Evelyn Nguyen, known by her friends as “Ha,” is an MIT graduate and the Co-Founder of Mirror That Look – one of the first visual search engines for fashion.
HC: Where did the inspiration to create Mirror That Look (MTL) come from?
EN: “The transition from a college environment to corporate life in New York really made me realize that I needed to step-up my outfit game. So, I’d search Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration. I wanted to create something that would allow me to find products like the ones I was seeing.”
“Usually, when I find a product on Pinterest, I have to scroll through pages and pages of products. It was time consuming and I couldn’t find what I liked. I would even drop the picture into Google images, but still couldn’t find what I liked.”
HC: Tell me a little more about the process behind creating MTL:
EN: “It all started with a conversation I had with my friend from college who is getting a PhD in computer engineering at Harvard. He said we could automate the process from photo to product. I was still working at the time, so we did a little research to see if it was doable.”
HC: What was it like feeling passionate enough to quit your job?
EN: “Once we found that it would take three to four months to create something that would work, I knew it would be almost impossible to work a full-time job and work on MTL. I would get home at 8:30 p.m. (sometimes 9 p.m.), eat something quick, and then I’d work on MTL. It was like working two full-time jobs at once. So, June of last year I decided to quit my job, move back to Boston, and take MTL on full-time.”
HC: Okay, so just so our readers understand, what does this browser extension do?
EN: “We basically go from picture to product. So, if you see something on Pinterest that you like, just right-click, and MTL will bring you to outfit options based on that photo.”
HC: And what about the Facebook chatbot?
EN: “Because it is a browser extension, and not an app, we’ve created a chatbot to suggest items as well. So, if a user sends in a photo via the chatbot, MTL will send outfit options.”
HC: And it’s budget conscious, as well?
EN: “Yes, users can set their budget. So, if you’re looking for something similar, but can’t afford designer prices, MTL will find something within your price range.”
HC: Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?
EN: “We’re currently looking for brand ambassadors!”
Connect with Mirror That Look:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest Â
[Feature Image from Mirror that Look website]Â
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