One Founder. Thousands of Hours. One Ambition: Reinventing the Future of Fashion with AI
How I built VROOL, an AI-powered social fashion marketplace, using decades of programming experience, ChatGPT and Codex — and why I believe the future of fashion should be more connected, social and exciting.
By Ibrahim Nawaz | Founder & CEO, VROOL LTD
From 1997 to the AI Revolution
My journey into technology began in 1997, when the internet was still finding its place in everyday life. Since then, I've spent nearly three decades exploring programming, software development and the endless possibilities of technology.
I've watched the internet evolve from basic websites into a world of online marketplaces, social networks, mobile applications and now artificial intelligence.
But one thing has always fascinated me: the ability to take an idea, write the code and turn something that exists only in your imagination into reality.
As artificial intelligence began transforming software development, I saw an extraordinary opportunity. For the first time, the combination of decades of programming experience and powerful AI tools made it possible for an independent developer to build technology on a scale that would traditionally require a large engineering team.
I started thinking beyond individual applications.
Why should shopping, selling, entertainment, fashion discovery and social interaction exist across so many disconnected platforms?
What if I could bring these experiences together, introduce artificial intelligence and create something genuinely different?
I didn't want to build another marketplace. I wanted to rethink what a marketplace could become.
That vision became VROOL.
In February 2025, I committed myself to developing VROOL full-time. Thousands of hours later, what began as an ambitious idea has become a working web marketplace and mobile applications, combining AI, fashion commerce, live streaming, social engagement and intelligent discovery.
And I built it independently, combining my technical experience with AI development tools, including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Codex.
I Didn't Want to Build Another eBay or Vinted
I have enormous respect for platforms such as eBay, Vinted, Depop, TikTok and Instagram. Each has achieved something remarkable.
But I never wanted to simply copy what already exists.
My vision is to create something that connects the best aspects of online fashion commerce while introducing experiences that make shopping more enjoyable.
VROOL begins with preloved clothing, vintage fashion, Y2K styles and high street brands.
Using AI, sellers can turn product photographs into listings, showcase their clothing through personal virtual wardrobes and connect with potential buyers.
Buyers can discover items through marketplace search, social feeds and live-streaming experiences.
On standard marketplace transactions, sellers keep 100% of their item's selling price, while buyers pay a protection fee of £0.75 plus 5% of the item's value, with shipping charged separately.
I want selling fashion to be simple, accessible and rewarding.
But I also want shopping to become something people genuinely enjoy.
Fashion Should Be Fun, Social and Rewarding
Imagine opening an app not simply because you need to buy something, but because you want to explore new styles, discover unique clothing, watch live fashion shows, share ideas and connect with people.
That's the experience I'm building.
VROOL brings together AI-assisted listings, personal wardrobes, fashion reels, live shopping, auctions, offers and community engagement.
My wider vision also includes fashion gaming, credits, rewards, coupons, vouchers, local fashion events and opportunities for users to make genuine fashion friendships.
One of my favourite ideas is Gift Me.
Imagine following someone whose fashion style you love, discovering an item on their wishlist and buying it as a gift. Friends and followers could share their favourite products, exchange gifts and build stronger connections through fashion.
I want VROOL to encourage creativity, too.
People should be able to share styling ideas, discover emerging designers and potentially collaborate on creating entirely new fashion brands.
Fashion is about individuality, creativity and connection. Why shouldn't the technology behind it reflect that?
Imagine Trying On Fashion Without Getting Changed
Another major part of my vision is AI-powered virtual try-on.
I want shoppers to be able to see how clothing might look on them before making a purchase, whether they're relaxing at home or standing inside a physical retail store.
Think about walking into a fashion retailer and virtually trying different outfits without repeatedly entering a changing room.
I'm developing this experience through AI image technologies, with virtual try-on capabilities being progressively rolled out across VROOL.
I've also been working on AI-generated fashion model imagery, giving sellers new ways to present their clothing.
And I don't want these technologies to benefit VROOL alone.
My longer-term goal is to make VROOL's fashion technology available to other businesses through our own VROOL Fashion API.
That could eventually include independent retailers, Shopify merchants and major fashion brands looking to integrate virtual try-on, intelligent search and AI-powered commerce into their own shopping experiences.
Why Fight the Giants When You Could Work With Them?
People naturally compare new marketplaces with eBay, Vinted, Depop and other established platforms.
But I've never believed that every successful business needs to destroy its competitors.
