Natalia Modenova
Co-founder of DRESSX
Natalia Modenova is the co-founder, with Daria Shapovalova, of DRESSX, the company launched in 2020 as a digital fashion platform and now focused on AI tools for fashion e-commerce such as virtual try-on. DRESSX has become one of the best-known start-ups at the meeting point of fashion and artificial intelligence.
| Role | Co-founder of DRESSX |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Co-founder | Daria Shapovalova |
| Focus | AI virtual try-on and digital fashion |
| Recognition | Fast Company Most Innovative Companies 2023 |
Who is Natalia Modenova?
Natalia Modenova co-founded DRESSX in 2020 together with Daria Shapovalova, with Julie Krasnienko as a founding team member. DRESSX began as a platform for digital fashion, letting users see clothing on their own photos through machine learning, and has since evolved into an AI company serving fashion brands and shoppers. Its stated mission is to make every fashion decision intelligent.
Career
The company has developed through several phases:
- 2020: launch with a machine learning service that placed digital clothing on users' photos
- 2024: introduction of generative AI technology and a redesigned, AI-first platform
- 2025: launch of DRESSX Agent, a consumer shopping assistant with AI twin creation and styling across more than 16 million products
- 2026: expansion of its AI Suite to the B2B market, powering experiences for brands such as Victoria Beckham and Depop
DRESSX has worked with partners including Mytheresa, SSENSE, Farfetch, Puma and Meta. It has received more than ten industry awards, including a place on Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list in 2023 and the Vogue Business 100 Innovators list.
Influence on the fashion business
DRESSX helped to popularise digital-only fashion, showing that garments could be designed, sold and worn purely as digital assets on social media and in virtual worlds. Projects such as Fashion Rivals on Meta Horizon Worlds and DRESSGO, a Roblox experience with Puma, brought fashion brands into gaming environments. The company's later shift towards AI try-on reflects a broader move in fashion technology from metaverse experiments to tools that address everyday e-commerce problems such as fit uncertainty and returns.
Natalia Modenova and technology
Under its founders, DRESSX now offers a modular AI Suite that includes:
- Virtual Try-On, which the company says provides up to 75 per cent fit certainty
- DRESSX Mirror, an in-store AI application
- AI stylist and customer assistants for retail and conversational commerce
- AI tools for personalised email marketing
The company's vision is for AI try-on to become as common as the fitting room.
Why it matters
For brands and retailers, Natalia Modenova and DRESSX illustrate how digital fashion expertise can be turned into practical AI tools for selling physical products. The company's evolution mirrors the industry's wider search for technologies that improve conversion and reduce returns.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Natalia Modenova?
Natalia Modenova is the co-founder of DRESSX, which she launched in 2020 with Daria Shapovalova. DRESSX began as a digital fashion platform and now develops AI tools such as virtual try-on for fashion e-commerce.
What does DRESSX do?
DRESSX offers an AI Suite for fashion brands and shoppers, including virtual try-on, an in-store AI mirror, AI stylist and customer assistants, and the consumer shopping assistant DRESSX Agent.