Shingo Tsukamoto started his career in online advertising before setting up several businesses. In 2015, after several trouser wardrobe malfunctions, he founded Makip, an online sizing technology software provider.
The app is designed to help users determine their optimal clothing size, eliminating uncertainty and reducing the need to buy multiple sizes and return the rest. Fashion brands using the tech include Fred Perry, Lacoste, and Vivienne Westwood.
What activated your interest in fashion and where did the idea for the Unisize come from?
All our founding members were interested in fashion. As we saw more people buying clothes online, we wondered: ‘Sizing is crucial in fashion, so how are people buying clothes without knowing the fit?’. After asking around, we found many people were experiencing issues, which we saw as a business opportunity. We then researched competing companies but found no size recommendation engines optimised for smartphones.
I had played rugby since junior high and had thick thighs, so often struggled to find pants that fit. Wanting to help users like me, we launched a service called “unisize” that determines size through a simple questionnaire and allows comparisons with previously purchased items.
Can you explain how the app works and what technologies it utilises?
We have a patented technology that allows us to estimate users’ body shapes through a simple questionnaire. By collecting numerous samples for each ethnicity, we have developed our unique algorithm.
Additionally, apparel brands create a model torso called a “Body” to determine sizes when making clothes. Although almost all brands keep this Body information confidential, we have developed techniques to estimate these Body size details through diligent research. By combining our ability to estimate the Body size information of clothing with our algorithm for estimating users’ body shapes, we can provide highly accurate size recommendations.
Which fashion retailers are currently using your technology?
In Japan, our service is utilized by nearly 300 fashion e-commerce sites. In the UK, some well-known brands that use our service include Fred Perry, Lacoste, and Vivienne Westwood.
Lots of sizing guides rely on the customer having access to a tape measure – can your tech suggest sizing without exact measurements?
Our recommendation methods consist of four approaches. The first is the questionnaire method mentioned above. By asking about the brands and sizes of clothes frequently worn, we can easily and accurately infer the user’s body shape. The second is AI photo measurement. By taking photos from the front and side, we can accurately measure the user’s body shape.
The third is the purchase history comparison feature. This allows users to compare the sizes of items they have previously bought with the items they are considering buying now. The fourth method is registering clothes and comparing those clothes with the items they want to buy. Like the purchase history comparison feature, users can register the clothes they have on hand and compare their sizes with the sizes of the clothes they intend to buy.
How else do you think AI is informing sizing technology in fashion retail?
It will have a significant impact. We have also recently launched a service called FaceChange. Until now, we could only provide size solutions, but with FaceChange and the use of generative AI, customers can now add their faces to the online model and see how the clothing will look on them when worn. If you think of it in terms of a fitting room in a store, it’s like we’ve added a mirror to a fitting room that previously had none. Furthermore, with generative AI, we can create a more vivid image of how the clothes you intend to buy will look on you, which is very exciting.
How can products like Unisize help online retailers with their sustainability goals?
The act of returning items consumes a significant amount of energy and is entirely unproductive. By reducing such activities, we aim to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions by online retailers, even if only slightly. Additionally, by lowering return costs, we can increase profit margins, which in turn allows us to reduce clothing prices or enhance usability.
What other products do you have in the pipeline?
We’re launching Unisize DX, a service designed to provide insights to our clients using Unisize, based on purchase data and browsing data. Additionally, we recently launched a service called Unisize for Kids. This service recommends clothing for rapidly growing children, providing information on whether the clothes will still fit one or two years later and what the length will be. This design makes it easier for users to make decisions.
We also plan to release a service called Unisize for Bag. This service will visually show users what can fit inside a bag and how large the bag will appear when they carry it (as bags often look smaller when carried by models). This information helps users make informed purchase decisions. Beyond these, we have plans to release various other services related to sizing.
Who would you give your ‘Best Dressed Man’ award to and why?
The rugby player Marcus Smith. Having played rugby myself, I have always been following him closely.
How do you take your coffee?
I buy coffee beans from my favourite coffee shop, grind them with a coffee mill, and brew coffee using a hand drip method. I adjust the strength to suit my condition and sometimes make iced coffee, all while relaxing. There is a terrace at my office, and having coffee there is simply the best.
What else do you do to switch off from tech and relax?
Gardening is my hobby. Currently, I am growing ginger, corn, shiso (a Japanese herb) and molokhia (jute) in my garden. My university major was agriculture. I initially pursued it with the desire to combat desertification, but my interest waned when I learned that poverty was the underlying cause of desertification, a problem not easily solved through technical means. Despite this, my connection with nature is very soothing, so I spend my free time working in the soil.
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