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Fashion tech takes big strides

From creating designs to managing inventory, technology is being used in most spheres of the fashion industry
Last Updated 18 May 2022, 08:48 IST

The role of technology has become crucial in all spheres of our lives, especially after the pandemic. Fashion, too, is being interlaced with technology at various junctures. Brands have been forced to take the help of tech to change the way fashion is designed, predicted, purchased, consumed and recycled.

The digital transformation of fashion accelerated during the pandemic with the adoption of the personalised fashion space. While fashion remains a brick-and-mortar experience for many, online shopping has changed how the segment is consumed.

Fashion tech is so advanced now that people can now design their clothes from the comfort of their homes and get them delivered to wherever they want them. Technology is also being used to manage inventory and software, automate simple tasks, and make the industry more customer-centric than product-centric.

Artificial Intelligence plays a role in omnichannel inventory management and predictive virtual sizing.

With the development and introduction of fashion tech innovations, such as AI-driven customer service, sustainably derived clothing, personalised fashion and livestream shopping are now widely accepted as a go-to form of fashion purchase.

Lessening wastage

With leading brands adopting tech, the ability to produce clothes only when ordered or just in time has also helped the larger cause of minimising inventory wastage. Organisations have had to adapt to a sustainable model by reusing fabric in multiple utilities, including accessories, add-ons and embellishments.

Made-to-order, personalised fashion in India is a $10-billion industry. This segment has depended mainly on physical interaction and visits to the boutiques/stitching centres. With technology, fashion is moving towards zero wastage, bringing the right fit and even choice of fabric to customers.

However, experts believe that fashion will continue to be a "phygital" (physical + digital experience) for a while, and the balance between the two will define the "wow" factor for a brand that adopts this principle.

Technology in fashion is at an inflexion point, and we will continue to see disruptions happening as its popularity and usage increase. It is anticipated that by 2025, almost half of global fashion will be online, with greater consumer confidence in digital buying methods.

(Susmitha Lakkakula is the founder of Cloudtailor—a bespoke online tailoring service.)

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(Published 18 May 2022, 08:47 IST)

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