Wardrobe worries? Waterloo entrepreneur created an app to help you dress better
The AI-powered app digitizes user’s wardrobe and suggests new combinations
A Waterloo-based entrepreneur is changing the way people get ready in the morning by providing them with their own electronic personal stylist.
Mila Banerjee is the founder and CEO of Pronti, an app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help curate and customize outfits for its users.
Banerjee says the idea came when she was mentoring young women and saw them struggle with what she calls outfit stress.
"I really noticed the amount of time and stress that was involved in putting an outfit together," said Banerjee. "Looking professional and feeling like you're expressing your capabilities and abilities."
Her passion for fashion paired with her tech background made the perfect combination to help millions of people in style ruts all around the world.
"I really discovered how prevalent this problem is and it's not just a female problem. In fact, men who grew up in the influencer era feel this stress as well."
How it works
The outfit assistance app digitizes user's closets by having them upload photos of the items they already own.
There is also a catalogue of images for people to browse through in case they don't want to take photos of every article of clothing.
"I personally use that for things like black jeans. I don't need to take a picture of my black jeans. I can just search for my brand in the jeans and take that picture from the internet," Banerjee explained.
Once uploaded, the app begins to mix and match outfits. Over time, the app learns your personal style and continues to make creative pairings within your comfort.
There is also an option to Shop with Closet within the app.
"This is really one of the most unique things about what our app does versus anyone else. We have thousands and thousands of brands in our app and it will match items from your closet with something new."
The technology used
There are six machine learning algorithms that Pronti consists of which helps generate the outfits.
"It looks at the image, that's the computer vision part of it and looking at that image, it understands the attributes and what kind of image it is," said Banerjee.
"The outfits [generated] are learned on millions and millions of images so it has an understanding of what a good outfit is."
Over two million accounts have been created from all over, including in North America, as well as the United Kingdom, South America and Scandinavia.
Despite Pronti having a global reach, Banerjee said it was a great experience developing the software in Waterloo.
"It's a really innovative part of Canada and we have so many really great incubators," she said.
She is part of the University of Waterloo's Velocity program which provides entrepreneurs tools, coaches and a network to kickstart their business.
Revolutionary shopping apps
While Pronti was created to help users sort through what they already have in their closets, there are many apps to help shoppers stay fashion fresh at an affordable price.
The proliferation of e-commerce tools has propelled the fast fashion industry, giving anyone with an internet connection the ability to put together a new outfit with just a swipe or a click.
But it's not just new clothes people are buying. In fact, with the help of apps, the digital thrift market is eclipsing traditional retail in growth, as savvy shoppers hunt for bargains, luxury goods, and a more ecologically conscious way to keep their wardrobes up to date.
According to Amanda Cosco, the founder of Electric Runway, there are several reasons for the explosive growth of the second-hand market.
"Second-hand is more affordable, especially when it comes to luxury items like handbags. Consumers who can't afford brands like Chanel are just as happy to purchase a gently used Chanel on the second-hand market. It's their way of buying into a brand that was previously inaccessible," she said.
"Scouring the racks at Value Village or your local thrift store requires time to sort through and try on items, as well as a good eye for your desired style. On apps and platforms, you can shop via your mobile phone."
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With files from Ramona Pringle