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How to Design a Personalized Fashion App Like Shein

Anurag Pandey
Last updated on May 30, 2025
Android, iOS, Mobile Apps
10 minutes read

Table of Contents

Online shopping has transformed the way we buy fashion such as clothes, accessories, and footwear, bringing the latest trends to our fingertips with just a few clicks.

Several leading fashion mobile apps dominate the market, with Shein standing out as a top contender. As the demand for personalized shopping apps grows, many entrepreneurs are keen to develop a trendy fashion app that offers a smooth and engaging fashion shopping experience.

A fashion mobile app needs to be highly intuitive, visually appealing, and loaded with AI-driven features to offer smooth shopping experiences.

In this blog, we will guide you through the essential features, the fashion app development process, and the cost of building a Shein-like app that will help you to start a clothing online business.

Key features of a Shein-like fashion app

Integrating important features to build a trendy clothing app that captures user interest and increases engagement.

A well-optimized fashion shopping app must offer personalization, easy-to-use navigation, social elements, and secure transactions to provide an enjoyable shopping experience.

1. Personalized shopping experience

A personalized shopping app provides custom recommendations based on browsing history, purchase behavior, and style preferences.

By showing users fashion choices that match their tastes, the fashion mobile app increases engagement and sales.

2. AI-based product recommendations

AI-powered recommendations in a fashion mobile app suggest products based on user behavior, previous purchases, and trending styles.

This feature increases customer satisfaction by helping shoppers find items they love faster while increasing upselling and cross-selling opportunities for brands.

3. User-friendly interface for a trendy clothing app

A fashion eCommerce app should have an intuitive and visually appealing interface that makes browsing effortless. Providing easy navigation, clear product categories, and high-quality images in your fashion mobile app ensures a smooth shopping experience.

A minimalist yet stylish design helps retain users and encourages repeat visits.

4. Virtual try-on & augmented reality (AR)

Integrating AR in a fashion shopping app allows users to try on outfits virtually before purchasing.

This feature gives your fashion mobile app confidence in buying decisions and reduces return rates. By offering an interactive shopping experience, a mobile fashion store becomes more engaging and user-friendly.

5. Wishlist & favorites for easy shopping

A wishlist feature in an online boutique app lets users save their favorite items for later. This encourages repeat visits and increases conversion rates when shoppers return to complete their purchases.

Retailers can also send reminders or discounts on saved items to drive sales.

6. Push notifications for offers & trends

Push notifications keep users informed about new arrivals, discounts, and exclusive deals in a clothing marketplace app.

Personalized alerts based on shopping history encourage users to return and make purchases, helping increase retention and engagement.

7. Secure payment gateway & order tracking

A fashion shopping app must provide multiple secure payment options, including credit cards, digital wallets, and BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) services.

Real-time order tracking ensures transparency, allowing users to check their delivery status easily.

Cost of fashion app development

The cost of building a Shein-like app depends on factors like design complexity, features, platform, and mobile app developer expertise.

Below is a breakdown that provides you with detailed costs:

Development Stage	Estimated Cost (USD)
UI/UX Design	$5,000 – $15,000
Front-End Development	$10,000 – $25,000
Back-End Development	$15,000 – $40,000
API & Third-Party Integrations	$5,000 – $20,000
Testing & Deployment	$5,000 – $10,000
Marketing & Maintenance	$5,000 – $15,000
Total Estimated Budget	$50,000 – $125,000

If you hire a fashion app development company, costs may vary based on region and expertise.

App design considerations for a fashion mobile app

A successful fashion mobile app requires thoughtful design considerations to ensure a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience for its users.

Elements such as user-friendly navigation and visually appealing layouts are important in making a fashion eCommerce app both engaging and functional.

Below are the top mobile app design considerations you must check out to build a successful fashion mobile app:

1. Intuitive UI/UX for smooth navigation

A well-designed online clothing store app should have an intuitive UI/UX that allows users to navigate effortlessly.

A clean layout, clear call-to-action buttons, and easy checkout processes are important to improve user experience.

A smooth interface ensures customers can browse, select, and purchase products without any friction, improving engagement and retention.

2. Visual appeal for trendy fashion displays

The aesthetics of a fashion eCommerce app help to attract and retain users. Using high-quality images, well-structured product pages and modern design elements create a visually appealing shopping environment.

You can use a minimalist and stylish approach to ensure that the focus remains on the clothing and accessories, keeping users engaged for longer periods.

3. Customizable user profiles

A Shein-like app development project must allow users to create and personalize their profiles.

This feature enables shoppers to save preferences, manage their purchase history, and receive custom recommendations based on their activity.

Custom profiles increase the shopping experience by offering a more personalized approach, leading to higher user satisfaction and increased conversions.

4. Product categories and filters for quick search

An efficient clothing marketplace app should include advanced search and filtering options to help users find their desired products quickly.

You can add features like category sorting, size filters, color preferences, and trending collections in your fashion eCommerce store using Shopify Horizon themes for free.

A well-structured search system improves usability and ensures that users can easily locate what they are looking for.

5. Dark mode & accessibility features

Adding dark mode and accessibility features makes a trendy clothing app more inclusive and user-friendly.

Dark mode reduces eye strain, providing a more comfortable browsing experience, especially for night-time shoppers.

Accessibility options, such as screen reader support and adjustable text sizes, ensure that the app caters to a diverse range of users, increasing its reach and usability.

By considering all these key design aspects, a fashion mobile app can offer a premium shopping experience that keeps users engaged and drives higher conversions.

6. Mobile-first approach and responsive design

A mobile-first approach ensures that a fashion shopping app is designed primarily for mobile users, offering a better experience across different screen sizes.

This strategy prioritizes essential features, fast loading times, and intuitive navigation for smaller screens before scaling up for larger devices.

