Alta App Teams Up with Public School for Virtual Styling Tools

Alta, the fashion app inspired by the movie Clueless, has joined forces with New York City brand Public School. The partnership lets shoppers style outfits on personalized avatars directly on Public School's website. This move happened this week and aims to make trying on clothes easier online.

Background

Alta launched in 2023 as a mobile app that acts like a digital closet. Users build avatars based on their body and style. They mix and match clothes from thousands of brands to create outfits. The app hit the app store and quickly grew popular. Time and Vogue called it one of the best new ideas last year. Since starting, it has generated over 100 million outfits.

The company behind Alta has ties to the fashion world. It works with Poshmark, a site for buying and selling used clothes. It also partners with the Council of Fashion Designers of America. More deals are coming soon. Alta's app lets users shop brands inside the platform. But now, the focus is on adding these tools to other sites.

Public School is a known name in New York fashion. Designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne started it years ago. The brand took a break for a few years. This New York Fashion Week marks its big return. The designers wanted new ways to connect with buyers. They looked for tech that fits their needs.

Alta's founder connected with Public School through a shared investor. That person started Poshmark and backs both companies. Public School had used Alta's app before. They saw it as a match for virtual try-ons.

Key Details

The new tool sits near the bottom of Public School's product pages. An icon says "Style by Alta." Click it, and users go to a spot where they style their own Alta avatar with the brand's clothes. They see how new collection pieces look on them.

Users of Alta's main app can access Public School items there too. But this is the first time the tech lives on a brand's own site. Before, people had to add items to a wishlist in Alta, switch apps, and try them on. Now, on Public School, it happens in one place.

How the Tech Works

Alta builds a personal avatar for each user. It uses data from their closet, past buys, and body details. Shoppers style looks from Public School's new line on that avatar. The goal is smooth shopping without leaving the brand's page.

Alta plans to add this to more sites. That way, users try clothes anywhere online using their saved avatar. The company sees this as a step toward smarter shopping with AI.

"Shoppers can style looks from the new collection on their own Alta avatar," said Alta's founder.

Public School's team views tech as a business partner now. They want to use it to tell their story and let people experience the brand from afar.

"We have to look at tech as a partner in the business today," said Dao-Yi Chow of Public School. "It’s not 2015 anymore. We want to be thoughtful on how we use tech and AI, not as a design tool but as a tool to extend our storytelling and interact with the consumer."

What This Means

This partnership shows how AI tools are changing online clothes shopping. Brands like Public School can offer try-ons without stores. Shoppers get a better sense of fit and style before buying. It cuts down returns from wrong sizes or looks.

For Alta, it opens doors to work with more designers. The app moves from standalone tool to one embedded everywhere. That could grow its user base fast. More than 100 million outfits already prove people like the idea.

Fashion weeks like New York's are key spots for such tech. Public School's return with this feature sets an example. Other brands may follow to stay current. Buyers expect virtual options now, just like in apps.

Alta talks about a "personal identity layer" for future shopping. That means your avatar and style data follow you across sites. It powers AI agents that suggest and build outfits based on your history. Partnerships like this build that base.

The deal highlights shifts in fashion tech. Designers blend creativity with code. New York remains a hub for these changes. Public School's pause and comeback show brands adapt or step back.

Alta's growth since 2023 points to demand. Praise from Time and Vogue helps. Ties to Poshmark and designers add trust. Embedding on sites solves a pain point: jumping between apps.

Shoppers win with easier trials. Brands gain engagement without big costs. This could spread to smaller labels too. Alta's plan for more integrations keeps the momentum.

Public School users see it first on new collections. Clicks on the icon lead to styling. That direct path might boost sales. Designers like Chow stress smart use of AI. It extends reach beyond physical shows.

As AI grows in daily life, tools like Alta make it feel natural. A Clueless-style closet goes from phone to web. Fashion meets tech in ways that fit real needs. This week’s news starts that wider push.