Dive Brief:
- Pinterest is piloting a product feature that enables users to filter product searches based on body type, the company confirmed via email to Retail Dive.
- The feature in testing allows shoppers to search for women’s fashion and wedding attire based on body type ranges. The company declined to share further details on the tool.
- In September, Pinterest announced plans to use artificial intelligence that can identify images according to shape, size and form as a way to increase body representation on the platform. The social network said it collaborated with experts within and outside of the company to create the body type technology.
Dive Insight:
Pinterest’s new search feature marks the continuation of the company’s efforts to foster size inclusion. In its September announcement, the company also said it planned to feature shoppable content with size-inclusive brands on its search landing page such as Anthropologie, Torrid and Dia & Co. The company noted that it has seen an increase in body representation searches from its users such as “mom summer outfits curvy,” “concert looks plus size” and “plus size bridal dresses.”
“Since 2018, Pinterest has set industry-leading standards on product and policies that promote a positive, diverse and inclusive experience,” the company said. That includes creating tech that give users the ability to refine results by skin tone ranges and hair pattern and integrating skin tone ranges into its AR try-on tech for beauty.
Pinterest over the past year has partnered with the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, model and size advocate Tess Holliday and various Pinterest creators to consult on the plus-size community’s needs.
The company’s use of AI for search follows its 2022 acquisition of The Yes, an AI-driven shopping platform founded by Julie Bornstein. After that purchase, Bornstein joined the social media company as its chief shopping officer, a role she exited in January to become a strategic adviser for Pinterest.
Besides showcasing Anthropologie online to online shoppers seeking size-inclusive fashions, the platform highlighted the brand offline ahead of the holiday shopping season. In October, Pinterest teamed up with Anthropologie to display its products and that of its sister brand, Terrain, using shoppable QR codes at a home in Brooklyn Heights, New York. The pop-up space featured seasonal decor drawing inspiration from popular Pinterest design trends.