Implementing responsive design ensures the mobile app adapts easily to various devices, increasing usability and engagement for a wider audience.

Fashion app development process

To start building a fashion shopping app requires several steps such as market research for an online boutique app, mobile app design, mobile app development, and deployment.

Each step plays a vital role in ensuring a smooth and user-friendly experience.

Below are the essential steps that will help you build a fashion mobile app successfully.

Step 01: Ideation & market research for an online boutique app

Firstly, it is important to conduct market research before developing a personalized shopping app.

Market research includes identifying the target audience, analyzing competitor fashion mobile apps, and studying the latest fashion trends.

Understanding user preferences and shopping behavior helps in designing a fashion mobile app that meets customer expectations and stands out in the market.

Step 02: UI/UX design: Wireframes & mockups

Designing an intuitive and visually appealing UI is essential for any fashion eCommerce app.

Wireframing and prototyping help in visualizing the mobile app layout before actual mobile app development begins.

This process ensures a smooth user experience by refining navigation flow, product placement, and interactive elements that increase engagement.

Step 03: Development: Front-End & Back-End

A trendy clothing app consists of two major development components: front-end development and back-end development.

The front-end development ensures a visually attractive and responsive interface, while the back-end development manages data, product catalogs, and user accounts.

You can implement a scalable architecture that helps in handling high traffic and ensures smooth performance across devices.

Step 04: API integration for a clothing marketplace app

APIs play a critical role in connecting various functionalities within an online clothing store app.

These integrations include payment gateways for secure transactions, shipping APIs for real-time tracking, and AI-driven recommendation engines for personalized shopping experiences.

The table below highlights key API integrations:

API Type	Functionality
Payment Gateway API	Secure transactions (PayPal, Stripe)
Shipping API	Real-time order tracking (FedEx, DHL)
Recommendation API	Personalized product suggestions
Social Media API	Enables sharing and influencer marketing
Review & Rating API	Collects user feedback and testimonials

Step 05: Testing & quality assurance

A tough testing phase ensures the fashion mobile app is free from bugs and functions smoothly.

Functional testing checks the mobile app’s core operations, while usability testing ensures easy navigation.

Performance testing is also conducted to verify mobile app speed and stability across different devices and network conditions.

Step 06: Deployment on app stores

Once testing is complete, the mobile app is deployed on platforms like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

This involves optimizing the fashion shopping app for app store guidelines, writing engaging descriptions, and preparing marketing materials to attract downloads.

You need regular updates and maintenance to help keep the mobile app competitive in the ever-evolving fashion industry.

Fashion app development cost based on app complexity

The fashion app development cost depends on app complexity, features, and platform choice. Below is the detailed table that provides you app app-level, features with estimated cost and time.

App Level	Features Included	Estimated Cost (USD)	Development Time
Basic Fashion App	– Simple UI/UX – Basic product catalog – User registration/login – Payment gateway integration	$20,000 – $40,000	3 – 6 months
Mid-Level Fashion App	– Advanced search & filters – AI-based product recommendations – Wishlist & cart management – Order tracking & push notifications	$40,000 – $80,000	6 – 9 months
High-End Fashion App	– Virtual try-on with AR – AI-driven personalization – Social media integration – Multi-language & currency support – Secure payment & fraud detection	$80,000 – $150,000+	9 – 12+ months

How can ControlF5 help develop a personalized fashion app like Shein?

Are you an eCommerce business owner looking to build a fashion mobile app like Shein?

Do you need the best mobile app development team to bring your vision to life?

If yes, then you are at the right place!

At ControlF5, our top eCommerce mobile app developers specialize in creating feature-rich, scalable, and user-friendly fashion shopping apps based on your business needs. And we also help to develop a Shopify store with the best Shopify apps.

We use the latest trends and technologies to develop a smooth and engaging jewelry business app, integrating AI-driven recommendations, intuitive UI/UX, and secure payment gateways.

You can book a free consultation call, and our team will provide a detailed overview of our mobile app development process, ensuring a smooth and transparent experience.

Let us help you build a Shein-like app development project that stands out in the competitive market!

FAQ

1. How long does it take to develop a fashion shopping app?

The mobile app development timeline changes based on features and complexity. A basic app takes 4-6 months, while an advanced fashion shopping app with AI and AR can take 6-12 months.

2. What is the cost of developing a Shein-like app?

A clothing marketplace app can cost between $40,000 to $200,000, depending on mobile app design, features, platform (iOS/Android), and backend development.

3. How can I monetize my clothing marketplace app?

You can monetize through commission-based sales, in-app ads, VIP memberships, brand sponsorships, and subscription models for exclusive deals.

4. What technologies are used to develop a fashion eCommerce app?

Tech stacks include React Native/Flutter for front-end development, Node.js/Python for back-end development, MongoDB/Firebase for databases, and Stripe/PayPal for payments.

5. What payment and security features should a fashion eCommerce app have?

A fashion eCommerce app should support multiple payment methods like credit/debit cards, digital wallets, BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later), and PayPal, along with secure encryption, fraud detection, and real-time order tracking.

Tags Ecommerce app, Ecommerce app development, Mobile App Design, mobile app development cost

Anurag Pandey

I’m Anurag Pandey, Founder & CEO of ControlF5, with 17+ years of experience in building eCommerce solutions, web design, and mobile applications. I specialize in WordPress website design, Shopify store development, and scalable mobile apps based on growing digital brands. My work merges performance-focused UI/UX with advanced integrations, delivering optimized, conversion-ready solutions. At ControlF5, we help eCommerce businesses scale through custom storefronts, mobile-first design, and smooth technology adoption—whether on Shopify, WooCommerce, or native mobile apps. My passion is helping eCommerce brands turn digital ideas into high-performing, user-centric products.