Technology affects our lives in ways we rarely consider. Improvements to tech in the past 30 years haven’t just changed the way we interact, work, and play, they’ve transformed how we think, and create.
There are plenty of industries that are innovative with tech, but one of the main industries leading the charge is fashion. With Fashion Week just around the corner in London, Paris, Milan and New York, there’s no better time to celebrate the contribution that technology is making, from the design stage all the way through to your wardrobe.
In recent times, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has helped to train stylists, creatives and colleagues across a whole host of fashion houses and retailers. Designers can now easily reach out to one another across any social channel and collaborate on projects. And our phones can actually help us decide what to wear.
It’s made creativity more accessible, too. Anyone can draw up designs, engage with fellow creatives, set up shop online and gain exposure for their work with a little help from technology.
Whether you’re designing garments, up-cycling and selling your old clothes, or just searching for a standout look, here are a few impressive apps that are transforming how we engage with fashion:
Depop
This app is a must have for any budding fashionista that loves their social media and tech. With over 18 million users worldwide, Depop is a huge, ever-growing community of buyers, sellers, and new look lovers.
The idea is simple: anyone can sell the clothes they no longer wear to people that will appreciate them. It’s perfect for finding cool looking vintage clothes without wading through rail after rail of garments, and it’s using tech to close the gap between exclusive, designer labels and fast fashion.
Just like your social channels, you can follow your mates and connect with other buyers and sellers. Upload photos of the clothes you’re selling, connect your PayPal account, and get ready to make waves in the world of vintage fashion. Depop takes only 10% from each sale, so setting up shop is easy to do and won’t wipe your profits.
And when you’re finding that winning look, the app starts to learn the kind of designs you like to go for and picks out clothes for you based on your likes and saved posts. It really is reshaping how we shop for new clothes and engage with fashion.
Stylebook
£3.99 on iOS
Once you’ve got your wardrobe sorted, how do you come up with that flawless look without taking every garment off every hanger, mixing and matching? Well the answer is easy – with your phone of course!
Whether you’re packing for holiday or simply picking an outfit to wear for dinner, this app makes it much, much easier. Just take a photo of each of your clothing items, cut out the backgrounds in the app and add them to your inventory. Once that’s done, you can arrange your closet at the tap of a button by size, brand, fabric, colour and more.
You may even discover an outfit combo you’ve never thought of before. The Outfit Shuffle function shuffles all your clothes like a deck of cards to give you new inspiration and help you look fresh every time you go out.
It also offers useful stats, like how many times you’ve worn the same item in a month, most and least worn items, and how much each item costs per wear. So, you’ll get the most value out of each garment. Just use the calendar to plan your outfits, and you’ll save a bundle of time getting ready.
YourCloset – Smart Fashion
Free on Android
Want your Android smartphone to give a helping hand with your wardrobe? Well, don’t panic! YourCloset has similar features and functions as Stylebook, and it’s free on the Google Play Store!
Download the app and get cataloguing your clothes in a matter of moments. It doesn’t just use conventional filters like size and colour to sort those garments, either. You can add and customise your own categories to keep your wardrobe organised whether you’re heading to work or planning a holiday.
You’ll also get all those handy stats to give you an insight into your wardrobe – not just your most worn outfits, but perhaps more interestingly the clothes you rarely wear. That means if you’re selling your pre-loved clothes on Depop, you can easily decide what to sell and what to keep with the stats to back you up.
YourCloset makes your wardrobe accessible anywhere, too. Simply back up and sync your app data to Google Drive, and you can plan your outfits across your phone, tablet and laptop. Easy.
Okay, you’ve almost certainly heard of Pinterest and it isn’t just for fashion. But Pinterest has changed how everyone, from artists and designers, to consumers, draw inspiration for their own projects. And the app version is ideal for getting inspired on the go.
Simply search for any images and idea boards you’d like to see, from places to visit in the world to interior design. When it comes to clothes, though, Pinterest is especially useful. Find a way to make that rarely worn top work with the perfect ensemble, use it to reinvent your wardrobe entirely, or even discover ideas for fancy dress.
Start saving your ideas, arrange them by topic and get ready to find your bright idea!
Prêt-à-Template
Paid subscription (7-day free trial) on iOS
Whether you’re a fashion student, budding designer or simply like to sketch your ideas, this app is the ultimate tool to turn your iPhone or iPad into a fashion sketchbook.
Featuring templates for all kinds of clothing, shoes, accessories and body types, Prêt-à-Template lets you draw your designs exactly as you picture them in your head. There are over 70 different fabric patterns to choose from, and a huge range of realistic brushes to really bring your ideas to life. Even as you zoom in to work on intricate detailing, the sketch stays fully in focus. You can turn your ideas into projects and store, edit and share them right from your phone.
Once you’ve got your portfolio of garment ideas, you can create an unlimited combination of ideas with Puzzle Look. That’s great whether you’re working on a whole range or just looking to pair your outfits.
There you have it, if you fancy yourself a creative or interested in fashion and design, be sure to check out some of these great apps.