Currently building Haute-U AR
About Expertise Work Journey Ecosystem Contact
Co-founder & CTO — Toronto

Building the future
of fashion with AI

Scaling Haute-U AR from zero to Canada's first consumer-grade AI video try-on platform. 15 years in FinTech. One patent filed. 900% revenue growth.

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Sulochana Karthik
01 — About

From FinTech to Fashion Tech

15 years building software at Bank of America, Merrill, and Cognizant. Now channelling that into eliminating fashion waste through AI and AR.

As CTO of Haute-U AR Technologies Inc., I architect the full R&D pipeline — from DensePose-based pose mapping to generative inpainting — building Canada's first real-time video try-on engine.

"The hard part isn't launching a startup. It's building one while waiting. Waiting for your PR. Waiting for the ecosystem to catch up with your vision."
15+
Years in tech
900%
Revenue growth
1
Patent filed
5
AI modules
02 — Expertise

Domains of depth

Building at the intersection of computer vision, augmented reality, and sustainable commerce.

01

AI & Computer Vision

Designing proprietary algorithms using DensePose, IP-Adapter, and SDXL Inpainting for real-time body recognition. Building generative AI recommendation engines that style based on skin tone, body shape, and preference. Principal inventor of CIPO Patent #3291943.

Core IP
02

Augmented Reality

Real-time video try-on ("Runway Ready") using DensePose + generative inpainting. AR Jewelry via MediaPipe FaceMesh with 478 landmarks. Exploring Google partnership.

Shipping
03

Sustainable Fashion

Reducing online returns — 1 in 4 purchases sent back. Technology that makes fast fashion's waste footprint smaller.

Mission
04

Cloud & Infrastructure

Migrated to Google Cloud Vertex AI, Cloud Run, and Model Garden. GPU-optimized inference. Multi-tenant architecture for SMB clients.

Scaled
05

FinTech Engineering

15 years at Bank of America, Merrill, Cognizant. Application development, financial analysis, data-driven decision-making.

Foundation
03 — Product Modules

What we're shipping

Five AI/AR modules powering the Fashion Playground ecosystem.

MODULE 01

AI Image Try-On

IP-Adapter + SDXL Inpainting pipeline. Texture preservation, wrinkle rendering, segment-aware garment blending. Upload your photo, see yourself in any outfit.

Live on apps.hauteuar.com
MODULE 02

AI Video Try-On — Runway Ready

Canada's first consumer-grade video try-on engine. DensePose mapping, frame-wise garment coherence, motion-aware stabilization. Real-time digital runway outputs.

Soft-launched at DIFW 2025
MODULE 03

AR Jewelry Try-On

Browser-based AR engine using MediaPipe FaceMesh. Real-time rendering of earrings, necklaces, and ethnic accessories. White-label ready for retail.

SMB adoption growing
MODULE 04

Cosmetics Try-On

AI colour mapping and multi-layer blending for makeup, lipstick, and beauty products. Deployed with Symphony Spa & Yoga.

B2B deployed
MODULE 05

Haute U Studio — Designer Portal

Marketplace and digital runway tools for designers. AI-generated lookbooks, subscription tiers, and Shopify/WooCommerce integration pipeline.

Building marketplace
MODULE 01

AI Image Try-On

IP-Adapter + SDXL Inpainting pipeline. Texture preservation, wrinkle rendering, segment-aware garment blending. Upload your photo, see yourself in any outfit.

Live on apps.hauteuar.com
MODULE 02

AI Video Try-On — Runway Ready

Canada's first consumer-grade video try-on engine. DensePose mapping, frame-wise garment coherence, motion-aware stabilization.

Soft-launched at DIFW 2025
MODULE 03

AR Jewelry Try-On

Browser-based AR engine using MediaPipe FaceMesh. Real-time rendering of earrings, necklaces, and ethnic accessories.

SMB adoption growing
MODULE 04

Cosmetics Try-On

AI colour mapping and multi-layer blending for makeup, lipstick, and beauty products.

