Alta & Public School: Bringing "Clueless" Fashion Tech to Life in the Age of AI
Remember Cher Horowitz’s iconic computerized closet in “Clueless”? The ability to virtually try on clothes and plan outfits felt like a futuristic fantasy. Now, Jenny Wang, founder of Alta, is turning that fantasy into reality. Alta isn’t just a nostalgic nod to 90s pop culture; it’s a cutting-edge fashion tech platform leveraging the power of AI to revolutionize how we shop and style ourselves. Last year, Alta secured $11 million in funding led by Menlo Ventures, signaling a significant investment in the future of digital fashion. This article dives deep into Alta’s journey, its recent partnerships, and its vision for becoming the “personal identity layer” for the next generation of consumer AI.
From "Clueless" Inspiration to a $11 Million Funding Round
Alta’s core concept – a digital closet where users can create virtual avatars and experiment with outfits – directly echoes the technology showcased in “Clueless.” However, Alta goes far beyond simple visualization. Utilizing the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence, the platform allows for realistic outfit planning and styling. The impressive $11 million funding round attracted a high-profile group of investors, including models Jasmine Tookes and Karlie Kloss, Anthropic’s venture arm Anthology Fund, and Jenny Fleiss, cofounder of Rent the Runway. This diverse investor base highlights the broad appeal and potential of Alta’s technology.
Alta's Growth and Key Milestones Since Launch
Speaking with GearTech during New York Fashion Week, Wang revealed significant progress since the funding round. Alta’s app is now available in app stores, earning accolades from publications like Time and Vogue, who recognized it as one of the best innovations of the previous year. Impressively, over 100 million outfits have been generated on the platform since its 2023 launch. Strategic partnerships with Poshmark and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) are further solidifying Alta’s position in the fashion industry, with more collaborations on the horizon.
“Alta’s own app also features thousands of brands that users can shop from,” Wang explained, emphasizing the platform’s growing marketplace.
The Public School Collaboration: A New Era of Virtual Try-On
Alta is currently focused on developing seamless app and website integration experiences for brands. This allows customers to virtually try on clothing using a personalized Alta Avatar directly on the brand’s website. The first major collaboration exemplifies this strategy: a partnership with iconic New York City brand, Public School. This marks Public School’s grand re-debut after a hiatus, and a bold step into the future of fashion technology.
The connection between Alta and Public School was facilitated by Poshmark’s founder, who serves as an angel investor in both companies. Wang shared that Public School’s designers, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, were actively seeking an AI partner and virtual try-on solution, and Chow himself was already an Alta app user.
Public School Embraces Technology as a Storytelling Tool
Public School’s founders recognize the transformative power of technology in today’s fashion landscape. “It’s not 2015 anymore,” Chow stated to GearTech, highlighting the need to embrace technological advancements. He emphasized that their approach to technology is thoughtful and strategic, focusing on enhancing storytelling and consumer engagement rather than simply using AI as a design tool.
“We want to be thoughtful on how we use tech and AI,” Chow continued, “not as a design tool but as a tool to extend our storytelling and a tool to interact with the consumer and have them experience the brand even if they can’t do so in person.”
This collaboration represents one of the first instances of a designer embedding personal avatar and styling technology directly into their own website. A discreet “Style by Alta” icon on Public School’s product page directs customers to Alta, where they can style their avatars with the new collection.
Expanding the Alta Ecosystem: Beyond the Standalone App
Alta users can also access Public School’s collection through the standalone Alta app. Wang’s vision extends beyond this initial integration. The goal is to enable Alta users to try on clothes from various websites directly within the Alta ecosystem, even while outside the Alta app.
“Right now, a user would have to add a potential purchase into their Alta wishlist, then style outfits and try on their avatar, versus being able to do that directly on the brand website.” (For every site but Public School, that is.) “The goal is to bring their community on a new journey to engage with and shop the brand.”
Alta vs. the Competition: Speed and Scalability
Several major fashion brands, including Zara and Balmain, have already experimented with digital avatars. However, Alta differentiates itself through its speed and scalability. Wang points out that Alta avatars can style up to 8 items within seconds, significantly faster than Zara’s avatars, which typically take around two minutes and can only wear four items.
The Future of Alta: A Digital Identity Layer for Shopping
Wang views Alta as both a continuation of the “Clueless” vision and a burgeoning digital avatar business. “The consumer Alta app is the ‘Clueless’ closet, while the enterprise Alta experience allows shoppers to style pieces and try the outfits on their pre-existing Alta avatar,” she explained.
Ultimately, Wang envisions Alta becoming the “personal identity layer for the future of consumer AI and shopping.” This means creating a centralized platform that understands and caters to individual style preferences.
Agentic Commerce and the Importance of Data
For agentic commerce – where AI proactively assists shoppers – to truly succeed, a robust data layer is essential. “We need a data layer that understands the shopper’s style preferences, such as their closet, past purchases, and their avatar, likeness, and body, which is Alta,” Wang stated. This data-driven approach will enable personalized shopping experiences and unlock the full potential of AI in the fashion industry.
Key Takeaways: Alta's Impact on the Future of Fashion
- Virtual Try-On Revolution: Alta is making virtual try-on technology faster, more realistic, and more accessible.
- Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with brands like Public School and Poshmark are driving adoption and expanding the Alta ecosystem.
- AI-Powered Personalization: Alta’s focus on understanding individual style preferences will unlock new levels of personalization in the shopping experience.
- The "Clueless" Legacy: Alta is bringing a long-held futuristic vision to life, transforming how we interact with fashion.
Alta is not just building a fashion tech platform; it’s building the future of how we discover, style, and shop for clothes. By combining the nostalgic appeal of “Clueless” with the power of modern AI, Alta is poised to become a key player in the evolving landscape of digital fashion.