Aayna
Aayna Mobile App · UX Case Study
Aayna welcome screen: a marbled maroon orb, the Aayna logo, the line 'A voice-first wardrobe companion at your service' and a Get Started button
Listening
Call me Ishita
A voice-first wardrobe companion for visually impaired people आइना · “mirror”

Fashion shouldn’t require someone else’s eyes.

Reimagining personal style for visually impaired users through an immersive voice-based AI-powered wardrobe companion that remembers, curates, and guides every outfit decision.

Academic ProjectAccessibilityUX ResearchVoice UXAI?
BriefLeisure experiences for visually impaired people
ResearchIn-person interviews with 4 visually impaired users
OutcomeA voice-first prototype, tested with a real wardrobe
01

The brief — designing leisure experiences for visually impaired people

Fashion as a space for independence

The brief was to explore a leisure experience for people with visual impairments.

After speaking with visually impaired users, I became interested in fashion as a space for independence, self-expression and confidence.

Fashion was something many users were interested in, but choosing, coordinating and finding clothes could still involve depending on someone else.

This became the starting point for Aayna.

An editorial still-life of clothing racks, garments, shoes and accessories around a person browsing on a phone
02

Understanding the user

4 visually impaired participants, from highly fashion-conscious users to people interested in exploring their personal style.
A hand holding a phone up to a walk-in wardrobe of shelves and hanging clothes

The problem wasn’t simply identifying clothes. It was everything that came after.

Existing assistive tools could help users understand what was in front of them, but users still had to figure out:

Q · 01

What should I wear?

Q · 02

Does this work together?

Q · 03

Where is that garment?

Q · 04

Can I make this decision myself?

03

Research

I started with existing statistics and the apps already in use — common clothing challenges faced by visually impaired individuals.
0%

Experience uncertainty while selecting outfits

0%

Seek reassurance from friends or family before leaving home

0%

Struggle to locate specific garments

0%

Want greater independence in wardrobe management

0%

View fashion as a form of self-expression

5 Why analysis
Users struggle to curate outfits independently
They are unsure whether garments match.
They cannot visually compare colors, patterns, and silhouettes.
Most tools only identify garments individually.
Existing solutions do not provide styling guidance or context.
Users lack a trusted system that helps them make confident style decisions independently.
Users rely on others to locate and retrieve clothing
They are unsure whether garments match.
They cannot visually compare colors, patterns, and silhouettes.
Most tools only identify garments individually.
Existing solutions do not provide styling guidance or context.
Users lack a trusted system that helps them make confident style decisions independently.
Empathy mapping — from in-person interviews with 4 visually impaired users

Says

  • “Can someone check if this matches?”
  • “Where did I keep that shirt?”
  • “What should I wear today?”

Feels

  • “I hope this outfit looks right.”
  • “I don’t want to rely on others.”
  • “Am I dressed for the occasion?”

Thinks

  • Uncertain
  • Dependent
  • Frustrated
  • Anxious
  • Self-conscious
  • Relieved

Does

  • Seeks reassurance
  • Repeats safe outfits
  • Relies on memory
  • Uses identification tools
  • Avoids style experimentation
  • Asks for help
04

User personas derived

After gaining insight online, in-person interviews with 4 visually impaired users shaped two personas.
Illustrated portrait of Ishita at her desk
Persona 01
Ishita, 23
Software Engineer
Mumbai, India · Recent graduateLives with roommateVisual condition: partially blind
I love fashion. I just don’t like having to check with someone before I step out.
About

Ishita is a confident, independent woman who works in tech and loves expressing herself through what she wears. She follows fashion closely and enjoys putting outfits together that match her mood and the occasion.

Relationship with fashion
  • Loves looking at and following runway shows
  • Watches shows like Emily in Paris and Devil Wears Prada
  • Takes inspiration from influencers and celebrities
  • Enjoys experimenting and building her own style
  • Fashion is her form of self-expression and confidence
Frustrations
  • “I don’t like when I have to check with someone before I leave the house”
  • “I worry if my outfit looks funny or doesn’t make sense”
  • “I feel unsure if people will look at me or laugh”
  • “It takes time to find the right piece in my wardrobe”
  • “Existing apps only tell me what something is, not if it suits me”
Morning

Gets ready for work, checks calendar and plans her outfit in advance.

