Alibaba Uses AI to Pick Out Outfits at Hong Kong Concept Store
Xu Wei
DATE:  Jul 06 2018
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
Alibaba Uses AI to Pick Out Outfits at Hong Kong Concept Store Alibaba Uses AI to Pick Out Outfits at Hong Kong Concept Store

(Yicai Global) July 6 -- Alibaba Group Holding, China's biggest e-commerce player, has launched a concept clothing store in Hong Kong that uses artificial intelligence technology and algorithmic data analysis to provide outfit suggestions.

The Hangzhou-based firm opened the FashionAI concept store on the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Wednesday, state-backed China News Service reported. The outlet will stay open until June 7.

Compared with the undifferentiated experience of traditional clothing stores, personalized customization can better meet the needs of consumers, the company says.

Alibaba chose Hong Kong not only because of the position of the special administrative region as a fashion hub but also to better spread the new concept to the world, said Lei Yin, head of Fashion AI.

The store uses smart mirrors to automatically suggest matching clothes suggestions when a customer picks up a garment. After the customer selects the size and other details on the screen, all dressing information will be synchronized with the backroom warehouse where the sales staff can quickly prepare all items for a fitting.

"FashionAI embodies our thinking of what the future of fashion retail could look like and an exploration of using technologies to better understand and cater to consumers' fashion needs," Alibaba Group Vice President Zhang Zhuoran said.

The wide application of AI also has a profound impact on improving productivity, production processes, and operational efficiency, said Prof. Timothy W. Tong, president of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said at an AI conference held at the institution on the same day as the store's opening.

Combining AI with new technologies and applying them to the fashion industry will undoubtedly optimize the business process and increase profitability, he added.

Editor: William Clegg

Follow Yicai Global on
Keywords:   Hong Kong,Alibaba,Fashion AI