Style DNA is all about unlocking your wardrobe’s potential
Style DNA is the leading AI stylist app on a mission to help people unlock their personal style. The app expertly curates wardrobe combinations and offers tailored advice on new purchases to ensure compatibility with users’ appearances and existing wardrobes, all while promoting a sustainable future. Founded in 2019, Style DNA is headquartered in the UK with an office in Spain. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, CEO and Co-founder Elena Volkova discusses offering personalised outfit and style suggestions through the use of AI-based technology.
How has the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) transformed the personal styling and fashion recommendation industry?
AI technologies have transformed the world of personal styling by making an expensive service available to everyone – you no longer have to be rich or famous to have a personal stylist. Helping to boost confidence levels, a great outfit can help people achieve their goals, whether that be making a good impression at a job interview or hosting a chic dinner party.
What are the biggest challenges fashion tech companies face in ensuring accurate and personalised recommendations for users?
One of the biggest challenges is the limited number of datasets, which makes it difficult to create hyper-personalised recommendations for each and every individual. In addition to criteria such as colour, pattern, shape and fabric, the next step will be to consider the personal preferences of the user. The app should be able to create outfits that a user does not consciously know they want but will love as soon as they are recommended to them.
What trends are emerging in the fashion tech industry that could shape the future of personal styling apps?
Over the coming years, we can expect that personal styling tech solutions will become more advanced and precise as AI technologies get even more sophisticated. AI stylists will be able to scour the whole internet to find items that match your exact measurements, budget and style preferences.
How can fashion tech companies stay competitive in an industry that rapidly changes with evolving fashion trends and consumer preferences?
The world is indeed very fast-paced, and there are lots of new products emerging daily. It is therefore essential to monitor competitors, industry news, and new technologies, as well as track your product’s dynamics with users. This will give you the opportunity to stay alert and pivot if necessary or introduce new features.
At the same time, it is necessary to remember that the users of your product have chosen it for a reason, because it relates to their needs, their lifestyle, their sense of aesthetics or something else. It is therefore worth considering whether a new feature is truly something your audience wants or whether it is best to focus on your core idea.
In what ways are advancements in virtual and augmented reality shaping the shopping experience for fashion consumers?
Augmented and virtual reality solutions will give us the opportunity to create digital avatars and conduct virtual try-ons, letting customers instantly see how an outfit would look on them before making a purchase.
Can you briefly describe what Style DNA is and the unique features it offers to users?
Style DNA is a personal AI-powered stylist helping people discover their unique style. Contributing to a sustainable future, the app creates new outfits based on the clothes users already own and provides shopping advice that ensures new purchases would not end up being thrown away.
What sets Style DNA apart is the level of personalisation it offers in terms of outfits suggestions. These are created based on each user’s unique appearance, the clothes uploaded to their digital wardrobe and their personal preferences.
What technologies are utilised in Style DNA to analyse a user’s selfie and determine their colour palette?
To determine the user’s colour palette, Style DNA uses the power of its proprietary AI-powered recommendations platform, which is developed in-house. It focuses on particular elements of the user’s appearance, which professional image consultants would typically consider, and accounts for the level of lighting in the room to reduce the possibility of generalisations and mistakes. This allows it to recognise a client’s colour type and define their colour palette.
In what ways does the app help users to maximise their existing wardrobe?
Style DNA is all about unlocking your wardrobe’s potential by making the most of the clothes you already own. The app scans and analyses each of your wardrobe items and combines them to create bespoke outfits for every occasion. It also provides advice on refreshing your existing wardrobe to prevent impulse buys.
Could you explain the process through which the app pairs clothing items and generates outfit ideas?
Sure! Our AI analyses each item and defines 249 stylish attributes. It then draws on big data knowledge to combine them into bespoke, trendy outfits.
How much of the market does Style DNA cover, and how are items curated based on individual style formulas?
Style DNA covers a significant portion of the global image consulting market, valued at $3.92 billion in 2023. Style DNA curates items by utilising AI stylist features that consider factors like skin tone, facial features, and body shape analysis, as well as personal preferences. It is like having your own personal stylist, but it is all powered by AI.
Can you share insights on how users can use Style DNA for in-store shopping assistance?
Style DNA offers invaluable assistance by allowing users to upload a clothing item to a chat with their AI stylist. From there, users can choose to explore three key options. First, they can check if the item matches their personal style. Second, they can browse a range of outfit ideas tailored to their preferences. Third, they can mix and match the item with pieces from their existing wardrobe to create new outfits. This feature helps users shop with confidence, ensuring that each purchase fits their style and makes their wardrobe more functional.
How does the app determine which clothing cuts, textures, and prints will best suit a user’s figure or physique?
As I have mentioned, Style DNA’s AI-powered recommendations platform is trained on a huge number of data sets, totalling several million, which were handpicked by a professional image consultant. In this way, the Style DNA AI ‘brain’ incorporates the knowledge and experience of human professionals when it comes to understanding fabrics and how various prints and cuts look on different body types.
What is the philosophy behind Dwyn Larson’s techniques that are incorporated into Style DNA?
Dwyn Larson created a beauty type system that inspired us when creating style types. We use Larson’s work and combine it with our clients’ preferences to determine what outfits will make them look and feel great. We also encourage users to ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ our outfit suggestions and use this data to refine our algorithms and make our recommendations as accurate as possible.
How does Style DNA stay updated with current fashion trends while recommending personalised outfits?
We always train AI on new collections, trends, and fashionable outfits. This work never stops.
Are there any future updates or features that users can look forward to in Style DNA?
Certainly! First and foremost, we are working on a separate male version of the app to ensure the styling recommendations align with the users’ expectations. Additionally, we are constantly working on expanding our network of partner retailers to give users more choice and make the Style DNA shopping experience more enjoyable. As for other new features, all will be revealed soon.
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