The Future of Fashion is Here: Integration of AI in Marketing Practices of Leading Fashion Retail Businesses

As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the accelerated digitization of the shopping experience has required many businesses to pivot toward building their e-commerce offerings. A few businesses have established themselves as industry leaders through the integration of AI marketing practices for the optimization of their omnichannel presence. This research explores the AI marketing integration of two leading e-commerce retailers that have focused on fashion as their singular commodity. Through case studies on Farfetch and Stitch Fix, the research identifies 1. personalization, 2. real-time automation and 3. data-driven recommendations as key elements of successful AI integration as it contributes to the consumer loyalty journey outlined by McKinsey & Company. Further, these insights are used to support a recommendation for AI integration into the marketing strategy of leading Canadian womenswear retailer, Aritzia. This application serves to form a generalizable framework for other mid-market fashion retail businesses throughout the industry.