H&M Home launches voice assistant app in the UK

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 29, 2018

H&M’s homeware brand has launched an experimental voice assistant application, developed with Google, in the UK this week.

Called H&M Home Stylist, the development was first presented at Stockholm Fashion Tech Talks at the beginning of the month and was described as a one of the first voice applications to ever be released within the fashion and interior segment.

The application works through Google Assistant and provides personal styling suggestions, mood boards and inspiration directly in a connected smartphone after asking a series of questions. To activate H&M Home Stylist, customers simply need to ask their Google Assistant for H&M Home.

To make the experience more personal, the H&M Home Stylist has an exclusive human voice, according to H&M Group. It is expected to roll out in further selected markets throughout the year.

H&M Group is also testing an augmented reality experience for its young fashion Monki brand. Developed in partnership with London-based startup HoloMe, it creates high-definition human holograms of nine Monki outfits so that viewers can see the garments in greater detail.

"At H&M group we constantly work on innovations that create extraordinary customer experiences. The fashion industry is changing fast and technology is more important than ever as an enabler in adapting to an ever-changing society,” said Elin Frendberg, H&M group Business Development in June.

The Swedish is also expanding its brand portfolio with the launch of two new brands, Arket and Afound, over the last year.