Latest news with #Dargan
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
End-of-terrace coastal home from golden age of ‘Irish Brighton' offers B2 BER, four doubles and garden with fire pit
Asking price: €1.15m Agent: Sherry Fitzgerald (01) 286 6630 Bray in Co Wicklow was once dubbed the 'Brighton of Ireland'. Like the famous English seaside town, it has its own promenade, the well known Esplanade, which was built in Victorian times to attract tourists and home buyers seeking a life of leisure by the sea. The similarities were intentional, as Brighton offered inspiration to the man responsible for Bray's design as a seaside resort town. William Dargan, the son of a tenant farmer from Co Laois, was one of the most prominent Irish engineers of the 19th century. Known best for his work on railways, Dargan also designed and oversaw the building of Ireland's first railway line from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire in 1834, and later worked to establish many of the lines around the country. An extension of the line to Bray was added from Dublin in 1854, and had an almost instant effect on the town. With the improvement in access from Dublin, more people found it possible to live or holiday in Bray and in the 20 years after it opened, the population increased from 4,151 to 6,504. It was Dargan who first realised Bray's potential as a tourist destination. In 1859, he obtained a lease for a stretch of the coastline there from the Earl of Meath, and the first inception of the Esplanade seafront promenade was built, after which the later hotel was named. Dargan, alongside John Quin, the owner of Quin's Hotel (now the Royal Hotel), recognised the potential of the town and initiated its development as a seaside resort on a large scale. In 1859, Dargan paid for the first efforts at constructing the Esplanade which, according to an 1860 guide book, was 'open to everyone who chooses to enjoy its delightful expanse'. In 1881, additional work costing £20,000 was invested in improving it further. Just off the waterfront is No4 Warburton Terrace, an end of terrace four-bedroom house which dates from Bray's glory days as a Victorian resort. Today, it's home to Patrick Sammon and his wife Madeline. Patrick is employed as a leasing specialist with WeWork and is originally from Letterkenny, Co Donegal. His wife Madeline, who hails from Queensland Australia, works for Google. They have two children, Isla (three) and Charlie (almost one), with another on the way. The couple bought the 1862-built home five years ago. 'We'd been living in Grand Canal and were attracted by the opportunity to own a period house,' says Sammon. 'It also offered good bang for our buck.' The 2,433 sq ft period home came with most of its original features, and had been previously owned by an interior designer, who'd left her mark. However, Sammon and his wife planned to put their own stamp on it. 'It was, for the most part, in good condition, but the decor was not to our taste,' he says. 'The house was a pandemic purchase as we bought it between lockdowns,' he adds. 'With extra time on our hands, we did the decorating ourselves.' They painted all of the rooms, changing the colour scheme, the furniture and the artwork, and re-sprayed the kitchen, which now has navy blue and white glass-fronted cupboards with a white Ibiza marble counter. There's an island in the centre with a Belfast sink and a brass tap, with a splash back of white subway tiles. Double doors here lead directly to the south-facing back split-level garden. The sitting room is at the front of the house, and here the sash windows, wooden floors, cornicing and the ceiling rose are all original. 'The ceiling there is 10ft-high, which adds to the feeling of space,' says Sammon. There's a white marble fireplace here with a large antique mirror above it. There are seven fireplaces in total, two of which have woodburning stoves. The others have been capped off. 'When she first saw the fireplaces, Madeline fell in love with them because growing up in Queensland; she never had an open fire,' he says. The house has four double bedrooms and an attic room, which can also be used as a bedroom. After moving in, the couple quickly realised that the old utility room, which had a lean-to in bad repair, was in a great position at the back of the house. 'We realised it faced south and got the sun for most of the day, so we set about making it into another reception room,' says Sammon. 'We put down new hardwood flooring and added floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors that open to the patio outside.' Unlike the rest of the house, this room is thoroughly modern. The beige walls and cream carpet provide a feeling of warmth, and a photograph of an old camper van and palm trees, reminiscent of backpacking Australia, takes up most of one wall. 'It's an amazing space for entertaining; especially in the summer as we open up the glass doors and the guests spill into the back garden. We've held many a barbecue in the back.' The garden has a fire pit and dining area. Here, they've added plants and some colourful cushions. 'It's our little oasis. We spend a lot of time out there in the summer when the weather is good,' he says. They replaced the roof four years ago, increasing the energy rating from a C1 to a B2. 'A potential buyer could achieve an A rating if they were to upgrade the windows in the house,' he adds. Bray's beach is 150 metres away, so the Sammons have taken up sea swimming since moving in. 'We also installed an outdoor shower in the back and have our paddle boards hanging on the wall,' says Sammon. 'There's a laneway at the side of the building which we use to access the back garden when we come in from the sea. 'There are a number of trendy coffee shops in the area and also a new wine bar called Conlon's, which my wife loves, just 50 metres from the house,' he adds. 'There's also a roof top sauna in Bray now. Living here is really a lifestyle.' It's also on the Dart line, offering easy access to Dublin city centre. The Sammons are selling the house now because an opportunity has arisen to buy a family member's home in Blackrock. 'We'll still be on the Dart line, but living here has been a wonderful experience,' he says. The house is on offer through Sherry FitzGerald for €1.15m.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Doji raises $14M to make virtual try-ons fun through AI avatars
