Brarista 2.0 is Shortlisted for Tech Innovator of the Year at the Drapers Awards 2025

This time last year, we were having one of those difficult conversations every founder dreads.

The kind where you sit down, look at the numbers, think about the runway, and ask yourself the hard question: should this vision live on?

The vision was simple but ambitious - use AI to democratise boutique-level professional bra fitting expertise. Make what happens in the best lingerie boutiques, with expert fitters who really understand bodies and bras, accessible to everyone shopping online. No more guessing. No more size roulette. No more drawer full of bras that don't fit.

It felt like the right problem to solve. Shoppers were frustrated. Brands were drowning in returns. But was the market ready? Would retailers trust AI with something as personal and complex as bra fitting?

We kept going. And today, we're thrilled to share that Brarista has been shortlisted for Tech Innovator of the Year at the Drapers Awards 2025.

Why This Means Everything

This isn't just about winning an award. It's about the industry saying: yes, this vision matters. Yes, technology can enhance the deeply personal experience of lingerie shopping rather than diminish it. Yes, democratising expertise is the future.

The Drapers Awards are fashion retail's biggest night - and the Tech Innovator category is notoriously competitive. This year saw under 200 entries make the shortlist across all categories. To be one of 18 finalists in our category, alongside global platforms and household names, feels like validation for every late night, every pivot, every moment of doubt.

What Running a Fashion Tech Startup Actually Looks Like

People assume fashion tech is glamorous. The reality? It's messy, uncertain, and full of moments where you question everything.

You're trying to convince traditional retailers that AI won't replace the human touch - it'll enhance it. You're explaining to investors why lingerie fitting is one of the hardest problems in e-commerce to solve (sister sizing, anyone?). You're building technology that needs to understand the nuance between a 32D and a 34C, whilst also knowing when to suggest a balconette over a plunge.

Then there are the wins that make it all worth it. When Panache tells you they're seeing a 10x ROI. When Freya reports 17% lower return rates. When a customer messages to say she finally found a bra that fits. Those moments remind you why you started.

But last summer, those wins felt far away. We were at a crossroads. The vision was clear - but the path forward wasn't. Do we scale? Do we pivot? Do we double down?

We chose to believe. In the vision, in the problem we were solving, in the retailers who were starting to see what we saw.

What We're Building

At Brarista, we've created three AI types that work together:

Fit AI understands sizing across brands, body shapes, and the dark art of bra fitting that usually requires years of training.

Style AI learns customer preferences and suggests pieces they'll actually love.

Care AI handles the questions that come after purchase - washing, storage, when to replace.

Together, they create something that feels less like talking to a chatbot and more like having a knowledgeable friend who happens to know everything about lingerie.

The technology is sophisticated, but the goal is simple: make online lingerie shopping feel as supportive and personal as walking into the best boutique on your high street.

From Doubt to the Drapers

So here we are. Twelve months from contemplating whether to carry on, to being recognised as one of the most innovative companies in fashion tech.

The awards ceremony is on Wednesday 12 November at City Central at the HAC. We'll be there - probably slightly overwhelmed but definitely excited. If you're attending, please come and say hello. We'd love to hear your stories, swap notes about building in fashion tech, or just celebrate this mad, brilliant industry together.

You can see the full shortlist here.

Whatever happens on the night, this nomination is a reminder that the hard days are worth it. That believing in a vision when it's difficult is exactly what separates the companies that make it from those that don't. That sometimes the market just needs a moment to catch up with where you're already standing.

To everyone who's supported us - the brands who took a chance on our technology, the customers who've given feedback, the industry professionals who've shared their expertise - this is your nomination too.

Here's to democratising expertise. Here's to making lingerie shopping better. Here's to the vision living on!

Come Say Hello 👋

If you're heading to the Drapers Awards on 12 November, come find me. I'll be the one trying to explain why bra sizing is actually fascinating to anyone who'll listen.

And if you're a lingerie retailer wondering whether AI bra fitting could work for your business? Book a demo. I promise to keep the sales pitch brief and the fitting expertise comprehensive.

Here's to four years of building something that actually works. And here's to whatever comes next.

Wish us luck on the night!