Re-sizing fashion across Europe
Alvanon, a pioneer of next generation data-driven sizing technology, is expanding its footprint across Europe to help brands and retailers transform their approach to apparel. Its mission: empower fashion businesses to develop consistent size strategies that unlock efficiency, enable sustainable innovation, and inspire consumer confidence.
“Creating clothes that suit Europe’s diverse body shapes remains one of the industry’s most enduring challenges,” explained Ton Wiedenhoff, Executive Director Europe at Alvanon. “Alvanon’s approach to sizing uses real body shape data to define sizing for a brand and retailer’s target customers and support consistent implementation across design, development, production and e-commerce.”
This sizing ecosystem leverages powerful digital and physical tools – including virtual size sets within the Alvanon Body Platform, ABP and latest BodyAI avatars – that enable brands to design, develop, fit and even retail garments in a virtual environment before committing to physical sampling and production. Custom and standard size sets then become the foundation for a standardized, efficient, and inclusive sizing ecosystem of cutting-edge data, advanced digital tools, and innovative technologies that benefit brands, manufacturers, and consumers alike.
These tools are transforming how apparel brands do business. One such example is BERSHKA, part of the Inditex Group and second only to its sister company Zara in global revenue. Two years ago, the BERSHKA brand underwent a major refresh that included an overhaul of its sizing strategy and standards. With Alvanon’s support, BERSHKA identified the size range of its core customers, then used digital avatars and physical mannequin ‘twins’ to align its entire product range consistently across all its internal teams and suppliers. The result? A 10% reduction in returns, saving the company millions.
Growing a local footprint
To deliver its solutions more effectively across Europe, Alvanon has recently strengthened its existing regional consultancy and support teams with senior fashion professionals recruited from ‘inside’ leading brands and retailers.
Mar Fernández recently joined Alvanon as market development director for Spain and Portugal and is also supporting clients in France and the UK. She has over 20 years of leadership experience with such brands as Pepe Jeans, Hackett London, Façonnable, Burberry, Loewe and Massimo Dutti.
“A sustainable product strategy begins with understanding your core customers’ shape and size,” said Fernández. “When brands align internal decisions and processes with data-driven insight, they improve size consistency, process efficiency and speed to market – and reduce returns.”
Similarly, Anna Karlstrom, recently joined Alvanon’s global consulting team to support its European apparel clients, after 25 years at H&M. While at H&M, she led global initiatives to improve size and fit, streamline sample usage, and implement digital product creation strategies. She played a key role in optimising sample handling, supporting 2D and 3D development workflows, and rolling out digital tools across global teams. Karlstrom understands the importance of collaboration and cross-functional alignment: “Once a brand defines its standard size system, we work to embed it across internal teams, technologies and suppliers.” She added: “It must be a shared ecosystem, not just a one-time fix.”
Alvanon has also recently signed a partnership agreement with Maria Åkergren, founder of Sweden’s leading digital fashion creator, 3Dear and its parent company Pattern Stockholm. The partnership empowers Åkergren to develop Alvanon’s business across the Nordic region in addition to opening a new Alvanon Fit Studio at the 3Dear offices in Stockholm.
Stockholm is one of three European Alvanon Fit Studios offering a hands-on space to test, validate, and refine garment fit using Alvanon’s industry-leading physical mannequins, AlvaForms — or to work digitally with their precise virtual twins on the Alvanon Body Platform, ABP. Other European partnerships include Fashion Enter Limited for a Fit Studio in Islington, London and a collaboration with Italy’s Instituto Secoli for a Studio in Milan. Each Fit Studio features Alvanon’s world class range of physical men’s, women’s and children’s AlvaForms. A fourth European Fit Studio is planned for Q4 later in the year and details will be announced shortly. Outside Europe, Alvanon has Fit Studios in Hong Kong, New York and Shanghai.
“Alvanon aims to give every fashion business in Europe access to transformative sizing technologies and expertise,” concluded Ton Wiedenhoff. “With our Fit Studios, partnerships and growing network of consultants, we are enabling brands to move from guesswork to precision, from waste to efficiency, and from returns to customer loyalty.”
To learn more about Alvanon or inquire about products and services, please contact the Global Sales Team at sales@alvanon.com.