Afternoon

Work calls, coding sprints and quick breaks.

Evening

Gym or walk with friends, then dinner or a casual hangout.

Night

Scrolls fashion content, saves outfit ideas and plans for the next day.

Illustrated portrait of Arjun sketching beside his laptop
Persona 02
Arjun, 27
Product Designer
Bengaluru, India · Working professionalLives with familyVisual condition: low vision
I like planning my outfits ahead, especially for events. I just want to do it on my own.
About

Arjun is a product designer who loves clean aesthetics and details. He has a busy work life but also enjoys social outings, weddings and travel. He likes being prepared and plans his outfits in advance for important events.

Relationship with fashion
  • Follows runway shows and seasonal collections
  • Enjoys shows like Emily in Paris and Devil Wears Prada
  • Draws inspiration from designers, influencers and celebrities
  • Prefers well-put-together, intentional outfits
  • Plans outfits 3–4 days in advance for big events
Frustrations
  • “Planning outfits takes time because I can’t visually check everything”
  • “I don’t like calling someone every time I need help”
  • “Hard to remember where specific things are in my closet”
  • “I’m not always sure if the combination is right”
  • “Existing apps don’t help me build or plan an outfit”
Morning

Reviews tasks, quick sketches and prepares for the day.

Afternoon

Design work, meetings and brainstorming sessions.

Evening

Outings, client dinners or events, especially on weekends.

Night

Plans outfits for upcoming events and travels, organizes his wardrobe.

05

Aayna vs. existing assistive tools

AppWhat they provideHow Aayna is different
Be My Eyes app iconBe My EyesConnects users with volunteers or Be My AI for visual descriptions and everyday tasks.Built around the user’s own wardrobe.Learns their clothes, preferences, closet layout and past outfit experiences.
Seeing AI app iconSeeing AIby MicrosoftReads text, recognizes products and people, describes scenes and images, and supports conversational queries.Moves from recognition → recommendation.Doesn’t just identify a garment, uses it to create personalized outfit decisions.
Envision app iconEnvisionOffers OCR, scene descriptions, color detection, object finding, people finding and more.Creates a persistent wardrobe model.Remembers what each garment is, where it belongs and how the user interacts with it over time.
Google Lookout app iconGoogle Lookoutby GoogleRecognizes text, objects and surroundings, describes images and helps users locate selected objects.Purpose-built for clothing decisions.Combines wardrobe location, garment attributes, personal style and occasion to guide what to wear.
Aira app iconAiraConnects users with trained human visual interpreters for real-time descriptions, navigation and assistance.Reduces dependence on another person.Helps users make and execute wardrobe decisions independently.
ScribeMe app iconScribeMeAIReal-time AI visual assistance, object detection, navigation, Q&A and help finding misplaced items.Turns a wardrobe into a personalized system.Adds garment identity, closet mapping, style preferences, outfit history and feedback loops.
What Aayna adds

SEE

Identify the garment

UNDERSTAND

Learns the user’s style, preferences and context

RECOMMEND

Suggests what to wear and why

LOCATE

Guides the user to the exact garment

REMEMBER

Learns from outfits, feedback and experiences

LEARN

Becomes more personalized over time

Most assistive tools help users understand what they’re looking at. Aayna explores what happens next: helping them decide, find, wear and remember.

06

Opportunity areas

Wardrobe Memory

Users struggle to remember where garments are stored, leading to frustration and dependence on others.

Outfit Confidence

Existing solutions identify clothing but rarely help users feel confident in their outfit choices.

Independent Retrieval

Finding and retrieving specific garments remains a time-consuming and often assisted process.

Personal Expression

Many visually impaired users avoid experimenting with style due to uncertainty and lack of feedback.

How might we help visually impaired people make independent, confident fashion decisions — without relying on someone else’s eyes?

Introducing Aayna — a voice-first wardrobe companion that helps visually impaired users remember, retrieve, style, and confidently wear their clothing independently.

