logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2019
17m 27s

The Future of Fashion Retail

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Will online shopping and AI combine to kill the high street clothing store?

Ed Butler gets himself digitally measured up in order to try on outfits in cyberspace, with the help of Tom Adeyoola, founder of virtual browsing business Metail. Meanwhile Julia Boesch - who runs Outfittery, one of Europe's biggest online fashion retailers, out of her office in Berlin - explains how artificial intelligence is enabling her company to provide customers with the kind of individualised style advice they would normally find in a bespoke tailors.

So is the roll-out of AI-enhanced phone-based services going to revolutionise the way we buy our attire? Yes, says Achim Berg of consultants McKinsey - but not quite yet.

(Picture: Body scan to provide exact measurements at custom tailoring shop Alton Lane in Washington DC; Credit: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Up next
Today
Monetising Machu Picchu
<p>Peru is home to Machu Picchu - the ancient Inca city in the Andes mountains. </p><p>It's one of the seven wonders of the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular tourist destination attracts millions of visitors, making it very lucrative for the government, local a ... Show More
17m 38s
Nov 21
What happens when the aid money runs out?
<p>In the second of our two-part series on tightening aid budgets, Sam Fenwick explores what shrinking donor support means for global health — from the sudden halt to major US-funded projects, to the pressure on low-income countries to increase their own health spending.</p><p>As ... Show More
17m 30s
Nov 20
What's next for USAID funded projects?
<p>We examine the fallout from the cuts to US foreign aid.</p><p>We meet projects in Rwanda and Nepal that were close to shutting down - and hear the story of a mystery donor who stepped in to keep them going. </p><p>But how long will the support last? </p><p>Presented and produ ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2021
Julie Bornstein, The Yes
Julie Bornstein has a storied career that includes spearheading the e-commerce transformations of some of the world's most popular and successful retail brands. She was also at Stitch Fix as COO during a pivotal time just ahead of the fashion startup's IPO, but her latest move wa ... Show More
53m 56s
Oct 2020
Is fast fashion destroying the planet?
<p>Fast fashion is the rise of cheap, trendy, affordable and accessible clothes that turn catwalk trends into bargain buys in a matter of weeks. And while more fashion choices might seem like a good thing for consumers, it&rsquo;s a bad thing for the planet.&nbsp;The average Aust ... Show More
19m 13s
May 2025
How AI search is changing how we shop — plus, Nike returns to Amazon, Steve Madden v. Adidas, and Maria Grazia Chiuri leaves Dior
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, in our news segment, we break down Nike’s return to Amazon as it rolls back the DTC-focused ... Show More
45m 9s
Oct 2024
SSENSE (teaser)
<p>Once upon a time, there was a place you could go on the internet to buy all the strangest fruits that fashion’s best and brightest had to offer. Now, you’re more likely to hit it when you decide to become the billionth person in the world to own a pair of sambas. That place is ... Show More
4m 30s
Nov 2024
The Great Luxury E-Commerce Reckoning
<p>In 2024, luxury e-commerce faced a harsh reckoning. A pandemic-era boom gave way to a bruising downturn that exposed deep-seated weaknesses, as rising marketing costs, excessive discounting, outdated technology management and intensifying competition hit profitability.&nbsp;</ ... Show More
26m 27s
Sep 2024
How online shopping is saving the economy
We learned this week that retail sales rose in August. A big part of that was thanks to online shopping, which was up almost 8% from last year. And retailers think e-commerce has even more room to grow. Plus, it’s a big day for the direction of the economy. And later, we’ll hear ... Show More
9m 57s
Jul 2024
Why the Fashion Industry Needs a Makeover
<p>In a special episode, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed joins Bob Safian on the Rapid Response podcast, part of the respected Masters of Scale series.</p><br><p>“The most interesting thing you can do, if you look at historical photos going back 50 or 100 years, is to ... Show More
30m 50s
Jul 2025
Reinventing Your Business with AI
<p data-start="95" data-end="267">Accenture just rebranded its core services as "Reinvention Services." But is this just corporate posturing or a sign of something bigger happening in professional services?</p> <p data-start="269" data-end="623">First, Pete Buer returns with a br ... Show More
28m 22s
Sep 18
New York City's Manufacturing Renaissance
New York City's Brooklyn Navy Yard has evolved from a collection of warehouses into a model for 21st-century manufacturing, where climate-tech, smart city solutions, and advanced fabrication companies grow alongside distilleries, designers, and robotics startups. Now, the mission ... Show More
8m 23s
May 2025
A Tariff Loophole Just Closed. What That Means for Online Shopping.
A little-known trade provision is ending, and it will likely upend business for e-commerce companies and raise prices for consumers. De minimis has allowed companies to avoid duties on shipments to the U.S. that are worth $800 or less. It’s a program that many companies, especial ... Show More
18m 8s