Bestseller rolls out Hypedrop, its AI-driven wholesale platform

The Bestseller Group is leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate the design of products tailored to current demand. Its Hypedrop wholesale platform analyses signals and feedback from the market and suppliers in real time.

Owning or managing around 20 brands, including Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, Selected, Only, Vila, and Name It, the group aims to sharpen the relevance of its offering while accelerating decision-making and production, which begins after retailers’ buying windows close.

“The process has been completely redesigned to make it smoother and more efficient,” explains Bestseller’s managing director for France and Italy, Thibaut Demange. “Eliminating samples streamlines the process and speeds up decision-making, while enabling our wholesale customers to respond more quickly to market developments.”

Using AI, Hypedrop could cut lead times to six weeks for retailers, and Bestseller asserts that the system offers the same mark-up/margin ratio as its standard sourcing model.

The system also produces photorealistic product visuals and videos. Crucially, it independently generates clothing designs in line with current trends. While these designs may subsequently be adapted by the creative teams, the process is reminiscent of that adopted by Chinese giant Shein.

The Danish group, which is celebrating its half-century this year, posted sales of DKK 38 billion (approximately €5.1 billion) in its financial year to the end of July. This represents an increase of 7%, reportedly the strongest in the company’s history. EBITDA came in at DKK 5.9 billion (€789.9 million).

This summer, the group announced an agreement with German company Matterr to develop a recycled polyester range, with financial support from the European Union. At the same time, Bestseller announced the arrival of its Name It brand in France, where Only plans to open 200 stores over the next five years.