In June 2025, former Stitch Fix COO Julie Bornstein introduced the e-commerce world to Daydream, a chat-based AI fashion shopping assistant designed to eliminate the endless scrolling, filter frustration, and decision fatigue that plague online fashion discovery. Powered by $50 million in seed funding from Forerunner Ventures, Index Ventures, GV (Google Ventures), and True Ventures, Daydream debuted with partnerships spanning from Nike and Alo Yoga to luxury leaders like Khaite, Casablanca, and cult labels including Dôen and LoveShackFancy.
How Does Daydream Work?
Conversational Fashion Search: Users interact with Daydream’s proprietary chat engine, describing what they want in plain language (I want a floral midi for a summer wedding or show me white sneakers that aren’t Adidas). They can also upload inspiration images, like influencer posts or Pinterest pins, and the AI finds precise or similar options across its global partner catalog. Context-Aware Personalization: Every conversation refines a real-time Style Passport…
that remembers preferences for color, fit, favorite brands, budget, and even mood or event context, learning and evolving with every purchase or scroll. Style, Not Search Bars: As Bornstein explains, “Online shopping today is completely overwhelming and time consuming.
Traditional search falls short in fashion because it doesn’t understand the nuances of personal taste”. Behind the Scenes: Who Built Daydream and Why?
Leadership and Expertise: Co-founded by Julie Bornstein (former Nordstrom.com, Sephora digital lead, Stitch Fix COO, founder of The Yes), Lisa Yamner Green (Chief Brands Officer), Dan Cary (Chief Product Officer), Richard Kim (Chief Strategy Officer), and Maria Belousova (CTO)—all with stints at Google, Pinterest, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Farfetch.
Purpose-Built AI: CTO Maria Belousova clarifies, “We purpose-built Daydream’s AI engine specifically for fashion, embedding deep expertise in product details, brand insights, social events, and current trends directly into its core…
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