Outfit card from the app: Tonight's Look — The After-Party Edit, Black Linen Shirt, Charcoal Tailored Trousers
Garment attribute chips: Collared shirt, Striped, Multi-coloured, 6 buttons, Cotton, Regular fit
Aayna voice screen in the Listening state, asking 'Firstly, what do you prefer I call you?' with the live transcript 'Call me Ishita'
Laundry tracker rows: Black Linen Shirt — Dry Cleaning, Charcoal Tailored Trousers — Laundry, Brown Chelsea Boots — Available
Closet map row: H1 Hanging area — Hanging Clothes

One voice, the whole wardrobe.

Listening, recommending, tracking — every surface on this board is a crop of the working prototype.

07

Task flow / solution

01

Understand

Aayna learns the user’s closet structure.

02

Remember

Garments, locations, and preferences are stored.

03

Recommend

Outfits are curated based on context and personal style.

04

Retrieve

Users are guided directly to the selected garments.

05

Grow

Aayna learns from feedback and builds confidence over time.

08

User flow

From onboarding to a smarter wardrobe — the full journey.
Start→Welcome to Aayna→Choose voice & language preferences→Allow camera & microphone access→Onboarding complete
Understand
  1. Scan closet
  2. Detect sections (shelves, hanging, drawers, etc.)
  3. Create closet map
  4. Label sections with voice
  5. Confirm closet blueprint
Remember
  1. Add new garment
  2. Camera scans garment
  3. Aayna describes what it sees
  4. Add tactile details (feel, texture, tags, embroidery, etc.)
  5. Assign category (work, casual, ethnic, gym, etc.)
  6. Assign location (section → stack → position)
  7. Garment saved in wardrobe memory
Recommend
  1. User asks — “What should I wear?”
  2. Aayna understands context (occasion, weather, mood, etc.)
  3. Searches wardrobe memory
  4. Creates outfit options
  5. Explains why these outfits
  6. User selects an outfit
Retrieve
  1. Aayna locates each item in closet
  2. Provides step-by-step voice guidance
  3. User retrieves each item
  4. Item retrieved successfully
  5. Move to next item
  6. All items retrieved — outfit ready
Grow
  1. User wears the outfit
  2. Aayna asks — “How did it go?”
  3. User shares feedback (comfort, looks, compliments, etc.)
  4. Feedback saved in confidence memory
  5. Aayna learns your style preferences
  6. Smarter recommendations over time
Additional features
Laundry & care trackingPacking assistant (travel / events)Wardrobe insights & usage statsVoice notes & personal reminders→Aayna ecosystem→More confidence, more independence, more you
09

Information architecture — a logic-based clothing identification system

A multi-layered categorisation system that helps Aayna uniquely identify, remember, locate and manage every garment.
Closet structure · Hanging areas H1–H2 · Shelves S1–S3 · Drawers D1–D2→ Garment attributes · Type · Colour · Material · Texture · Neckline · Logo · Embroidery · Unique details→ Unique garment identity · Identity code · Location · Availability · Laundry status · Return location
ItemType of clothingType detailsColorNeckline / waist styleExternal logoEmbroidery / printMaterialTouch identifiable?Unique identity codeLaundry statusCurrent locationDefault return location
Navy Blue Polo T-ShirtTopPolo T-ShirtNavy BluePolo collar (2 button)Yes · left chestNonePiqué cottonYes (textured piqué)1141131NoS1 / Stack 2 / Position 3S1 / Stack 2 / Position 3
Beige ChinosBottomChinosBeigeWaistband (flat front)NoNoneCotton twillYes (twill ridges)2121021Yes (in laundry)Laundry Bag 1D1 / Drawer 1 / Position 4
Light Blue Formal ShirtTopFormal shirtLight BlueSpread collar (top button)NoNoneOxford cottonYes (oxford weave)1332031NoH1 / Hang 5H1 / Hang 5
Dark Blue Denim JeansBottomJeansDark BlueBelt loops (5 loop)Yes · back patchNoneDenim (stretch)Yes (denim texture)22421141Yes (in laundry)Laundry Bag 2D2 / Drawer 2 / Position 2
Black Leather BeltAccessoryBeltBlackMetal buckle (rectangular)NoNoneGenuine leatherYes (smooth leather)31110151NoD1 / Drawer 1 / Position 1D1 / Drawer 1 / Position 1
Grey HoodieTopHoodieGreyHood with drawstringsYes · small frontEmbroidered (front)Fleece cottonYes (soft / fleece)14531261NoS2 / Stack 1 / Position 5S2 / Stack 1 / Position 5
White KurtaTopKurtaWhiteMandarin collar (short placket)NoEmbroidery (neckline)Cotton slubYes (slub texture)15130271Yes (in laundry)Laundry Bag 3H2 / Hang 3
Black BlazerTop (outer)BlazerBlackNotch lapelNoNoneWool blendYes (thick / structured)16140181NoH1 / Hang 2H1 / Hang 2
White SneakersFootwearSneakersWhite—Yes · side logoNoneSynthetic leatherYes (smooth)41101131NoShoe rack / Row 1 / Pair 2Shoe rack / Row 1 / Pair 2

