Fashion and Technology

LFW has recently come to an end and living in another country would naturally make it hard for me to attend but never have I felt a disconnect with anything going on in LFW or anything else fashion related for that matter - and that is all thanks to the rise of technology in fashion. Today's post is all about how the lines between technology and fashion are blurring and how beneficial technology really can be in the fashion industry.

Bloggers
This is an obvious one. Fashion blogging only has become popular in the past few years and it is definitely the biggest way I learn about trends, get outfit inspirations and really learn what is happening in the fashion industry right now. It was become such a big part of the fashion industry that all throughout LFW you can see bloggers right up in the front of runway shows alongside celebrities!

Social Media
Every brand is all over every social media platform - This is also a recent development in technology but it is such an amazing way to connect with your customers and promote your brand. I for one stalk Asos' social media like crazy and with millions of likes/follows on all of their social media they're able to really promote their brand.

Polyvore
Polyvore is a great community based website where users can express their own style. On here you can mix and match products to create fashion collages called sets. It's also a great place to just browse existing products and shop them. I also personally use it to create wishlists or collections of items that inspire me etc.. Below's an example of what can be done on the site.

Set found here

Visual Search Software
This software is something I've recently discovered - I've tried this new app called Style Thief. It uses findSimilar software by Cortexica - a company dedicated to image recognition and visual search technology. With this app, you can basically snap a photo or use an existing photo of an outfit and find similar clothes online. I think it's a great idea - it's not the first time I see an outfit online and just wish I had it. Below are some of my results! I tried out the app with one of my outfits as well as two outfits of other blogs that I follow.

Above you can see my favourite picks from my results. When uploading an image you can choose what item of clothing it is you're looking for as well as whether you want it to be more dependant on colour or texture. You can then sort your results and when you find a result you're happy with, you can go on the website it's found on and buy it, view other colours and even view similar items from the brand. My only critique would have to be that when uploading a photo with a colourful and busy background, the results may pick up colours from the background. So try and minimise busy backgrounds as much as possible or crop them out if you can. But apart from that, the software works great and is a fantastic idea. Be sure to check out this visual software out for yourself!

Links:
Cortexica
Style Thief App