Google garment site gets personal

Google has launched a new fashion site where users can browse and buy the same clothes as celebrities, and create their own personal eStores.

The site, boutiques.com, doesn’t sell the items but acts as a portal, directing users to other online shops, such as Net-a-Porter and The Outnet, where they can purchase clothes that stars, style bloggers, retailers and designers have “stocked” in their virtual boutiques.

The site allows users to create personalised boutiques and receive recommendations about clothes and accessories they might like, based on the site’s fashion analysis tool called Stylyzer.

Users are asked, “Which is more your style?” based on two outfits, and to nominate the cuts, colours and prints they “love and hate” for dresses, tops, bottoms and shoes.

A Google spokesperson says the site suggests clothes and accessories based only on users’ tastes.

“Boutiques.com uses computer vision and machine learning technology to visually analyse your taste and match it your items you would like,” the spokesperson says.

With retailers increasingly encouraged to diversify their online offerings, a concept such as personalised boutiques appears to be well received.

Is there an opportunity for a tech-savvy entrepreneur to develop something similar? The idea could apply to any number of categories besides fashion.