Like digital paper dolls: The new Armoire feature uses AI to show more options in choosing clothes.
Seattle-based online clothing rental company Armoire is turning to AI for fashion with a new feature called “Outfit Inspiration” that allows customers to instantly create their desired look from a range of available styles and sizes.
Ambika Singh, CEO and founder of the 10-year-old company, said she had never seen anything from her retail and fashion competitors that looked like this and allowed for “builder” collaboration. The company was inspired by old paper dolls, where pants, shirts, jackets and other items could not be moved. In this case, clicking on the images creates instant digital paper dolls.
“It’s fun, but it’s also helpful,” Singh said of the feature, which is currently visible when a member is logged in.
The technology relies on a series of pre-made clothes, suitable for different occasions, created by Armoire stylists and the head buyer.
“If you click on one of them, you can see all the storage options, and these are actually all AI generated virtual matches,” said Morgan Cundiff, who recently joined Armoire as head of product and machine learning.
AI makes it possible to track a large number of items across a range of styles while knowing whether those items make sense for a given outfit – and if the right sizes are available for hire.
“AI has really allowed us to unlock and capture those things [in real time]so we know exactly what is available when we hold it for you,” said Cundiff.
Armoire, which Singh has previously called “a very human-powered business,” made its first major AI debut last November with the launch of a visual style guide to help wardrobe hires find the right items.
Outfit Inspiration builds on that use of AI while sticking to Armoire’s core mission of personalization. And it will continue to grow beyond the presentation of clothes, as different customers will see different main clothes and many clickable options within each other.
“It’s not AI for AI’s sake,” Singh said. “It’s an old problem you’ve been trying to solve, now you have a chance to go and take it.”
Armoire, which operates out of a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, employs 100 people.
The startup has raised $12 million from investors, including a $3.5 million round in 2021 that includes support from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani and others. Armoire reached break-even in late 2025, a first for the business.
The company is ranked number 40 in the GeekWire 200 index of the Pacific Northwest’s top startups and won Workplace of the Year last April at the annual GeekWire awards.
