A key subject that fashion and luxury brands’ digital strategy experts have inevitably had to grapple with in recent times, has been the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). More than this, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that a new age of personalised shopping is emerging, with high-end fashion and the latest technology intersecting in fascinating ways. 

There may have been a time when AI largely took a ‘behind-the-scenes’ role in retail. However, a new report into the technology has shed light on the profound role it is coming to play in how prestigious brands interact with their customers. 

Abundant evidence of the powerful part AI is now playing for ecommerce shoppers 

According to the report – which was issued by a PR agency – 74% of people shopping online recognise when AI is assisting them. This, even on its own, is a strong sign of how widely the technology has already come to be applied in e-tail. 

Younger consumers are especially able to recognise when they are being helped by AI; 88% of those aged from 25 to 34 years were aware of the technology’s influence. 

High-brand ends might be well-advised to look upon such findings as a sign of the opportunity AI represents – not just to bring improved convenience for the customer, but also to enhance the exclusivity that is fundamental to making luxury fashion so distinctive and desirable. 

AI-powered personal recommendations are especially strongly valued by customers 

Customers seek out luxury brands with an expectation of luxury experiences – not least exclusivity and individualisation. Sure enough, these are advantages that AI can help deliver at scale, including in the form of personalised recommendations drawing upon the browsing history, past purchases, and preferences of the shopper. 

In fact, across every age group covered by the report, such personal recommendations were among the most valued AI applications. 59% of consumers indicated their appreciation for these tailored recommendations – a signal of the crucial contribution this tool could make for engaging shoppers, capturing their business, and cultivating their loyalty. 

High-end brands, of course, don’t have the option of providing mediocre customer service – the experience from the start to finish of their interaction with the customer must be exceptional. Such other increasingly common AI solutions as virtual assistants and chatbots are supporting the fulfilment of this goal for the most ambitious prestige brands, helping to deliver an efficient, reliable, and bespoke package of assistance for every shopper. 

The evidence points to customers being thankful for such AI-powered help; the report states that 86% of consumers aged 16 to 24 years are of the view that AI enhances their online shopping. 

There doesn’t need to be a direct choice between tradition and innovation 

The most successful high-end brands have long practised a high level of skill in their balancing of tradition with innovation. This is a broad principle that looks set to hold fast through the new, rapidly developing “AI era”. 

Even those brands that are most determined to embed AI deeply into their operations should be highly mindful of how they do so. They will likely reap the greatest possible benefits when they implement such technologies with an eye to preserving the sense of limited access and individual attention that has long given the luxury fashion sphere its lure. 

For an in-depth conversation with Skywire London’s digital strategy experts on how you might look to upgrade your brand’s technological approach to support its growth over the months and years ahead, please don’t hesitate to enquire to us via email. 

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