Pinterest tests new fashion feature

By

Kate Dingwall

Published
Mar 8, 2017

Pinterest is releasing a new feature aimed at fashion folk: the Pinterest Lens. The in-app camera will lets users identify objects in real-life contexts.

The new feature allows users to point the in-app camera lens at an item of interest they see somewhere, say in a store or on the street. The app will then bring up several suggested keywords and photo suggestions based on the items appearance. If the app doesn't recognize an item, users can add suggestions.

The Pinterest Lens currently recognizes over 1 billion items.

For food lovers, this feature can be used to pull up recipes for dishes users see in restaurants or on TV. For fashion lovers, users can point the app at shoes they see on the street, and Pinterest will find similar styles or styling suggestions. The app can even recognize the brand name of an item, recognizing a large number of major brand names including Michael Kors and Adidas.

Despite the fact the app currently in its beta stage, it is already available in the United States on both the iOS and Android platforms.

Pinterest has not yet said if the feature will be used to shop from partner brands. In 2015, Pinterest launched a ‘buyable pins’ feature, that allowed Pinterest users to purchase items they saw on the social media website from participating brands.