B2B deployed
MODULE 05

Haute U Studio — Designer Portal

Marketplace and digital runway tools. AI-generated lookbooks, subscriptions, Shopify integration.

Building marketplace
04 — Journey

Timeline

From incorporation to national press. Key milestones.

2025

Web Summit Vancouver — City of Toronto Delegation

Officially selected to represent Toronto's innovation ecosystem. Live demos, investor meetings, media interactions.

ConferenceOfficial Delegation
Web Summit Vancouver
2025

Durham International Fashion Week — Runway Ready Soft Launch

Publicly demonstrated the AI video try-on engine. Real model transformations, designer lookbooks, garment transitions. Generated organic interest from Canadian designers and boutiques.

Product LaunchFashion
DIFW 2025
2025

Canadian Patent Filed — CIPO #3291943

"AI-Based Real-Time Video Try-On System with Temporal Coherence and Adaptive IP Adapter Scaling." Received and entered in dossier.

IPPatent
2025

Brampton Innovator Program

Shared the stage with founders building across the GTA ecosystem.

Accelerator
Brampton Innovator
Dec 2024

The Globe and Mail Feature

Profiled in Canada's leading national newspaper for pioneering AI/AR approaches to reducing fashion returns.

National Press
Globe and Mail
2024

Elevate eCommerce North Accelerator — Cohort 7

Accepted into Elevate's AI accelerator with Moneris. Mentoring, investor readiness, ecosystem events.

AcceleratorCohort
Elevate Cohort
2024

OCAD U — CLIC Spring 2024 Cohort

Selected for OCAD University's innovation program. Market research, UX design, industry validation through human-centred design.

Innovation
2024

Humber College — Capstone Partnership

Collaborated with Humber IGS student teams for prototype testing, design enhancements, and technical integration.

Research
2023

Incorporation & Brand Establishment

Incorporated in British Columbia. Rebranded from "Closet-AR" to Haute-U AR Technologies Inc. Domain established. R&D initiated.

Founded
Ongoing

Canada Start-Up Visa — 47+ Months

Navigating Canada's Start-Up Visa program. Advocating for systemic improvements for immigrant founders.

AdvocacyImmigration
06 — Press

In the news

Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail · Dec 2024

How Canadian startups are using AI to transform how we shop

Featured profile on Haute-U AR's virtual try-on technology and its approach to eliminating fashion returns.

Read article →
Banking Innovation
Canadian Banking Innovation · 2025

Innovation, Collaboration & the Future of Canadian Banking

Video discussion on financial technology, innovation ecosystems, and the role of startups in Canadian banking.

Watch video →
07 — Ecosystem

Programs & partnerships

The accelerators, universities, and innovation programs that shaped the journey.

Portfolio Startup

SICIEEIL — UTSC

Part of the Sam Ibrahim Centre startup portfolio. UofT accelerator supporting 150+ startups with 65% visible minority founders.

Learn more →
Innovation Partner

CLIC — Richmond Hill × OCAD U

Design-thinking innovation with the City of Richmond Hill, OCAD University, and eCampusOntario. Spring 2024 cohort graduate.

Learn more →
Cohort 7

Elevate × Moneris eCommerce North

AI accelerator. Mentoring, training, investor readiness, and ecosystem connections.

Capstone Partner

Humber College IGS

Collaborated with student teams for prototype testing, design enhancements, and Algorithm Alliance integration.

Collaboration

TMU Fashion Zone

Ongoing connections with Toronto Metropolitan University's fashion innovation hub and designers.

Toronto Delegation

Web Summit Vancouver 2025

Officially selected by the City of Toronto. Live demos, investor meetings, 15,000+ attendees.

08 — Connect

Let's build
something.

Open to partnerships, speaking, collaborations, and conversations about fashion tech.

✉
Email
sulochana.karthik@hauteuar.com
☎
Phone
+1 (437) 258-7095
in
LinkedIn
sulochana-karthikcto
◆
Company
hauteuar.com

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