Fashion tech company Browzwear acquires Dutch AI fashion model startup Lalaland
The fashion industry has taken a significant step forward with the acquisition of Dutch startup Lalaland by software firm Browzwear. This move has amplified the use of AI-generated models, particularly those that represent diverse body types, ethnicities, and sizes, in digital fashion marketing and prototyping.
Founded in 2019, Lalaland specialises in creating algorithmically generated virtual fashion models inspired by real people. Their mission is to increase inclusivity and representation in fashion advertisements. By merging Lalaland’s AI technology with Browzwear’s 3D garment simulation platform, brands can now prototype, fit, and market apparel more efficiently and sustainably.
This fusion addresses longstanding diversity gaps in fashion imagery and reduces waste associated with traditional production cycles. Brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Levi’s have already worked with Lalaland, and Browzwear’s global customer base will now benefit from expanded access to this technology.
The acquisition integrates Lalaland’s hyper-realistic, diverse AI avatars into Browzwear’s digital apparel design software, enabling fashion brands to confidently showcase garments on more inclusive virtual models while reducing reliance on physical photoshoots and samples. This accelerates design-to-market timelines and supports sustainability.
Lalaland's co-founder and CEO, Michael Musandu, emphasised that Lalaland's technology aims to support human models and underrepresented groups in the fashion industry. Musandu, who was born in Zimbabwe, started the company due to a lack of representation in fashion modeling. He insists that Lalaland was never designed to replace traditional photo shoots or human models.
In March 2023, denim brand Levi's announced plans to test Laland's AI-generated avatars to showcase diverse body types and underrepresented groups on its website. The Lalaland team will focus on generating diverse, size-inclusive model avatars and automating product imagery, reducing the need for traditional photo shoots.
Musandu stated that one model does not represent everyone shopping and buying a product, and he felt this painfully as a person of colour. These efforts aim to boost Browzwear's flagship digital twin software, which creates a virtual version of a garment minutes after sketching the idea.
The acquisition brings Lalaland’s AI scientists and engineers in-house to Browzwear, enabling focused R&D efforts on creating accurate fit models and automated imagery pipelines for diverse, size-inclusive avatars. Browzwear, based in Singapore, sees this move as a logical step, as they were already using Lalaland before the acquisition.
In the wake of Levi's using AI-generated avatars, which led to accusations that the brand was seeking a shortcut to the commercial benefits of diversity, Lalaland's technology reaffirms its commitment to authentic diversity. Musandu's statement after the Levi's controversy emphasised that Lalaland's technology aims to support human models and underrepresented groups in the fashion industry.
[1] Browzwear Press Release, "Browzwear Acquires Lalaland to Enhance AI-Generated Models for Diverse Digital Fashion Marketing and Prototyping", March 2023. [2] Lalaland Website, "About Us", 2023. [3] Levi's Press Release, "Levi's to Test Lalaland's AI-Generated Avatars for Diverse Representation", March 2023. [4] The Fashion Law, "Levi's Accused of Seeking a Shortcut to Diversity with AI-Generated Avatars", March 2023.
- The acquisition by software firm Browzwear of Dutch startup Lalaland, a company specializing in AI-generated virtual fashion models, could potentially revolutionize the fashion industry and increase inclusivity in digital fashion marketing and prototyping.
- This technological fusion between Lalaland and Browzwear allows fashion brands to confidently present apparel on more diverse virtual models, reducing reliance on traditional physical photoshoots and samples, which in turn leads to more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive design-to-market timelines.
- As concerns about representation and diversity in the fashion industry arise, the use of AI technology, such as Lalaland's, serves to reinforce support for underrepresented groups and human models, reaffirming the commitment to authentic diversity within the fashion industry.