Each attribute is converted into a code. Together, they form a unique identity code for every item — helping Aayna distinguish even similar-looking items through a combination of physical, tactile, and contextual attributes.

Location codes — S = shelf · D = drawer · H = hanging area. Example: S1 = Shelf 1, D2 = Drawer 2, H3 = Hanging Area 3.

Aayna Vision camera screen mapping the closet: Hanging Area H1, Shelves S1 to S3 and Drawer D1 boxed, with a zone table and 'Layout mapped'
Scanning your closet. Mapping your world.

The wardrobe becomes a structure Aayna can speak.

H1
Hanging areaShirts, jackets, dresses
S1
Shelf 1Folded items
S2
Shelf 2Folded clothes
S3
Shelf 3Folded clothes
D1
DrawerAccessories, belts, small items
+
StacksStack 1 · Stack 2 within each shelf

Scan closet → identify sections → label locations → map wardrobe → remember — clear mapping means faster retrieval, less dependency, and more confidence every single day.

10

How Aayna decides what to recommend

If this is the occasion — a Diwali get-together — this is what you should wear: a crushed mandarin kurta shirt with linen blend trousers
Aayna outfit card: Tonight's Look — The After-Party Edit: 1 Black Linen Shirt, 2 Charcoal Tailored Trousers
Today’s suggestion · Smart Casual · Dinner

If this is the occasion, this is what you should wear — a crushed mandarin kurta shirt, linen blend trousers.

Why this?

“You loved this coral shirt. It got you compliments before!” — recommendations reach back into memory, not just the closet.

In the prototype

Unsure of the venue, Aayna asks how the user wants to feel, then answers with “The After-Party Edit” — and why: refined but not flashy, it works for a rooftop, lounge or restaurant.

11

The voice experience

Key moments from the actual voice-powered agentic experience — every screen captured from the prototype.
Aayna voice screen

Four voice states — never colour alone: each pairs a label, an icon and motion
Header and orb in the Ready state
Ready

Slow breathing orb · dot icon · “Ready” pill.

Header and orb in the Listening state with ripples
Listening

Ripples and a stronger glow · pulsing dot · reacts to recognised words.

Header and orb in the Thinking state with a spinning arc
Thinking

Spinning arc · spinner icon · shown between the user’s answer and Aayna’s reply.

Header and orb in the Speaking state
Speaking

Talking pulse · bars icon · pulses on each spoken word boundary.

The interaction loop — hover or focus each stage

Listen →

Capturing your voice — fully voice-driven, always ready to hear you.

Understand →

Learns the user’s style, preferences and context.

Recommend →

Suggests what to wear — and why.

Locate →

Guides the user to the exact garment.

Learn ↺

Becomes more personalized over time.

Aayna adapts to the conversation instead of forcing the user through a fixed flow.

12

The prototype, end to end

Onboard → map → understand → curate → retrieve → learn.
drag or scroll sideways
13

Live user testing

A physical wardrobe setup, the voice experience, and real garments to retrieve.
Setting up the physical wardrobe for the session
The physical wardrobe setup
Briefing the participant beside the wardrobe
Interaction with the participant
The participant testing the voice experience at the open wardrobe
Testing the voice experience
The participant reaching into the wardrobe, guided to a garment
Retrieving garments
The participant checking a folded garment on the table
Real-world interaction
14

User testing · feedback

01 · More descriptive feedback

The user wanted garment descriptions to go beyond basic identification, with more detail about fit, texture, styling and how individual pieces work together.

