Emerging technology is bringing us concepts like virtual fitting rooms, smart contracts, AI models, and fashion for the Metaverse. They are revolutionizing the way we shop, experience, and consume fashion. Here’s how they can help your start-up fashion business.

The fashion industry is no stranger to technology, and in recent years, the rise of fashion startups that leverage cutting-edge technology has been nothing short of remarkable. From AI and VR to smart contracts and virtual dressing rooms, these startups are transforming the way we work in fashion and how consumers interact with it. In this blog, we'll explore some of the hottest tech trends dominating the fashion startup industry.

Virtual Fitting Rooms:

Augmented Reality (AR) technology has paved the way for virtual fitting rooms. They allow customers to try on clothes from their favorite brands without leaving their homes. Companies like Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s, and Adidas are among those adopting VR for fashion try-ons. 

The best VR fitting apps use body scanning to provide a personalized and accurate experience. Lesser-known startups like Indochino, Naja, and LaFayette are also capitalizing on this technology to increase consumer interest in their products. 

DRESSX, a pioneer in virtual dressing rooms, is creating unique virtual outfits by  merging the virtual world with the realm of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). 

Virtual Fitting rooms powered by Augmented Reality (AR) are already here and may be a great way to introduce your customers to your brand and style right in the comfort of their home. 

Smart Contracts:

Smart contracts are revolutionizing online shopping by making it more secure for consumers. These contracts, stored on the blockchain, automatically execute and streamline fulfillment. They can process payments, trigger the shipping process, and seamlessly interact with your record keeping system. This eliminates hours of human labor, redundancy, and the possibility of errors.  

Startups like StockX are using smart contracts to ensure transparency and credibility in their operations. This reduces the risk of errors and fraud, and can save dramatically on costs..

Beautiful Branding:

Online design platforms like Canva and Crello are empowering fashion startups to create beautiful branding merchandise with ease. Entrepreneurs can develop unique designs for T-shirts, caps, office supplies, and other merchandise.

Even with a small budget these branding capabilities are at your fingertips. By combining them with advanced technologies like embroidery software and digital printing machines, you can further enhance your branding capabilities. 

Fashion for the Metaverse:

Metaverses like Axie Infinity and Decentraland have seen significant growth. They offer users a safe and creative virtual world. Traditional fashion houses, including BOSS, Balenciaga, and Gucci, are developing digital fashion lines specifically for avatars in the Metaverse. 

ME+EM, Rent the Runway, and The Seam are examples of startups following suit. Metaverse fashion weeks have become a battleground for creators and legacy brands, exploring the possibilities of Web3.

The Rise of AI Models in Fashion Photography:

AI-generated models are making their mark in the fashion industry. They allow creators to explore brand heritage and the diversity of their customers.. These AI generated models can even change to match with specific customers as they browse the product line. 

While some critics question the representation offered by AI models, the technology aims to supplement traditional photography. It can enhance the shopping experience for customers and make the models look more like people they identify with.. 

Brands like Levi’s are collaborating with AI studios to create digital models that will appear on their e-commerce platforms.

ChatGPT and Fashion Industry Tech Trends:

Fashion giant Zalando is preparing to introduce a fashion assistant driven by Chat GPT on its digital channels. This includes its app and its website. This generative AI will enhance the online clothes shopping experience by providing customers with more intuitive and personalized recommendations. It can search the customer’s shopping history and suggest items based on their preferences and previous needs.

Fashion startups are at the forefront of embracing innovative tech trends to transform the industry. From virtual fitting rooms and smart contracts to AI models and fashion for the Metaverse, these technologies are shaping the way we experience and consume fashion. 

As these startups continue to push the boundaries, we can expect even more exciting advancements in the future. Emerging innovations will further blur the lines between technology and fashion. It can mean new opportunities for a fashion start-up, help reduce costs, expand the target audience, increase revenue, and build customer loyalty. It’s a great time to be a fashion start-up because you have more new technological tools to boost your business than have ever existed before.

What’s your breakthrough fashion concept? If you feel you have an idea that may have some promise, schedule a free strategy call and let's talk about it. You may have discovered a niche and a fashion product that could become a successful start-up and the fashion business of your dreams.

Stuck on product Production? At V.Mora we can help you through the entire production process from designing, to sourcing and so on through our Production Development services. If you are in need of the following Development and Production services: 

• Sourcing 

• Technical sketches   

• Pattern Making

• Prototype making 

• Sample Making

• Fittings 

• Digitizing and Grading

• Marker Making

• Manufacturing

Please contact us at: vmorainquiry@vmora.com

About the Author

Fashion expert, Allison Howmann, graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology where she majored in Fashion Design and Minored in International Trade and Marketing. She has spent over 6 years in the NYC Fashion Industry utilizing her Design and Marketing skills. Allison has worked with several successful brands to help create their winning fashion development, small business operations, and sales and marketing strategies. You can find her creating original content on the V.Mora blog and the V.Mora Instagram.