Fashion

Resale start-up Messina Hembry says AI improves listing process

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2025

Pre-loved fashion reseller Messina Hembry is on a mission to address a major issues holding its sector back: the hidden costs that inhibit it scaling into profitability. And it’s using artificial intelligence (AI) to address the issue.

Messina Hembry has partnered with Aistetic, a University of Oxford spin-off that has “revolutionised the listing process” for its brand, helping it “successfully carve out a niche in vintage and resale fashion with over 7,000 new pieces being uploaded each week”.

It says that despite the sector seeing rapid growth, the market has a persistent issue, noting that while Vinted has recently turned a profit, other major resale platforms such as ThredUp and The RealReal “have faced challenges after their IPOs, struggling to find the balance between sustainability and profitability”.

It points to the costly and inefficient labour-intensive process of re-merchandising secondhand clothing, noting that each pre-loved piece is unique, “requiring careful attention, from quality control to photography, to ensure that it’s ready for resale”.

Additionally, the complexity of reverse SKU logistics — essentially managing single-item fulfilment on a massive scale — adds to the friction that resale platforms face.

On the shopper side, the struggle is just as real. While some relish the thrill of hunting for the perfect pre-owned item, many others are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices and the frustration of endless scrolling through disorganised listings.

“Resale platforms must capture the excitement of the treasure hunt while simultaneously eliminating the time-consuming process of scrolling, searching, and endless comparisons. What shoppers need are tools that make the search faster, smarter, and more personalised,” the company said.

So Aistetic’s AI-powered computer vision solution claims to enable Messina Hembry to tag, label, and describe garments directly from images, automating the once-manual process of cataloging each item.

What once required significant human labour now happens at lightning speed, unlocking the potential to scale in ways that were previously impossible. This breakthrough technology allows the company to tag and list more items more effectively, we’re told.

Messina Hembry’s CEO Zac Hembry, said: “Using Aistetic’s AI Listing solution has revolutionised our workflow. We’ve seen a 3x increase in our listing capacity, a 70% reduction in our workflows and increases in conversions linked to faster, more accurate tagging”.

Duncan McKay, CEO of Aistetic, added:“Our goal is to empower resale platforms with the AI tools they need to scale profitably while driving sustainability. Through this partnership with Messina Hembry, we’re helping them unlock more capacity, enhance the shopping experience, and contribute to the circular economy.

“AI is making it possible for resale platforms to scale quickly and profitably while reducing the friction that often frustrates shoppers.”

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Fashion

Debenhams in two-year sponsorship deal with The Jockey Club

Published

4 hours ago

March 13, 2025

Maxwell Hart

In-the-news Debenhams has turned its attention away from corporate matters to tell us the brand is heading to the races. The digital department store has signed a two-year partnership deal to sponsor The Jockey Club and its premier racecourses.

Specifically, the ‘Debenhams Day Spa’ is to launch at four of the UK’s key fixtures, creating “unrivalled moments of glamour and excitement” to deliver immersive race-day beauty experiences at some of the most prestigious fixtures on the racing calendar across 2025-2026.

It all begins with the upcoming Cheltenham Festival (15-18 March), followed by Epsom’s Derby Festival (7-8 June), Sandown Park (5-6 July), Newmarket’s July Festival (12-14 July), and the Grand National Festival in 2026.

We’re told the partnership unites “two British icons in retail and racing, blending Debenhams’ legacy of championing personal style and self-expression with The Jockey Club’s heritage of elegance and performance”. And the aim is “creating a modern space for racegoers to indulge in the very best of fashion and beauty from Debenhams”.

The Day Spas are luxury pop-up destinations that will provide spectators with interactive beauty moments and touch-ups using L’Oréal Luxe products (Lancome, YSL, Prada, Armani and Viktor + Rolf).

The spas will also feature pieces from the Coast at Debenhams fashion collections.

Beyond race-day activations, the partnership includes year-round branding across The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses, “delivering consistent exposure to race-day audiences and an average ITV viewership of 400,000 across 85 fixtures annually”.

Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams, said: “Horse racing embodies elegance, excitement and unforgettable memories – values that align perfectly with our ethos. Our Debenhams’ Day Spas will offer racegoers an irresistible opportunity to unwind, indulge and feel their very best throughout the day.”

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Fashion

New Balance launches new ‘Made in UK’ silhouette

Published

5 hours ago

March 13, 2025

Maxwell Hart

Best-know for its trainers, New Balance is increasingly turning its attention to the comfort/leisure footwear sector.

Described as a “new market opportunity for New Balance”, the introduction of the new ‘Made in UK Allerdale’ comes about as the brand “looks beyond only retro running by capitalising on a shift towards a more formal and tailored approach to fashion”, according to New Balance creative design manager Sam Pearce.

The ‘Allerdale’ is the latest addition to its ‘Made in UK’ collection with the all-new model “combining the brand’s “walking shoe heritage and contemporary design for a more formal aesthetic”.

Designed for both “comfort and elegance”, the Allerdale’s craftsmanship and style is paired with the brand’s signature FuelCell cushioning comfort technology.

The model features a cupped sole unit, with heavy-duty stitching and a hiking-inspired tread. Made with premium leather and suede, the shoe is finished with minimalist branding marked by an embroidered flying New Balance logo.

Pearce added: “Building on the legacy of our revolutionary Hiker models, and our lesser-known walking collection of the 1980s – which were also made in England – this design was born and named by its very surroundings. The ‘Allerdale’ is a modern expression of a classic style, built for those who want to walk their own path.”

The Allerdale, in brown leather, will be available globally online from 20 March.

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Fashion

eBay links with Nick Knight, Lara McGrath “to reimagine pre-loved fashion”

Published

5 hours ago

March 13, 2025

Maxwell Hart

eBay continues to develop its fashion resale category introducing a “groundbreaking” editorial and fashion film project, ‘The Goat Dancer’, culminating in the launch of an inspirational fashion edit.

The digital retail giant is “championing the transformative potential of pre-loved fashion sourced entirely on eBay” by joining forces with fashion photographer Nick Knight, stylist Lara McGrath and creative film/photography venue ShowStudio to develop the project.

With McGrath having established “an inventive and outré approach to styling” and Knight being “captivated by the stylist’s ability to layer and style pre-loved garments into visionary ensembles”, the stylist documents mirror portraits of herself in public changing rooms.

The ShowStudio collaboration brings that creative spirit to life “offering a treasure trove of fashion finds – all £50 and under – ready to be revived and reimagined”.

From scoring Jil Sander shoes for £30 to finding beauty in a Per Una chiffon top, repurposing a kimono into a fishtail skirt, or transforming a bedspread into a dramatic cape, “the project showcases the endless possibilities of second-hand fashion reimagined”.

With old-school glamour inspiring the hair look for the shoot created by Eugene Souleiman, and noughties-inspired make-up by Lynski, Knight and McGrath “crafted a surreal visual narrative that highlights the potential of reimagining fashion through sustainability and artistry”.

Live-streamed on ShowStudio, the shoot “celebrates individuality, reinvention, and the thrill of uncovering hidden gems in pre-loved fashion on eBay—proving that style, creativity, and sustainability go hand in hand”.

To celebrate the collaboration, eBay has also curated an exclusive ShowStudio x Lara McGrath edit featuring secondhand fashion pieces inspired by the shoot, “inviting designers to reimagine archival and pre-loved styles into fresh, relevant works of art that transcend time”.

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