02 · Strong intent to use

Despite the need for richer descriptions, the user said they would definitely use Aayna if it were available, validating the core concept and usefulness of the experience.

Key takeaway

The concept resonated strongly, but garment descriptions need to provide enough detail to build confidence in an outfit decision.

Design response

Make descriptions more relevant and concise while preserving useful detail.

A close detail of a linen top's collar and buttons

Aayna

(आइना) means mirror

Not a mirror for seeing yourself.
A mirror for imagining yourself.

The app is a mirror for the user. Through contextual voice guidance, the user can understand what they are wearing, how pieces come together, what they have felt confident in before — and what they might look like.

15

Logo construction

An eye drawn from three circular arcs — the mirror that looks back. Measurements taken from the master artwork.
Geometry · 1x = height of the lower lens Aayna logo construction The mark sits in a 6.3x by 4.5x box. Its upper lid is an arc of a circle with radius 6.4x, its lower lid an arc of radius 5.4x, and its iris a circle of radius 1.63x. The left tip, the pupil centre and the iris centre share one horizontal axis. The lower lens, 2x wide by 1x tall, sets the unit. 1x 6.3x 4.5x Upper lid · arc R 6.4x Lower lid · arc R 5.4x Iris · circle R 1.63x Optical axis

Proportions

Every guide here is fitted to the artwork, not idealised: the three arcs deviate from true circles by under 1% of the mark’s width.

  • Ratio1.4 : 1 · width 6.3x, height 4.5x
  • Unit (1x)Height of the lower lens — the one enclosed counter
  • Upper lidArc of a circle, R 6.4x
  • Lower lidArc of a circle, R 5.4x
  • IrisInner curve of the C, R 1.63x
  • AlignmentLeft tip, pupil centre and iris centre sit on one optical axis
  • Clear space1x on every side
Clear space · 1x 1x1x1x1x
Sizing · legible down to 24 px
128 px
96 px
64 px
40 px
24 px
App icon & colourways
Wordmark · Outfit Bold, −5% tracking
Aayna
01MirrorReflects who you are and what you wear.
02VoiceYou speak, Aayna understands.
03Mind’s MirrorHelps you imagine and visualise.
04ConfidenceYou step out feeling like your best self.

“A mirror for the mind, through your voice.”

Aayna is the mirror you don’t need to see, but can always rely on.
16

Design system

Making an invisible interaction perceptible — the tokens and components of the redesigned prototype.
Colour palette — derived from the logo
Maroon 900#2E0A16 · logo ground
Maroon 800#4C141E · primary
Rose 600#8E3550 · accent text
Rose 300#D99AAB · glow
Rose 100#F5E1E6 · surfaces
Champagne#F3DCCB · warm light

Deep maroon → confidence, empowerment, self-expression. Symbolises strength, elegance and self-assurance — the core of Aayna.

Soft rose & pearl → warmth and calm; the quiet, glassy ground the conversation lives on.

Status colours → dry cleaning, laundry and available always pair an icon with a word, so state never depends on colour.

Typography — clarity and accessibility

Outfit — display

Geometric, warm, highly legible headings and wordmark.

Aa

Inter — body

Transcripts, labels and long-form reading.

Aa
The voice orb — live component, same code as the prototype

A marbled pearl-and-maroon sphere built from layered gradients and an SVG turbulence filter. Its motion is tied to real speech events, never decorative.

Components
ListeningThinkingSpeaking
Dry CleaningLaundryAvailable H1S2D1
Iconography — one 24 px stroke set
Closet
Laundry
Voice
Speaking
Outfit
Done
Spacing — 8 pt grid
8
16
24
32
40
48
60
96
Voice & UI language
ClearCalmGuidingPersonalEmpowering

Voice tone — friendly like a companion, reassuring, conversational, empathetic.

17 · The complete interface

All Screens Preview

Every distinct screen and state in the redesigned prototype — captured from the working app, not mocked.

    The project began as — “How can visually impaired people identify their clothes?”

    It became — “How can technology help someone feel confident making their own choices?”

    Aayna’s promise was never the technology. It’s what the technology quietly steps back from: more confidence, more independence, more you.