New Look is equipping its buying and design teams with AI-powered virtual sampling from Fermat, cutting the need for physical prototypes and handing designers a faster way to iterate on prints, colourways and styles. The move is part of a £30 million investment in data, AI and technology announced in April 2025 under chief information officer Lynda Petherick, as the retailer targets £1 billion in online orders by 2030.
How virtual sampling shortens the design cycle
Fermat's platform lets designers create lifelike product renders and test variations digitally. By moving early-stage sampling off the physical workbench, teams can explore more ideas in less time and make decisions before committing to a single physical sample. The change trims weeks from development calendars and gives designers room to experiment without adding cost or waste. For product development teams eyeing similar speed gains, getting comfortable with AI tools has become a priority, and AI for Product Development Courses can support that transition.
Customer data feeds into the design process
New Look is combining AI-generated visualisations with insights from its loyalty programme, Club New Look. The scheme, launched last October, passed one million members in February 2026. The retailer said merging customer data, creative expertise and AI tools would tighten the link between early product concepts and final demand, helping shape collections that reflect what shoppers actually want to wear.
What faster iteration means for designers
New Look creative director Anica Wislawski said the technology would allow designers to "bring ideas to life faster, explore more creative possibilities and refine products through multiple iterations before they reach the customer". She added that teams could reinvest the time saved into understanding customers, spotting future trends and creating products that match how shoppers want to wear and style them.
Retail moves toward AI-assisted design
New Look's adoption of Fermat arrives as fashion retailers including AllSaints, Frasers Group and Zalando explore AI across design, merchandising and customer experience. These companies are using similar tools to improve speed, efficiency and product relevance. As virtual design workflows become standard, design teams are turning to AI Design Courses to build the skills needed for digital-first prototyping.
Why this matters for product development professionals
Virtual sampling collapses the time between a design idea and a decision. Product developers who can work with AI renders and iterate digitally will make faster, more informed choices about materials, trims and silhouettes. Getting hands-on with these tools now means fewer rounds of physical sampling, lower development costs and a tighter feedback loop with designers and suppliers.
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