Tencent-owned social network platform Qzone, Tencent’s AI research lab YouTu Lab and Vipshop, a Chinese online discount retailer for brands, have joined forces to bring AI to New York Fashion Week 2017.

The trio used AI to reveal the fashion preferences of China’s ‘post-95’ generation. These preferences were used to inspire Esquire China’s designer of the year Chi Zhang’s new collection at New York Fashion Week.

“This cooperation with Vipshop and Chi Zhang has been a fantastic experiment in bringing AI into the world of fashion, and we hope to help designers create inspiring new fashions that capture emerging trends,” said Mr. Ross Liang, corporate VP of Tencent and head of YouTu Lab.

Through the application of facial recognition technology to Qzone’s data, YouTu Lab’s algorithm is said to have identified the ages of users ‘accurately within three years’. Furthermore, the AI is reported to have had 95 per cent accuracy in distinguishing users’ clothing.

“This cooperation represents a significant innovation connecting sales, big data and AI to bridge the
e-commerce, technology and fashion industries,” said Feifei Chen, Vipshop senior director. “By bringing to light what young people in China like to wear, we hope our work can serve as an inspiration to the fashion industry and lead to even more fashion options for Chinese consumers.”