Depop and Selfridges are sewing an AI thread into their clothes.
The fashion retailers have enlisted BritishstartupKelp Technologies to analyse market trends and prices of second-hand apparel.
Kelp akaTruss will apply AI to automatically assess items of clothing.
Proprietaryalgorithmswill then suggest prices, recommend products, and refine search results.
Depop will bake the insights into the platforms clothes listings.
Selfridges will apply them to the companys resale arm, Reselfridges.
The project aims to save them time and money.
By boosting the second-hand clothing market, it could also reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Lello and three friends from Warwick University founded Truss in 2022.
WithAIon their side, the quartet probe historic fashion data to predict future trends.
Their platform aggregates visual, textual, and financial information about clothes listed online.
Insights are then delivered to the second-hand fashion industry.
Companies can then adapt their garment selections, sale prices, and release dates.
Such decisions have become increasingly complex.
Second-hand fashion cycles
Trendsetters have frequently found that fashion follows a 20-year rule.
According to the theory, styles from the past will return to the forefront after around two decades.
But that trend has recently become passe.
The rise of social media and fast fashion hasdramatically condensedthe cycle.
Trends now often die and reemerge within the space of a few years.
For fashion retailers, thats increased the need for deep analysis and fast insights.
AI is well-suited to these tasks.
The concept has friends in high places.
The British government today announced that Truss will receive partof a32mn budgetfor new AI projects.
Feryal Clark, the new minister for AI and digital government, called the funding crucial for the economy.
But it takes at least one step towards rebalancing the UKs AI landscape.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