For years, big tech companies like Amazon and Google have been trying to make virtual try-ons engaging to encourage consumers to shop more online. Startups also tried to solve for inspiration and fit in fashion using AI. A new startup called Doji is now entering this space with an app designed to make apparel try-ons both fun and social. It does so by creating your avatar and then serving you different looks that may inspire you to buy new clothes. So far, early adopters have been impressed by it. Only days after publicly launching on the App Store, the company is announcing a $14 million seed round led by Thrive Capital with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures. The funding will be used to improve Doji's AI models, the company says. An app like Doji only exists thanks to recent advancements in AI. The company uses its own diffusion models to create its personalized avatars and to make clothing try-ons more realistic. @doji_com The startup was founded last year by Dorian Dargan and Jim Winkens — hence the name Doji (Dorian + Jim). Dargan previously worked at Apple on VisionOS and at Meta on games and experiences on Oculus Quest. Winkens was a researcher at DeepMind and also worked on a generative AI-based consumer product at Google. The duo connected on Twitter/X around 2022. After realizing a shared interest in the fashion world, they began exploring side projects to work on together. Later, when the controversial avatar creation app Lensa was released, Dargan saw how deep a connection people had with their avatars. "Lensa was doing stylized avatars with different themes," Dargan told TechCrunch. "We saw Lensa and thought, what if we could do this for fashion, but in a photo-realistic way?" Thrive Capital partner Miles Grimshaw said he's been captivated by Doji's app since the first time he used it. He notes that diffusion models create an opportunity to build a "virtual mirror" to try on clothes. "Going around the web to hundreds of click links to shop is laborious. Doji has an opportunity to make shopping fun as it puts me at the center of the experience. The app also has a social aspect of making me want to share different looks [with friends and family]," he added. Doji, which is still in invite-only mode, guides users through the process of taking six selfies and uploading two full-body images to create an avatar. The app takes roughly 30 minutes to create an avatar, then notifies you when the avatar is ready. You can also choose your favorite brands during onboarding to see more items from them in the app. Other apps like Google-backed lock screen app Glance have tried to create AI-powered shopping inspiration flow by using a single image. However, Doji opted for a more in-depth setup process to create higher-quality avatars and better match users with the right clothes. By default, the app shows you clothes that might suit you through a series of looks with your avatar. You can scroll through the different tops and bottoms listed on the site and tap on them to create a new look for your avatar. Plus, you can post a link to apparel from the web to check if it would suit you. In tests, I felt that some of the images of the avatar made me look thinner or taller than I am. (Doji notes that users have the option of retraining the avatar through a new set of images if they don't like their results.) While the app lets you try on different clothes to see how certain apparel would look on you, it can't yet tell you how an item would fit. That's something the startup wants to tackle later, we're told. The team is also working to make the virtual try-on process faster and integrate the buying process in the app, instead of directing users to external sites. The startup, whose app is available in more than 80 countries, didn't specify when it will remove the invite system to allow everyone to use the app. Dargan said that what sets them apart from other try-on apps is that Doji also offers a fun way to explore clothes. Plus, he believes Doji is better at human representation than others, thanks to his experience designing avatars over the years. "I think people who have explored this idea before either haven't had the technology chops to make it good or the taste to understand what actually makes a person feel good about an image of themselves," Dargan said. "We have invested a lot in core technology to ensure the way you perceive yourself through images is interesting and inspiring." This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
15-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Doji raises $14M to make virtual try-ons fun through AI avatars
