Latest news with #fashiontech
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Phoebe Gates Opens Up About Being A 'Nepo Baby' And Reveals Dorm Room 'Aha' Moment That Sparked Fashion Startup Phia
, co-founder of AI-powered shopping assistant Phia, is building a fashion-tech platform designed to change how people shop online by using smart data and a clean browser interface. Created with Sophia Kianni while they were roommates at Stanford, Phia compares prices, tracks resale value, and makes personalized product suggestions based on user behavior. During an interview with Josh Felgoise on the "Guyset" podcast, Gates explained how she and Kianni made early mistakes, like designing only for desktop. 'We first developed it, we frankly developed it only for desktop. And we spent months and months building this. Perfecting it, making the pixels perfect, making it look pretty, which now looking back, was a complete waste of time,' she said. Don't Miss: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Gates also opened up about the backlash she received after being labeled a 'nepo baby.' 'I think the issue that a lot of people have is just like not addressing it. I am a nepo baby—saying that, owning it. I have a lot of privilege because of where my family is, and I think it's funny because people don't address that and try to avoid it,' she said. Phia was born out of a common but frustrating problem: finding the right outfit without wasting time or compromising values. What started as scrolling sessions on a Stanford dorm couch turned into a product designed to automate what traditional tools couldn't touch. "We would spend hours sitting on our little couch looking for the perfect spring dress, the perfect pants or jeans for the first day of school," Gates said. "And we found that a lot of times, the things we wanted to buy just really didn't align with our morals. And also, it was just really freaking hard to find the item you wanted at a good price." Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — What followed was a multi-platform scavenger hunt that quickly became routine. "We'd look it up on Depop. We'd look it up on RealReal. We'd look it up on Vestiaire. We'd look it up on eBay. Then we'd go check the Outnet. Let's see if it's on sale," Gates explained. "And it just didn't really make sense to us." Some browser tools could flag discounts but none could answer the question of whether a product is worth it, or whether there is a smarter place to buy it. "There's nothing that's going to say, hey, this item holds value and we found it for you used on a secondhand site," she said. Initially, the two co-founders assumed the problem might be personal, but once they started reaching out to other women, especially those who shopped regularly, their suspicion was confirmed. 'We're talking 20 minutes when you're really searching for that item and you get to the bottom of that decision funnel," Gates said. That insight sparked the concept for Phia. The decision funnel could be compressed, automated, and restructured around what Gates and Kianni believed actually mattered to today's shopper: speed, ethics, personalization, and secondhand visibility. "I was like, okay, well, that doesn't make any sense," Gates told Felgoise. "Why can't we just build a tool to automate that?" Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Phia's edge lies in the behavioral data it collects. "You download us from the app store and you're going to toggle Phia on in your Safari extensions. And then it's going to pop up and say, 'Hey, can we follow you around while you shop?'" Gates explained. By operating in the browser instead of an app, the tool sees what users click, what they skip, and what patterns shape their choices. When you're browsing a product page, a small 'P' icon appears asking, 'Should I buy this?' Gates explained that clicking the icon activates Phia's engine. 'Within two seconds, we're gonna tell you, this is how much value the item is gonna hold over time, and boom, we're gonna show you if we found better deals,' she added. If no better deal exists, Phia shows what other users who viewed that item ended up shopping for, or what might pair well with it. Gates mentioned that features like real-time price alerts, resale value trackers, and curated resale alternatives are designed to help shoppers make faster, smarter decisions. Phia's product decisions are shaped by a strict consumer validation filter. Gates only considers feedback from users who align with their core demographic: women who genuinely love fashion and shop frequently. "If it's a girl who I can tell from her Instagram loves to shop and she's criticizing it... I'm listening," Gates said. 'But if it's a man who's older, who I know doesn't like to shop, I'm throwing that out the window.'To keep up with the chaos of early-stage growth, Gates said she leans hard on structure. She also shared a framework she uses, inspired by Bumble (NASDAQ:BMBL) CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd. 'She talks about this idea of you wake up every morning and you have like a water pitcher that you can pour out and you can water plants. And that's your energy for the day,' Gates said. 'When you're thinking about 'What does Josh think of me? Did I say something wrong on this podcast? Did I look ugly? Was my hair messed up?' You're just standing there pouring out water and you're watering plastic plants. Are you watering a plastic plant? Or are you dumping your water on things that are actually going to grow?' Gates said. Phia now operates with a lean team of seven. According to its website, Phia's browser extension helps users instantly compare new and secondhand options across 40,000+ stores, saving hours of manual price checking and revealing which items are worth the spend. Read Next: Tired of Grid Failures and Charging Deserts? This Startup Has a Solar Fix and $25M+ in Sales — Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Phoebe Gates Opens Up About Being A 'Nepo Baby' And Reveals Dorm Room 'Aha' Moment That Sparked Fashion Startup Phia originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Entrepreneur
