StylO: Your fashion assistant
How might we assist people in dressing well and educate them about casual everyday fashion?
School :
National Institute of Design, India
Course :
Ubiquitous Computing
June - July 2018 , 3 weeks
Tools used :
Guides :
Mamata N Rao
Team Members :
Individual
Introduction :
Done as a part of Ubiquitous Computing course at NID, this project aims at exploring the pervasiveness of technology and how design can enhance the experience of such smart objects. Students were supposed to introduce meaningful experiences to everyday objects. And make them more interactive.
I had chosen the domain of everyday fashion and explored such interactions for a mirror. StylO assists you in dressing well, by gathering data specific to you, your wardrobe and the context, and then provides you suggestions over what to wear, or gives feedback on what you have worn.
Concept Video | StylO
Understanding the context
More often than not, we find ourselves standing in front of our open wardrobes and wondering what to wear. This is especially true when there is an occasion or a major event. For most people finding the right clothes for the right occasion is a nightmare.
Due to lack of knowledge in fashion, lack of initiative or simply a lack of interest, people end up repeating the same clothes over and over. The problems with wardrobe selection become worse when there is a lack of feedback, or if the feedback received is not honest. Most cultures, for instance, would consider it inappropriate for a person to make remarks on someone’s clothing, let alone ask them to better it. How might we introduce constructive feedback to help one understand apparel sense over time?
Research
Interview
To learn more about habits of the youth and how a fashion enthusiast goes about building their wardrobe, I conducted an interview with a fashion technology graduate and received some valuable insights
Sayani
Worked at Shoppers Stop | Marks & Spencer
Masters at NID | Bachelors at NIFT
Q. How did you start building your wardrobe?
A. I started with basic clothes first, then as per needs, built on top of it. I keep checking what would go with my existing collection.
Q. Do you wear the same set of clothes for multiple occasions?
A. Well I mix and match, like most people. We should not mix print uppers with print lowers. Plain clothes can be paired for multiple occasions.
Q. What do you feel is lacking in everyday fashion?
A. There are cool ideas over the net to reuse or modify your collection. Like I can use an XL shirt as a dress! I also buy from mens section sometimes, or modify my old jeans. People should experiment and explore more with their wardrobe.
Product Study
I browsed through several websites and apps to find out any online styling solutions or services. Anything from AI run systems to personal stylist on demand. It was surprising to see a lack of availability of such services and therein lay my opportunity.
Services like élanstreet are great, but require appointments of personal stylist, for a later date. Online styling solutions would fail for lack of immediate feedback.
Fashion Magazines are the oldest source of fashion trends, but they provide high profile fashion statements and are not personalised for an individual’s wardrobe.
Ideation
Dataset for StylO
To create a personalised stylist, StylO would require data about the user, their wardrobe and various accessories. In case of multiple owners, user profiles would be created and each profile would have its own dataset. Details of ethnicity and culture can then be combined with machine learning algorithms to suggest best clothing options based on user’s wardrobe. A curated feed from the web can be used to suggest buying options and fashion trends to the user. Peripheral devices can be used to remind about buying essentials during online sales or when the user might cross a relevant store.
Task Flow Analysis
A quick flowchart of the various tasks helped me understand which feature would go in where. Mapping out the actions associated with those features is a good way to ensure that there are no open ends in a product and it feels wholesome.
Functions of StylO
StylO has four modes of use: Power off, offline , online and Intelligent (StylO on steroids). Each mode serves certain functions. User can upgrade to a mode according to their requirements.
Interaction Model
StylO can be communicated with by voice, gesture or a mobile device, depending upon the specific use. To change between clothes, for example, a simple swipe gesture will do the job. For feedback, or asking for opinion, a voice command can be used too.
StylO recognises each member of the family
To add a new cloth to StylO, simply show it the price tag.
Try your clothes in StylO's various augmented environments.
Gesture : Swipe to change clothing on VR trial
Feedback and Metaphor : Animalistic
A face is given to StylO to provide it with a personality and help it connect better with people. It uses expressions to convey its 'emotions' and also has sound feedback for specific actions.
Technologies used
