Skip to main content
BoF Logo

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Google Unveils Machine Learning Project, in Partnership with BoF

Spearheaded by Google’s artist-in-residence Cyril Diagne and announced in VOICES 2017, the tool maps out 144,000 runway looks from the past three years, and allows users to upload their own photos to find dozens of similar runway outfits.
Cyril Diagne speaks at #BoFVOICES | Source: Getty Images for The Business of Fashion

OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom — Arguably the most memorable scene in The Devil Wears Prada was Meryl Streep’s searing monologue reprimanding the doe-eyed Anne Hathaway for having undermined fashion’s profound influence on mass culture.

In the movie, she's able to draw from her prolific knowledge of the industry to trace the origins of a certain cerulean blue hue, from the runways of Oscar de la Renta and Saint Laurent to the racks of department stores.

Today, however, no one needs an impeccable memory to understand the life cycle of a colour du jour. In partnership with BoF, Google unveiled Thursday at the BoF VOICES conference an interactive online tool, free to use, to take a colour palette and pinpoint runway looks with the same colour schemes, drawn from nearly 4,000 fashion shows.

Spearheaded by Google’s artist-in-residence Cyril Diagne and announced in VOICES 2017, the project uses machine learning to map out these fashion palettes, and allows users to upload their own photos.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a live demonstration Thursday evening, Diagne pulled BoF’s Imran Amed on stage to take a photo of his tie-dyed green suit, designed by New Delhi-based Divyam Mehta. Within seconds, the new Google function pulled up dozens of runway looks in the same range of colours with designer details.

"This could inform a student on their next project, an editor on their next story," Diagne said. "It might even inspire Gabriela Hearst on her next collection" — a shout-out to the designer sitting in the audience that evoked a chorus of exclamation.

To learn more about VOICES, BoF’s annual gathering for big thinkers, visit our VOICES website, where you can find all the details on our invitation-only global gathering.

© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Technology
Analysis and advice on how technology is disrupting fashion and creating new opportunities.

Using AI to Create Customer-Centric Business Strategies

At The Business of Fashion’s Professional Summit in New York last week, Sona Abaryan, partner and global retail and luxury sector lead at tech-enabled data science firm Ekimetrics, shared how businesses can more effectively leverage AI-driven insights on consumer behaviour to achieve a customer-centric strategic approach.


Case Study | How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections

Before fashion businesses can put artificial intelligence to work or target the right shoppers online, they need good data and a deep understanding of who their customers are and what they want. This case study offers a guide for brands that want to truly know their customer, allowing them to make smarter decisions that serve shoppers and drive results.


view more

Subscribe to the BoF Daily Digest

The essential daily round-up of fashion news, analysis, and breaking news alerts.

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections
© 2024 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.
BoF Professional - How to Turn Data Into Meaningful Customer Connections