SeedBlink Blog

The fashion industry is undergoing an important digital transformation, and Irisphera is at the forefront of this change. Founded by Antonia Dumitriu, CEO, Irisphera combines cutting-edge AI and computer vision technology to tackle two major challenges in online fashion retail: high return rates and unsustainable shopping habits.

Having a mission to empower retailers and enhance customer experiences, Irisphera offers an AI-powered SaaS platform that integrates virtual personal shopping assistance with scalable 3D try-on technology.

In this interview, we spoke with Antonia about her entrepreneurial journey, Irisphera’s approach to fashion tech, and her vision for the future.

1. You founded Irisphera at the age of 18. What inspired you to create this company, and how does your background in fashion influence its mission?

I started working in the fashion industry at 16, and during the pandemic, while still in high school, I noticed a gap. With photoshoots and in-person consultations on pause, I began looking for opportunities that often emerge during moments of crisis. As an image consultant, I understood how time-consuming and costly it was for clients to discover their personal style, body shape, and color palette. That’s when I asked myself: how can we simplify and automate this process to make it more accessible, authentic, and tailored-not just trend-driven? That question became the foundation of Irisphera.

Later, studying Fashion Styling and Creative Direction at Istituto Marangoni in Milan allowed me to immerse myself even deeper in the industry. I had the chance to participate in major fashion weeks, collaborate with brands like Jil Sander, and grow a strong network. All of that helped shape me into a true professional and further refine the mission behind Irisphera.

2. How does Irisphera’s AI-powered platform address key challenges like high return rates in online fashion shopping?

Through curated, tailored recommendations based on each shopper’s unique look -including body shape, sizing, and color palette - we help customers feel more confident in their purchase decisions. Our AI ensures that garments are not only the right size, but also the right cut, fit, and style for the individual.

In addition, by enabling shoppers to visualize selected items 360° before purchasing, we bring the online experience closer to in-store, reducing uncertainty and hesitation. As a result, Irisphera aims to reduce return rates by up to 30%, while improving customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

3. What sets Irisphera apart from competitors in the fashion tech market?

Current market solutions fall into two main categories: basic size recommenders and virtual try-on tools that rely on generative AI or photogrammetry, which takes at least 10 minutes per garment. While generative AI can showcase a garment’s color and pattern, it fails to accurately depict its true fit on the shopper’s body, leading to misleading results. Meanwhile, 3D try-on tools that rely on physical samples require transportation and manual processing, making them expensive, time-consuming, and hard to scale.

Irisphera combines fashion expertise with cutting-edge technology. Our innovative approach automates the image consulting process, promoting authenticity and prioritizing what fits shoppers best. Irisphera goes beyond size recommendations - to guide shoppers by suggesting clothing based on their detected silhouette and ideal color palette, ensuring a personalized and flattering shopping experience. Our AI-powered personal styling tool equips retailers with valuable data, allowing them to adapt through actionable insights. It enhances buyer persona identification, optimizes inventory, and improves demand forecasting, minimizing waste and aligning with sustainability expectations from both shoppers and governments.

We use 3D technology for virtual try-ons, delivering a realistic and confident shopping experience. Unlike competitors who rely on physical samples, our scalable system transforms 2D clothing images into precise 3D models in seconds using only retailers’ website photos. Moreover, our system employs custom computer vision models specific to a garment's actual construction, allowing for a level of geometric and textural accuracy not possible with generative models, with better efficiency of processing.

This cost-effective, eco-friendly solution enhances customer confidence, boosts conversion rates, and supports sustainable retail.

4. Sustainability is a key focus for Irisphera. How does your platform contribute to reducing environmental impact?

Irisphera is reshaping online fashion by tackling high return rates and unsustainable shopping habits. Our AI-powered SaaS platform combines a virtual personal shopper with scalable 3D try-ons, helping retailers reduce costs, optimize inventory, and support sustainability. By providing tailored recommendations and realistic 3D virtual try-ons, we enhance shopper confidence, cut returns, and minimize waste.

5. What are the key features of Irisphera’s technology that enable personalization at scale?

Irisphera’s technology enables personalization at scale through several key features. Our recommendation system delivers tailored clothing suggestions based on each shopper’s unique look, designed to perform at scale without compromising on personalization. Additionally, our advanced 2D-to-3D automated clothing transformation system, powered by computer vision, converts garments from photos into detailed 3D models. Separately, we generate customized avatars that reflect individual body shapes, enabling a highly personalized virtual try-on experience when combined with the transformed garments.

6. The global fashion e-commerce market is projected to reach €1.3 trillion by 2033. How does Irisphera plan to scale in this growing industry?

To ensure scalability in the rapidly expanding global fashion e-commerce market, Irisphera has developed plugins for platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, enabling seamless integration with small to mid-sized retailers. Beyond offering just a feature, we provide a robust ecosystem with flexible plans tailored to the size and needs of each retailer.

In addition to delivering personalized recommendations, our technology enables the automatic transformation of a large number of garments, into mass-market-ready digital assets. This supports large-scale virtual try-ons and the creation of 3D avatars at scale. While we support businesses of all sizes, our core strategy focuses on scaling with large enterprises to drive maximum value.

7. What are the next milestones for Irisphera’s growth?

Our next milestones for Irisphera’s growth include onboarding 10 small to mid-sized retailers this year and publicly launching our CMS plugins for platforms like Shopify and WordPress. We're also in advanced discussions with major enterprise retailers, including well-known names such as Valentino and Fashion Days, with the goal of securing a strategic partnership.

Geographically, our expansion will focus on the Romanian, Italian, and Benelux markets throughout this year. On the technological front, we are prioritizing the simplification and enhancement of mannequin creation-bringing greater realism and enabling features like face upload and the automated transformation of complex garments from photos into 3D models. This supports our broader mission of achieving scalability in fast fashion, particularly in high-demand areas.

Additionally, we plan to roll out our solutions as in-store sales tools for client advisors in the luxury segment, strengthening the bridge between digital and physical retail experiences. Finally, we aim to attract a seed investment round by Q1 2026 to fuel our continued growth.

With this investment round, we plan to accelerate our sales and marketing efforts, with a strong focus on international expansion. Our goal is to scale globally, leveraging strategic partnerships and the support of Go Global and Arieli Capital to establish a solid presence in key international markets.

8. For investors considering Irisphera, why is now the right time to support your vision?

The fashion e-commerce and fashion tech sectors are experiencing continuous growth. In fact, 85% of online fashion brands in the U.S. are actively seeking to integrate digital solutions. Capturing just 1% of this market would connect Irisphera with over 26,000 potential clients, equating to a revenue opportunity of approximately €200M in ARR.

Beyond personalization, Irisphera also responds to the increasing demand for digitalization and sustainability in the fashion industry. While early movers like Zalando and Walmart have started acquiring startups in this space, most major players have yet to take significant action. This creates a strong opportunity for M&A activity within the next five years an area where Irisphera is strategically positioned to become a key player.

Explore the opportunity on SeedBlink.