, as restocking returns is often the more expensive route than remaking, which I thought was insane.
AI can help in so many ways to resolve these issues for the environment and business. It helps through systems like trans forecasting, logistical analysis, or even pricing strategies to help avoid as much waste as possible.
Detect Counterfeits With AI-Powered Analysis
An AI technology called Dupe Killer was developed by Deloitte to identify design infringements. It can identify subtle yet distinctive design aspects such as an object’s shape, color, or even its distinctive stitching pattern by analyzing data from millions of photos. Dupe Killer assists brands in identifying and pursuing businesses that are exploiting their design trademarks illegally.
It’s a great thing that AI has been able to do its part in identifying scams, leaving less work for investment fraud lawyers, and taking some of that much-needed pressure off.
Final Thoughts
Regarding how AI has impacted the fashion industry, it seems to have such a positive impact from beyond a customer experience standpoint but from a sustainable and business perspective. While AI has been a scary and unexplored area of technology, it has made a quick and positive impact.
Where creativity and innovation have been concerns, I only see it adding value to those designers taking the extra steps rather than cutting corners; therefore, I can mainly visualize much greater things from AI applications in the fashion industry.
Photo by Viktor Hanacek