27-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
ZILO Raises USD 4.5 Mn Led by Info Edge and Chiratae to Revolutionise Fashion Commerce
The capital will be deployed to help ZILO achieve product-market fit, strengthen its hybrid supply chain, forge brand partnerships, and expand its operations beyond Mumbai to other major Indian cities in the coming months. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Fashion-tech startup ZILO has raised USD 4.5 million in seed funding, with Info Edge Ventures and Chiratae Ventures leading the round. The capital will be deployed to help ZILO achieve product-market fit, strengthen its hybrid supply chain, forge brand partnerships, and expand its operations beyond Mumbai to other major Indian cities in the coming months. ZILO was founded by Padmakumar Pal, a former Vice President at Flipkart and Myntra, and Bhavik Jhaveri, a serial entrepreneur. The platform is pioneering a new model in fashion retail, offering rapid delivery of curated styles from over 250 top brands such as Levi's, Puma, United Colors of Benetton, and The Souled Store. At its core, ZILO is designed for the quick-commerce era—delivering on-trend fashion in under 60 minutes, while enabling instant returns and scheduled home trials. Customers can try multiple items at home and return what they don't like immediately, streamlining the decision-making process. Operating through a mix of dark stores and partner brand outlets, ZILO ensures access to fresh, in-season products. "We founded ZILO to bring intentionality back into online fashion," said Padmakumar Pal, Co-founder and CEO. "Our platform offers a blend of online convenience and offline experience, where speed, quality, and curation coexist. Fashion discovery should be joyful, and we're here to deliver it seamlessly and reliably." Co-founder and CIO Bhavik Jhaveri added, "ZILO was created to solve a real consumer pain point. Power shoppers buy frequently, but today's retail landscape is fragmented and impersonal. We're rebuilding fashion retail from the ground up—combining discovery, delivery, and returns into one smooth, trustworthy experience." Currently live in Mumbai, ZILO plans to expand to multiple metros and add footwear, bags, watches, and fashion accessories to its offering—stocking nearly 100,000 styles by the festive season. Kitty Agarwal, Partner at Info Edge Ventures, commented, "ZILO's model delivers on speed, personalization, and trust—three critical factors for modern fashion consumers. We're excited to back a team that blends operational rigor with bold innovation to redefine how India shops for fashion." With its hyper-curated platform and rapid logistics, ZILO is set to reshape fashion e-commerce, offering a compelling new benchmark for convenience and consumer delight.
Phone Arena
27-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Google's new app might stop you from making your next regretful purchase
There's a new app from Google and this one is all about saving you from those regretful online purchases. You know, the ones you return right after trying them on because they just didn't look right? Earlier this year, Google Shopping introduced virtual try-ons for clothes using your own photo – and now, Doppl takes that to a whole new level. The new experimental app builds on that tech, letting you try on outfits using photos or even you spot a look you love on Instagram, your favorite creator or even in a thrift shop window, just snap a pic, upload it to Doppl and you'll see how it might look on you. But it doesn't stop there – Doppl also uses AI to turn static outfit images into short videos. So, instead of just seeing how something might look in a still photo, you get a more dynamic, realistic feel for the outfit in motion. That is a pretty big upgrade from traditional virtual try-ons. Video credit – Google You can also save and share your looks, which is going to be huge for content creators. Imagine showing off endless outfits you never even bought. I believe Reels and TikToks are about to be packed with Doppl-created fashion videos – because why not flex a fresh look without spending a dime? Doppl is still in its experimental phase under Google Labs, so don't expect perfection just yet. The fit, textures and how the clothes look might not always be spot on. But that's the whole point of Labs – test things out, get feedback, and improve from there. Right now, Doppl is only available in the US for both iOS and Android. And sure, some fashion retailer apps already let you virtually try on clothes, but Doppl feels different. It's not tied to any one brand, it gives you way more freedom to test looks. Plus, the AI video feature makes a big difference. Being able to see how an outfit moves on your body could help you decide if you really like it – before it ends up sitting in a return it could also be a win for sustainability. Fewer blind buys and fewer returns mean less waste. That said, generating all these AI videos… you know, that does take some serious computing power. Still, it's a cool glimpse at how far Google's AI has come and how it's starting to show up in everyday things like how we shop. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
TechCrunch
16-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Alta raises $11M to bring ‘Clueless' fashion tech to life with all-star investors
