High-street brands use AI stylists and luxury collaborations to win back shoppers

Asos appointed celebrity stylist Law Roach as stylist-in-residence and rolled out AI stylists, virtual try-on and a Buy the Look feature that lets customers purchase full outfits in one click. Asos says 68% of consumers want to know how to wear items, and the Buy the Look tool is "very popular". The retailer also expanded its adaptive clothing range for disabled customers, developed with consultancy Tilting the Lens, with nothing over £65. Asos sales fell 12% in August 2025 but a cost-cutting drive including paid returns helped deliver 50% profit growth by March 2026; the impact of an October cyber-attack is still unclear.

Analysts say brands are responding to more sophisticated online shoppers who also buy heavily on resale platforms such as Vinted, now the UK's third-largest retailer. Fashion commentator Andrea Cheong notes brands are talking less about sustainability due to campaigner criticism, cost pressures and political shifts, while M&S maintains that designing for longevity serves both value and sustainability goals.