Why would I want to become the next eBay when eBay already exists?
I'd rather build something different — something that could eventually work alongside the established platforms.
VROOL already includes fashion discovery experiences that can direct shoppers to products on external marketplaces, including Vinted and Depop.
My ambition is to expand this into a broader fashion discovery and advertising ecosystem.
Imagine major retailers, emerging brands, independent sellers and established marketplaces using VROOL to promote products, reach new audiences and connect with fashion communities.
This could create opportunities through advertising, sponsored search, outbound referrals, promotional credits and AI technology services.
I don't see the future of fashion as one platform winning and everyone else losing. I see an opportunity to make the entire ecosystem more connected.
Building VROOL With ChatGPT and Codex
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been discovering just how much an independent developer can accomplish using modern AI tools.
My experience in programming and technology stretches back to 1997, but VROOL has challenged me to apply that knowledge in entirely new ways.
Since February 2025, I've invested thousands of hours building the marketplace, mobile applications, AI integrations, payments, shipping workflows, live-streaming technology, security systems and cloud infrastructure.
I've integrated technologies from OpenAI, Google Vertex AI, LiveKit, Stripe, DigitalOcean and other providers.
I even developed my own automated server-scaling infrastructure, designed to provision additional computing nodes when traffic increases.
My philosophy is simple: building a beautiful application means very little if you cannot protect it, maintain it or scale it when people start using it.
I've used ChatGPT and Codex extensively for planning, implementation, debugging and problem-solving.
These tools have helped me achieve things that might otherwise have required a much larger development team and substantially more funding.
I'm genuinely grateful to Sam Altman and the teams at OpenAI for making these technologies accessible to independent entrepreneurs.
AI hasn't replaced my decades of experience. It has amplified what I can achieve with that experience.
The Moment Someone Actually Used What I Built
After spending so much time developing VROOL, one of the most exciting moments came when real external users began joining and listing products.
One seller uploaded an item, and I personally purchased it as part of my checkout testing.
It might sound like a small achievement, but seeing someone independently use something I had spent thousands of hours building was an incredible feeling.
The seller later sent me this message:
"I love that your trialling orders first - the site looks great and exciting. Happy to help with anything to get you the best results."
That feedback meant more to me than another successful line of code.
It was a reminder that behind every piece of technology are real people, and ultimately, those are the people I'm building VROOL for.
I'm also realistic about where the business stands.
VROOL has progressed beyond its initial MVP, and the core web and mobile platform has undergone extensive testing. But I haven't yet generated commercial revenue or demonstrated long-term customer retention.
Those first orders were tests, not commercial sales.
The official UK public launch is scheduled for 15 December 2026.
My next challenge is attracting more sellers, growing inventory, converting visitors into customers and proving that people enjoy VROOL enough to keep coming back.
From One Idea to a Bigger Vision
My ambition has never been to build another ordinary marketplace.
I want VROOL to become a place where people can buy, sell, discover, create, socialise, make friends, explore fashion events and enjoy new AI-powered experiences.
I also believe there is a bigger opportunity in helping the fashion industry itself through AI services, retailer integrations and advertising.
But I'm not pretending that building the technology automatically guarantees commercial success.
I know the real test begins when customers arrive.
I've seen how promising businesses can struggle through excessive spending, premature expansion and unnecessary complexity.
That's why I have focused on building the foundations myself, understanding my infrastructure and keeping the business lean.
I believe the greatest advantage a founder can have is understanding not just what they're building, but how to protect it, improve it and scale it responsibly.
My philosophy is that ideas are everywhere. Execution is what turns them into reality.
I started VROOL with a vision, decades of development experience and a determination to make it happen.
Today, the technology is built, testing is progressing and real users are beginning to engage.
The next chapter is about proving the business.
And while I'm proud of how far I've come, I believe this is only the beginning.
One founder. Thousands of hours. One vision.
When you know how to build, scale and protect what you create, the sky is the limit.
About VROOL
VROOL is a UK-based AI-powered social fashion marketplace founded by Ibrahim Nawaz. It combines preloved fashion, vintage and Y2K resale with AI-assisted listings, social discovery and live-commerce technology.
Its wider vision includes AI virtual try-on, fashion communities, gifting, events, intelligent search, advertising and fashion technology APIs for retailers.
Company: VROOL LTD
Founder & CEO: Ibrahim Nawaz
Official UK Public Launch: 15 December 2026
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