Press Release
Virtu AI Experimental Shopping Website by Yue Hu, Xi Zhou and Minghao He Is Granted the A' Design Award in Digital Product Design
Yue Hu, Xi Zhou and Minghao He acknowledged for digital product design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Virtu AI Experimental Shopping Website by Yue Hu, Xi Zhou and Minghao He, designed for Virtu AI, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Digital Product Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the A' Design Award Means
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Virtu AI Experimental Shopping Website
Virtu AI is a web platform for designing personalized press-on nails. Users describe an idea in a simple sentence, and artificial intelligence generates a matching nail set. Computer vision segmentation separates each nail tip, so a set of ten individual nails can be designed and matched with existing colors. Completed designs are then sent to skilled artisans, who craft and ship the finished press-on nails. Navigation is kept simple, so people without technical knowledge can create custom nail art and turn personal ideas into wearable objects.
Award Record
With this recognition, Yue Hu, Xi Zhou and Minghao He is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Digital Product Design Award
The A' Digital Product Design Award is an international competition recognizing top digital product designs by leading brands, designers and agencies worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to digital product designers, user experience designers, user interface designers and interaction designers from all countries. Typical entries include digital products, apps, e-books, virtual reality experiences, interactive websites and digital games. The awarded digital product designs are published at https://desingers.org/design-category/digital-product
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://desingers.org/164673
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/164673
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!164673
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/358911
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Virtu AI Experimental Shopping Website
- Function
- Experimental Shopping Website
- Category
- Digital Product Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Software
- Colors
- Dim Gray, Dark Gray, Light Gray, Dark Slate Gray and Light Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Virtu AI
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yue Hu, Xi Zhou and Minghao He
- Country
- United States of America
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #164673
Credits
- Team
- Yue Hu - UX/UI Designer, Xi Zhou - UX/UI Designer and Heidi Minghao He - Creative Technologist
- Image Credits
- All materials credit to Xi Zhou, Yue Hu and Heidi He
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Virtu AI is a web platform that empowers fashion enthusiasts to design personalized press on nails using AI, turning digital concepts into tangible objects for self expression. By blending AI models with artisanal craftsmanship, it redefines nail art through a creative and customized experience. The platform is designed to support users with intuitive navigation, fosters their creativity and ideation, and enables high-quality refinement, transforming their ideas into reality.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for this project stemmed from a desire to merge AI with personal expression in a creative and meaningful way. By leveraging advanced image generation and segmentation technologies, we sought to transform the traditional, mass-produced press on nail industry into a highly personalized experience. Our aim was to empower users to showcase their individuality while offering skilled artisans a global platform. Transforming creativity into tangible wearables.
- Research
- The research behind Virtu AI focused on enhancing user experience and AI integration. The primary goal was to simplify AI-driven nail design while empowering user creativity. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining user interviews, A/B testing, and usability studies. Data was collected through surveys, website traffic analysis, and interaction analytics, with over 30 participants testing different iterations. Results showed a strong preference for intuitive design and personalized options, which led to better navigation, improved accessibility, and increased creativity. This research has enhanced inclusivity and revolutionized AI-based customization in fashion.
- Challenge
- The hardest part of the Virtu AI project was balancing cutting-edge AI with a user-friendly experience. A key challenge was making complex AI image generation feel intuitive for users without technical backgrounds. Overcoming this required multiple iterations, user feedback, and creative testing. We faced technological limitations in real-time segmentation and production feasibility while ensuring compliance with data privacy laws. Combining AI innovation with artisanal craftsmanship also added logistical complexities in aligning production timelines.
- Realization and Technology
- Virtu AI's design process combined AI integration, UX/UI principles, and personalized fashion solutions. Figma was used for the design framework, while DALL·E powered the image generation. Matters.js was utilized to implement the interactive design interface. The nail matching system incorporated advanced segmentation algorithms in computer vision to ensure precise customization. A/B testing, user interviews, and data-driven insights were pivotal in shaping the final design, optimizing both usability and creativity for a superior user experience.
- Operation and Interaction
- Virtu AI's user experience begins with a clear and engaging landing page that builds trust and motivates users to design custom nail art. With a simple, structured sentence and interactive visuals, users can easily create their own nails without complex interfaces. The app then generates and segments each nail tip, allowing users to design a set of 10 single nails, with options to match their design with pre-existing colors. Once finalized, Virtu AI connects the design with skilled artisans who craft and ship the personalized press-on nails, ensuring a cohesive and unique style for each user.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project began in April 2024 in California, USA, with the development of the first iteration (v0). After first round of user feedbacks, V1 was implemented and launched in June 2024. The current version, designed in July 2024, builds on insights from the previous versions and incorporates findings from extensive user studies.
- Specifications
- The project is a web app that utilizes a pipeline of cutting-edge technology. Image generation interaction is powered by Matter.js, a 2D physics engine that provides real-time tactile feedback and playful interaction. The nail set designs are generated using the DALL·E API, creating personalized designs based on user specifications. For nail matching, the app leverages advanced computer vision segmentation technology, accurately segmenting each individual nail from the original image to ensure precise customization and a seamless user experience.
- Keywords
- press-on nails, e-commerce, generative AI, nail art, online shopping, creative, fashion
