A version of this story was originally published in 2022. Thanks to a seemingly constant procession of historic cultural and macroeconomic events — from pandemics, trade disruptions and inflation surges, to the rise of Gen Z and new technology — the fashion industry is changing faster than ever. One byproduct of this is a job market that looks pretty different today than it did a few years ago . As technology revolutionizes the way we shop and consume information, some of the fastest-growing fashion companies are starting to look and act more like tech companies . The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Forrester Research recently predicted that, by 2029, 29% of total U.S. retail sales will come from e-commerce. Their study also found that 45% of retail business and tech professionals, whose companies prioritize customer experience, said that "adding or improving digital experiences was a key action for them." Innovation is happening faster than ever, brands are inves...
In the age of AI shopping agents, finding a human touch is becoming increasingly rare. ChatGPT is working on positioning itself as a destination for personalized shopping recommendations , while major brands like Gap and Ralph Lauren (among many others) have embraced their own AI assistants. Leading affiliate marketing platform ShopMy is approaching things a little differently. Rather than churning out another AI agent, it's introducing Noir, a concierge personal shopping experience connecting consumers with real human curators. Launching on Wednesday, Noir allows shoppers to receive personalized recommendations across product categories, essentially functioning as a "personal shopper in your pocket," ShopMy Co-founder Tiffany Lopinsky tells Fashionista. Consumers can send in prompts ("I need a floor-length gown for a black-tie wedding ," for example) that are routed to ShopMy's personal shoppers, who are called "curators" in the platform...