Urban Outfitters Inc. boosts product development visibility with AI
The parent company of Urban Outfitters and several other Gen Z-focused apparel and accessories banners is expanding its use of artificial intelligence-based product lifecycle management (PLM) technology.
Urban Outfitters Inc. is adding to its existing implementation of the Bamboo Rose TotalPLM platform by deploying the Bamboo Rose Create solution, based on VibeIQ technology and enhanced with Bamboo Rose Decision Intelligence technology.
As a result, design and merchandising teams at the Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement, Terrain and Nuuly banners will obtain visibility into estimated product costs at the concept stage, before samples are made or suppliers are engaged.
Urbn has been using TotalPLM for product development, sourcing, purchase orders, and global trade management. With the addition of Create and Decision Intelligence, design and merchandising personnel can see initial cost estimates as concepts are developed with the goal of helping them assess margin potential, compare options, and make decisions earlier. Approved concepts can move directly into development without rekeying data.
“Bringing our design and development workflows together on one platform allows everyone to act on the same information in real time,” said Dan Stockbridge, director of production and sourcing systems at Urban Outfitters Inc. “Bamboo Rose helps us simplify our day-to-day workflow and see costs earlier, so our teams can move faster and spend more time focused on great design.”
In addition, earlier cost visibility helps the company’s design and merchandising personnel weigh tradeoffs before investing in development, which it says reduces the risk of potentially costly redesigns, supplier changes or dropped products.
Other efforts by the retailer to streamline supply chain workflows include the deployment of Inspectorio Responsible Sourcing & Compliance, Lab Test Management, and Traceability and Transparency solutions to simplify data collection from vendors across regulatory compliance, social responsibility, sustainability, and customs requirements in an effort to eliminate fragmented systems and manual processes that currently span multiple platforms.
[READ MORE: Urban Outfitters centralizes, automates sourcing compliance]
“Creative decisions shape margins long before a purchase order is placed,” said Matt Stevens, CEO of Bamboo Rose. “Decision Intelligence unlocks the value of historical data and automatically surfaces key insights within design, product development, and sourcing workflows. This enables companies like Urban Outfitters Inc. to optimize margins earlier, reduce rework, and move promising ideas into development faster and with greater confidence.”
Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Urban Outfitters Inc. operates through retail, wholesale, and subscription business segments across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and select international markets.
