Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Le Tote an online retailer that sends its customers personalised boxes full of clothing and accessories for $49 per month. But unlike other fashion e-tailers, it harnesses a data-driven algorithm named Chloe to ensure the clothes it delivers fit perfectly every time.

Perks like free and next-day delivery have become the norm in online shopping, but returns are lagging behind. Aiming to make the process faster, easier and smoother is Happy Returns, which lets shoppers take unwanted items to Return Bars located in malls and stores to get an instant refund.

Picking up a last-minute party dress is easier said than done for plus-size women. The likes of Lululemon and Urban Outfitters don’t make clothes above a US 14, and the industry is losing out on as much as $14 billion by failing to serve this market. So what do curvy women want from their clothes?

One third of shoppers say jeans are the hardest garment to buy because it's very difficult to find the perfect fit. Offering 400 sizes, start-up Qcut promises a product that will fit 99% of women, disrupting the apparel industry and destroying one-dimensional body image ideals.