Digital product development: focus on innovation

My name is Jessica and I have been part of bonprix since 2008. Initially, I worked as Head of International Development in bonprix’s Retail division, and since 2011 I have headed up the Consulting & Innovations department. Together with my team, which acts as an in-house consultancy, we are responsible for various major innovation projects that are of high strategic relevance to bonprix. In the dynamic fashion industry, digital innovation is the key to success, and we at bonprix are actively driving this approach forward – especially in product development. Our mission: to increase efficiency and integrate innovative solutions wherever it makes sense in the product development process.

From the idea to the finished product

One of the most pioneering developments we are working on is the introduction of end-to-end digitalisation in product development. The vision for this arose from various digitalisation projects and should enable us to digitally map the entire process of creating a product – from the initial idea to placement in the web shop. This comprehensive digitalisation enables us to make the development cycle more efficient, sustainable and customer-oriented.

Central components of this process are various tools that help us to work faster and in a more targeted manner. An AI-supported fashion creation app provides inspiration for new product ideas, while an editing tool allows us to further develop and adapt them. An additional feature, Duplicate Detection, ensures that we avoid similar designs. Furthermore, 3D fitting technology allows us to virtually check the cut of a garment without having to exchange physical samples. We introduced this technology five years ago and have been continuously optimising the processes ever since.

We also want our customers to benefit from these digital innovations. For example, a 3D web shop is conceivable in which the products are displayed purely digitally from different perspectives and in different poses – with and without avatars. This is an important step towards improving the shopping experience. At the same time, our vision includes a 3D fitting room where customers can enter their own measurements to get better sizing advice on their own avatar. These solutions are still in the analysis phase, but promise to reduce returns and increase customer satisfaction in the long term.

The benefits of digitalisation

The digital transformation of our product development is one of the most comprehensive projects we have realised to date. In the past, we had to send numerous physical samples back and forth to check fits. Today, this process is more efficient and saves resources thanks to our digital solutions. This not only reduces development time, but also our carbon footprint. Fewer physical samples mean less transport, less material consumption and more environmentally friendly production overall.

Another highlight is the “Learning Collection”, an AI-supported tool that analyses product history and predicts how well a new item will be received by our customers. We have been using this technology successfully for five years and are constantly working on optimising the algorithm.

How our corporate culture promotes new developments

Innovation is deeply rooted in our DNA. With over 20 years of experience in consulting, including 16 years at bonprix, I not only bring methodical knowledge to my role, but also a great passion for new technologies. We are always exploring new ways to optimise our processes and further expand the use of technologies such as AI. This spirit of innovation drives us to be determined and try out new things – even if this means that not everything always works straight away. This is the only way we can continue to develop.

In the coming years, we want to further expand our digital product development and utilise new technologies even more intensively. The areas of 3D technology and artificial intelligence offer enormous potential that we want to utilise.

Our corporate culture is a key success factor for these developments. At bonprix, we place great value on team spirit, collaboration and a strong culture of innovation. We are allowed to try out new things and learn from our mistakes. This openness to innovation and the support of the entire company enable us to move forward boldly. At the same time, we value the balance between work and private life – management positions can also be held part-time with us, which makes it possible to combine family and career.

I love change and deal with it every day – together as a team, we manage to boldly drive innovation forward, even if not everything always works right away.

Jessica – Head of Consulting & Innovation