At the Yamamay flagship store in Piazza Cordusio, Milan, the shopping experience has been redesigned through digital services that support customers before, during and after their visit. Developed with the support of Accenture, the project combines personalised assistance, mobile payment and artificial intelligence to create a seamless omnichannel customer journey.
Rather than replacing the physical store, technology enhances each stage of the shopping experience by connecting digital services with in-store interactions. The flagship represents one of the early examples of how personalised assistance, mobile payment and AI-powered services can work together within a fashion retail environment.
A customer journey extending beyond the checkout
One of the key features of the project is the introduction of personal shoppers equipped with mobile payment technology. Sales assistants accompany customers throughout the shopping journey and can complete purchases anywhere in the store, eliminating the need for traditional checkout counters.
This approach reduces waiting times and creates a smoother purchasing process, transforming payment into a natural part of the customer journey rather than a separate stage at the end of the visit.
The project is featured in our guide on how to integrate AI into retail stores, where it represents an approach in which technology supports customers throughout the entire shopping journey while keeping the physical store at the centre of the retail experience.
Anna: an AI-powered virtual fashion stylist
Alongside the in-store experience, Yamamay introduced Anna, a virtual fashion stylist accessible through Google Assistant. Powered by artificial intelligence, the assistant analyses customers’ preferences and recommends products that match their individual style.
After an initial setup using a Google account, the system builds a personal profile that supports future recommendations. No dedicated mobile application is required, allowing customers to move seamlessly between digital channels and the physical store.
Recommended products can then be purchased online or collected and purchased directly in the flagship store, creating a continuous connection between digital consultation and the in-store shopping experience.
Technology supporting an omnichannel retail experience
Technology within the Yamamay flagship serves different functions throughout the customer journey. It personalises recommendations, simplifies customer interactions and enables mobile payment, while maintaining the role of sales staff as the central point of contact.
The integration of AI-powered assistance, mobile payment and in-store consultancy creates a retail model in which physical and digital channels operate as complementary parts of the same ecosystem.
An early example of AI in fashion retail
Although introduced in 2019, the project anticipated several strategies that have since become increasingly common in retail design. Artificial intelligence is used as a practical tool to strengthen customer relationships, while digital services extend the shopping experience beyond the physical boundaries of the store.
The Yamamay flagship demonstrates how an omnichannel strategy can integrate personalised consultancy, digital services and in-store assistance into a single customer journey, reinforcing the role of the physical store within a connected retail ecosystem.