Throughout her years working in technology, Jenny Wang, 28, always found herself stumbling back to one idea — a personal styling agent to help users decide what to wear and buy based on their budget, lifestyle, weather and calendar. She has tried to build such a product numerous times in the past, 'but the AI technology was not yet mature enough,' she told TechCrunch. That's changed so a few months ago she announced the launch of her dream company, Alta, followed by the announcement today of an $11 million seed round led by Menlo Ventures. The product, which feels straight out of the movie 'Clueless,' is indeed an AI stylist and personal shopper that makes outfit recommendations and lets users try on those looks with their personalized virtual avatar. For example, a person can ask Alta what the best outfit might be for, say, TechCrunch Disrupt, and the AI will offer suggestions and present a lookbook of outfits. Users upload their closet by either taking photos, forwarding purchase receipts, or searching what is already in the Alta database. People can also dress themselves in clothes they are looking to buy, mixing and matching with clothes already in their closet. There are others playing around in the AI styling space, such as Whering and Cladwell, all trying to recreate the magic of that iconic scene in 'Clueless,' where Cher plans an outfit from her closet using computer technology. Want considers herself to be part of the new wave of consumer technology, looking to make styling and shopping more effective. 'There are existing players like Google Shopping and Pinterest who are also experimenting with AI,' she continued. 'But the experiences that consumers will crave and use in the future will need to be built with new technical architectures and new user interfaces.' The product is backed by some heavy names, including Michelle Obama's stylist Meredith Koop, who Wang said helped train Alta's AI. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Other investors in the company include Benchstrength; Algaé Ventures, the investment firm backed by fashion's prestigious Arnault family of LVMH; Phenomenal Ventures, the firm founded by Kamala Harris' niece Meena; Anthroptic's VC arm Anthrology fund, and a slew of angel investors including Doordash CEO and co-founder Tony Xu, super models Jasmine Tooks and Karlie Kloss, Rent the Runway co-founder Jenny Fleiss, and Poshmark CEO and co-founder Manish Chandra. Wang used the word 'aligned' to describe her fundraising process and leaned heavily on the network she amassed while working in various tech roles throughout her career. She's a Harvard engineer by training and has invested in numerous companies, served as a technical advisor to brands, and also held roles at investment firms. Years ago, for example, she was an intern at Doordash and previously volunteered on Karlie Kloss' podcast 'Kode with Klossy.' 'I am still actively coding every day and learning from our team and technical advisors,' she said. Wang said the fresh capital will be used to grow the team and fund more research and development. 'Our team is continuously updating our in-house models and improving the experience based on community feedback,' she said. Alta has already struck a partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to offer Alta to its membership base. Wang used to live in San Francisco but relocated to New York to help build out the technology. 'NYC is also a closer flight to Paris than SF,' she said, adding that LVMH and one of her angel investors, tech influencer Zita d'Hautville, is helping the company expand throughout Europe. Alta is also working with Marie Kondo as the company also expands throughout parts of Oceania and the Pacific. The plan is to next look at partnering with retailers worldwide. 'Many of the most exciting consumer AI companies are being started in NYC,' Wang continued, adding that she's assembled a highly technical but also fashion-obsessed team. This startup is her dream come true.
CNET
05-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Galaxy Lockscreens Can Use AI to Show You in Outfits You Might Want to Buy
Starting this week, some Galaxy phone users can try an AI shopping experience from their lock screens that shows how they'd look in certain outfits. It's a partnership between Samsung and Glance AI, and uses AI to let users see real photos of themselves dressed in certain fashions and styles -- with a link to purchase a click away, of course. The Galaxy-Glance AI rollout began this week for users of certain devices, and the AI shopping app will be available to all users within 30 days, according to Glance AI. The new technology is available as an app and as a lockscreen, and is optional. A Glance AI spokesperson said that "Samsung will be doing promotions on all their devices to educate user on this new AI tech, and users will have an option to install and activate." See yourself in a new outfit The Glance AI app takes an image of the user, then generates images of how that person would look in certain outfits. The user can choose to buy the clothes with a tap. Glance AI said it will leverage its partnership with more than 400 US and worldwide clothing brands to create recommendations and fulfill orders. To use the app, users can take a selfie on the spot, upload an image of themselves or grant access to their photo gallery. The app will be available for download in the Samsung Galaxy Store, and users can opt in with a setting to allow the use of the app from their lock screen. This latest AI feature is a new spin on the so-called "try on" technology that allows would-be customers to use AI to see how they look in different clothes and accessories. In other try-on tech, such as that from Google, users can find clothes and see how they would look in them or get different looks based on recommendations they give the AI. AI finds possible outfits for you Glance AI's new app goes a step further and tries to infer and predict what outfits customers will look good in and spark them to purchase those clothes. In short, Glance AI will show you dressed in an outfit, and maybe you'll like it enough to buy it. "Glance AI is driven by a core human truth: we want to become the best version of ourselves. What stands between that aspiration and reality is the awareness of what is possible or access to platforms that enable this," said Naveen Tewari, Founder and CEO, Glance & InMobi. The rollout will begin with these devices:
