Clothing retailer Uniqlo is known for simple, comfortable designs that are easy to wear and easy to buy. Now the shopping experience promises to be a lot easier, with the help of a new voice-activated digital assistant, Uniqlo IQ.

Using the Google Dialogflow conversational interface, Uniqlo IQ is integrated into the Uniqlo smartphone app. Shoppers can search for items, get recommendations for outfits for different occasions (or based on their horoscope) and voice or text chat with the app itself for more specific information.

Videos in Japanese illustrate how to use the app, following a stylish young woman and her friends on a visit to the store.

Brooklyn-based Inamoto & Co., the company founded by former AKQA creative honcho Rei Inamoto, developed the idea, brand and service design. Tokyo-based agency Party helped release it in Japan. After testing in the U.S., a beta program with 2,000 users launched in Japan, and Uniqlo IQ went live in that country last week.

Via AdAge