Browzwear acquires the Dutch AI fashion model startup Lalaland.

      Dutch startup Lalaland, an innovator in AI-generated fashion models, has been acquired by software company Browzwear for an undisclosed amount.

      Located at TNW City in Amsterdam, Lalaland gained attention and sparked discussion following the launch of its customizable, lifelike AI avatars in 2019. These avatars are presented as a means for brands to reduce costs while enhancing diversity in their marketing materials.

      Browzwear, renowned for its 3D design tools that allow fashion brands to prototype garments without physical samples, had previously utilized Lalaland’s technology. With this acquisition, CEO Greg Hanson indicates that the Lalaland team will now operate entirely “in-house.”

      “Our clients demand complete assurance in their digital twins,” Hanson stated. “Lalaland’s hyper-realistic, diverse AI models enhance that trust and significantly shorten the time from concept to market.”

      Browzwear plans to incorporate Lalaland’s AI team into its R&D division, where their efforts will focus on refining the precision of virtual body shapes for improved fit prediction. They will also utilize AI to create a range of diverse, size-inclusive model avatars and automate product imagery, thereby minimizing the reliance on traditional photo shoots.

      These initiatives aim to enhance Browzwear’s leading digital twin software, which allows designers to generate a virtual representation of a garment — including fit, fabric, and style — just minutes after sketching the concept.

      Michael Musandu, co-founder and CEO of Lalaland, remarked that when they first collaborated with Browzwear, “the synergy was evident.”

      “Uniting now is an obvious choice,” he added.

      Musandu, who hails from Zimbabwe, co-founded Lalaland due to his frustration with the lack of representation in fashion modeling. “One model does not represent everyone who is actually shopping and purchasing a product,” he expressed to the Associated Press last year. “As a person of color, I felt this acutely.”

      However, the use of AI-generated avatars has not been without controversy. In March 2023, denim brand Levi’s announced plans to use Lalaland’s AI-generated avatars to display a wider variety of body types and underrepresented groups on its website.

      This decision led to allegations that Levi’s was seeking an easy route to reap the commercial benefits of diversity. Shortly after the announcement, the brand issued another statement reaffirming its commitment to live photo shoots, real models, and authentic diversity.

      Musandu maintains that Lalaland was never meant to replace traditional photo shoots or human models.

      “We believe human models will continue to hold an essential position in the fashion industry, establishing genuine connections with consumers; our technology is designed to support this,” he stated following the Levi’s controversy.

      “And, yes — we must have more models from underrepresented groups if fashion companies are genuinely committed to inclusion efforts.”