In this modern age, the best way to search for new clothes is to click on a few checkboxes and then browse through endless pictures. However, there needs to be a system that shows specific images. Keeping this thing in mind, a startup, Glisten, highlights the important aspects of products in a photo.
The co-founder of the company, Sarah Wooders, came upon this idea while working on a fashion search project. She stated, “I used to search for online shopping. However, when I searched, I realized things were there in inconsistent ways.”
The computer vision systems identify the features of different images, like identifying the dog breeds and recognizing the facial expressions. They do the same thing with fashion and other complex products. However, the system can’t pinpoint specifics, like the exact color of a shirt. You need to go through all the styles and colors manually.
It isn’t challenging to do for a single image. However, a clothing retailer might have thousands of products. So, it becomes problematic to go through all the images. So, Glisten helps by using computer vision to provide more specific and useful outputs.
Wooders stated, “Our API response will pinpoint the specific patterns and colors.” Glisten ensures that when a user searches for “long sleeves,” he gets only the long garment sleeves.
Glisten’s system was made on a Library of around 11 million product images with descriptions. Moreover, the system uses the natural processing method to know what is referring to what. However, it isn’t that simple as just plugging the data and letting the system figure out things.
Wooders originally built this model for fashion and clothing. However, it can be used for other categories too, for example, beauty products. It can look through a shampoo bottle, and give specific results.
Currently, Glisten isn’t that popular; however, retailers will realize its importance over time. Moreover, the first customers of the company were a pricing optimization company and a digital marketing company.
The fashion industry is growing day by day, and many other companies are emerging. Recently, Moda Operandi, an online marketplace for fashion, raised $100. However, it isn’t Glisten’s competitor. The company’s competitors are mainly internal tagging teams and computer vision algorithms. However, they don’t provide structured data like Glisten.
Even before the Y Combinator’s Demo day next week, the company is already enjoying five figures monthly revenue. Wooders said that there had been a large number of sales in the past weeks. Let’s wait and see how the company evolves.
