Daydream, an innovative startup aiming to revolutionize the way consumers shop for fashion, has burst onto the scene with an impressive $50 million in seed funding. Launched on June 25 as the world’s first AI-powered, chat-based shopping agent built exclusively for fashion is designed to serve as a digital shopping agent, enabling users to discover and purchase fashion items through natural language and image-based search.
At launch, users can interact with Daydream’s chat-based interface to receive real-time, tailored recommendations drawn from a roster of over 200 retail and brand partners. The platform is launching with a selection that spans nearly 2 million products from more than 8,000 brands, covering everything from luxury labels like Khaite and Casablanca to mainstream favorites such as Nike and Alo Yoga. The platform spans women’s and men’s fashion, featuring a curated mix of established brands, emerging designers and cult favorites across all price points and categories.
Founded by Julie Bornstein, a veteran of Nordstrom, Stitch Fix, and The Yes, Daydream is leveraging artificial intelligence to provide shoppers with a hyper-personalized, conversational style experience. Daydream is led by co-founder and Chief Brands Officer Lisa Yamner Green, the partnerships team works directly with brands and multi-brand retailers to integrate their full catalogs. Featured launch partners include Net-A-Porter, Alo Yoga, LoveShackFancy, Markarian, Khaite, Emilia Wickstead, Casablanca, MyTheresa, Nike, Cult Mia, Mejuri, Uniqlo and Dôen.
“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,” Bornstein said. “By leveraging large language models and combining them with a deep understanding of the fashion space, we’re building the online shopping platform of the future. Daydream lets people use real language to discover exactly what they’re looking for across more than 2 million products from top fashion brands – and this is just the beginning. Our vision is for Daydream to become the smartest destination of fashion information, advice and products online. We’ve brought together an exceptional team using technology to help people shop in entirely new ways.”
Daydream’s entry illustrates the growing momentum of AI in retail, where intelligent agents are expected to reshape the discovery and purchase process for shoppers seeking both efficiency and inspiration. With deep roots in both technology and fashion, Daydream’s leadership team and investor support position the company as a key player in the evolving landscape of AI-driven consumer experiences.
The $50 million seed round was led by notable venture investors Forerunner Ventures, Index Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and True Ventures. This substantial funding is set to accelerate Daydream’s product development, enhance its proprietary AI technology, and expand its reach within the fashion e-commerce ecosystem.
“Eighty-eight percent of shoppers are more likely to visit sites that personalize their experience. Daydream takes a new AI-driven approach to create a better shopping experience online with highly-curated product recommendations,” said Frédérique Dame, General Partner at GV. “We believe the winners in this new technology chapter will be those who deeply understand consumer AI and search trends, and the Daydream team has unparalleled domain expertise in this area. We’re thrilled to partner with Julie Bornstein and the team as they build a category-defining AI platform that changes how people shop online.”
Daydream will continuously improve through new features, expanded brand partnerships, and feedback-driven updates – ultimately making shopping not just easier, but genuinely enjoyable. Over time, Daydream aspires to become the starting point for all fashion search and discovery online.
How It Works: Daydream in Action
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Create Your Style Passport
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Each Daydream user receives a unique Style Passport—a dynamic profile that tracks your fit preferences, favorite brands, price ranges, style choices, and other details.
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Interact and Explore Fashion
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As you use Daydream—searching for items, clicking products, or saving favorites—the system gathers real-time data on your tastes and behaviors.
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Personalized Recommendations
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Daydream’s AI learns from your actions and instantly updates your Style Passport. This means recommendations become more precise and relevant with every interaction.
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Truly Individualized Results
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Even if two users search for the same fashion question (“What should I wear to a summer wedding?”), each will receive different suggestions tailored to their unique preferences and history.
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Shop From Trusted Retailers
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When you pick an item you love, Daydream directs you to the corresponding brand or retailer’s website to complete your purchase securely.
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For Merchants
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Brands and retailers can join Daydream for free. They earn revenue through commissions only when a sale is completed via the platform.
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Ad-Free Prioritization
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Daydream’s search and suggestions focus on what’s relevant to the user—never on paid advertiser placements. This ensures every result is meaningful and tailored for you.
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To learn more about Daydream or sign up for the waitlist, visit https://daydream.ing/. If you’re a brand or retailer interested in joining Daydream, visit https://partners.daydream.ing/.
