Uniforms are rarely the headline in innovation stories. But behind the scenes, they’re undergoing a quiet transformation—one led by a London-based startup that’s found its stride in an unexpected place. Bodi.Me, co-founded by Lara Mazzoni, is helping reshape how uniforms are designed, fitted, and delivered. And it all started with a simple but stubborn problem: how do you get a great fit for people you’ve never met?
From High Fashion to Hospital Scrubs
Before she was helping the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) overhaul its uniform system, Lara Mazzoni was deep in the world of luxury tech—combining high-end design with cutting-edge craftsmanship. With a background in product design and manufacturing, Mazzoni had long been drawn to the challenge of making products both beautiful and functional. But it was the rise of e-commerce that steered her toward a question few in fashion were asking at the time: How do you get the right fit for people you never see?
She explored body scanning technologies, searching for non-invasive ways to measure people remotely. Yet the fashion industry wasn’t interested. “We were knocking on every door of every fashion house in Europe,” she said, “and there was just no appetite for it.”
Then came an unexpected opportunity: an Australian uniform company needed a cost-effective way to size hospital staff. “That’s when we pivoted,” Mazzoni recalls. “We realized we were chasing customers who didn’t want us. But uniform companies did.”
Breaking into a Hidden Industry
Uiforms weren’t glamorous—but they were full of potential. At first, Mazzoni and her team didn’t know where to begin. “There’s no book on uniform companies,” she said. “No guide, no industry map. It was a hidden world.”
What they discovered, however, was a space ripe for innovation. Unlike fashion retail, where aesthetics dominate, uniforms are all about function, durability, and fit. But beyond practicality, Mazzoni recognized that the uniform industry was a high-performing, operationally driven sector, where precision and consistency are non-negotiable. Uniforms are often critical tools for professionals—whether healthcare staff, transport workers, or retail teams—so getting the fit right isn’t just about comfort; it’s about enabling performance and maintaining brand standards.
The industry had its own unique challenges—especially around sizing, mass coordination, and cost control at scale. The company’s early work involved integrating large, expensive body scanners into sizing systems. But it soon became clear that scalability required a simpler, more accessible approach. Over time, Bodi.Me evolved its tech to require nothing more than a short questionnaire—no photos, no scans, no measuring tapes.
Bodi.Me saw an opportunity to reimagine the process using AI, machine learning, and user-centric design—ultimately reshaping how organizations outfit thousands of individuals efficiently, accurately, and sustainably
Designing for Every Body
Bodi.Me’s technology needed to reflect the complexity of real bodies. Clients had different approaches to sizing: some used traditional male/female blocks, others tried to save costs by merging patterns into unisex designs. For Bodi.Me, that meant building a flexible system that could adjust for any method.
“A pattern designed for a man won’t fit a woman properly,” Mazzoni said. “So we created fitting technology that accounts for gendered and non-gendered designs. Same size, same product, but two different fit algorithms.”
This commitment to accuracy extended into physical testing. Bodi.Me frequently conducts in-person try-ons and works closely with clients to understand the challenges of each design and refine the system for optimal fit and its performances. When you have solid size-tech it’s not just about technology—it’s about listening.
Another challenge was sizing increments—standard grading systems often don’t reflect how bodies change at different sizes. “When you get into plus sizes, companies just add inches,” Mazzoni said. “It covers you, but it doesn’t fit you. That’s not just uncomfortable—it can be unsafe.”
A New Approach for the NHS
In many ways, the NHS project was a culmination of Bodi.Me’s journey. The health service needed to outfit over 600,000 workers with 16 million scrubs over seven years—effectively measuring and dressing two million people, accounting for turnover.
The sizing system was inconsistent, the fit outdated, and labeling was confusing. Hospitals were ordering independently, leading to inefficiencies and rising costs. The NHS wanted a unified, inclusive, and more cost-effective approach.
Bodi.Me responded with Size-Me 4.0, a virtual fit solution built specifically for the NHS. It allowed users to visualize fit using a 3D avatar and receive personalized size recommendations without body scans or selfies. Over 70% of NHS staff adopted the tool voluntarily.
“It had to be user-centric, but simple,” said Mazzoni. “If it’s not easy to use, it won’t get used.”
The system achieved a 98.7% accuracy rate during testing, reducing return rates and helping streamline the rollout. It also aligned with new EU sustainability regulations, offering an environmentally responsible solution by minimizing waste.
Looking Ahead
Bodi.Me now has its sights on expanding into the U.S. and pushing its solution even earlier into the product development cycle. By gathering data at the measurement stage and feeding it back into design and manufacturing, the company hopes to reduce waste and overproduction.
“It’s not just about fit—it’s about using the data to optimize the entire process,” Mazzoni said. “Fit will keep improving, but what we really want is to help manufacturers build smarter from the start.”
For Mazzoni, the path into uniforms was unexpected, but it’s where she sees some of the biggest opportunities for innovation. “Uniforms have to fit everyone,” she said. “That makes them the most inclusive clothing there is.”
And while the fashion world may not have answered the door, the uniform world did—and it turns out it had plenty to say.