For years, big tech companies like Amazon and Google have been trying to make virtual try-ons engaging to encourage consumers to shop more online. Startups also tried to solve for inspiration and fit in fashion using AI. A new startup called Doji is now entering this space with an app designed to make apparel try-ons both fun and social. It does so by creating your avatar and then serving you different looks that may inspire you to buy new clothes. So far, early adopters have been impressed by it. Only days after publicly launching on the App Store, the company is announcing a $14 million seed round led by Thrive Capital with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures. The funding will be used to improve Doji's AI models, the company says. An app like Doji only exists thanks to recent advancements in AI. The company uses its own diffusion models to create its personalized avatars and to make clothing try-ons more realistic. @doji_com Try it on. Try Doji. Download the app to secure your spot, or find a friend with an invite. [Link in bio] Creative direction: Gui Boucher Editing: Noel Oppliger, Khaidar Styling: Jeanette Reza Music: Jake Nadrich Thanks: Tony Wang, Gaia Del Santo, Dena Yago ♬ original sound – doji_com The startup was founded last year by Dorian Dargan and Jim Winkens — hence the name Doji (Dorian + Jim). Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Dargan previously worked at Apple on VisionOS and at Meta on games and experiences on Oculus Quest. Winkens was a researcher at DeepMind and also worked on a generative AI-based consumer product at Google. The duo connected on Twitter/X around 2022. After realizing a shared interest in the fashion world, they began exploring side projects to work on together. Later, when the controversial avatar creation app Lensa was released, Dargan saw how deep a connection people had with their avatars. 'Lensa was doing stylized avatars with different themes,' Dargan told TechCrunch. 'We saw Lensa and thought, what if we could do this for fashion, but in a photo-realistic way?' Thrive Capital partner Miles Grimshaw said he's been captivated by Doji's app since the first time he used it. He notes that diffusion models create an opportunity to build a 'virtual mirror' to try on clothes. 'Going around the web to hundreds of click links to shop is laborious. Doji has an opportunity to make shopping fun as it puts me at the center of the experience. The app also has a social aspect of making me want to share different looks [with friends and family],' he added. Image Credits: Doji What it's like to use Doji's app Doji, which is still in invite-only mode, guides users through the process of taking six selfies and uploading two full-body images to create an avatar. The app takes roughly 30 minutes to create an avatar, then notifies you when the avatar is ready. You can also choose your favorite brands during onboarding to see more items from them in the app. Other apps like Google-backed lock screen app Glance have tried to create AI-powered shopping inspiration flow by using a single image. However, Doji opted for a more in-depth setup process to create higher-quality avatars and better match users with the right clothes. By default, the app shows you clothes that might suit you through a series of looks with your avatar. You can scroll through the different tops and bottoms listed on the site and tap on them to create a new look for your avatar. Plus, you can post a link to an apparel from the web to check if it would suit you. These two look like different versions of me. Image Credits: Ivan Mehta In tests, I felt that some of the images of the avatar made me look thinner or taller than I am. (Doji notes that users have the option of retraining the avatar through a new set of images if they don't like their results.) While the app lets you try on different clothes to see how certain apparel would look on you, it can't yet tell you how an item would fit. That's something the startup wants to tackle later, we're told. The team is also working to make the virtual try-on process faster and integrate the buying process in the app, instead of directing users to external sites. The startup, whose app is available in more than 80 countries, didn't specify when it will remove the invite system to allow everyone to use the app. Dargan said that what sets them apart from other try-on apps is that Doji also offers a fun way to explore clothes. Plus, he believes Doji is better at human representation than others, thanks to his experience designing avatars over the years. 'I think people who have explored this idea before either haven't had the technology chops to make it good or the taste to understand what actually makes a person feel good about an image of themselves,' Dargan said. 'We have invested a lot in core technology to ensure the way you perceive yourself through images is interesting and inspiring.'
TechCrunch
15-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Doji raises $14M to make virtual try-ons fun through your avatars
For years, big tech companies like Amazon and Google have been trying to make virtual try-ons engaging to encourage consumers to shop more online. Startups also tried to solve for inspiration and fit in fashion using AI. A new startup called Doji is now entering this space with an app designed to make apparel try-ons both fun and social. It does so by creating your avatar and then serving you different looks that may inspire you to buy new clothes. So far, early adopters have been impressed by it. Only days after publicly launching on the App Store, the company is announcing a $14 million seed round led by Thrive Capital with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures. The funding will be used to improve Doji's AI models, the company says. An app like Doji only exists thanks to recent advancements in AI. The company uses its own diffusion models to create its personalized avatars and to make clothing try-ons more realistic. @doji_com Try it on. Try Doji. Download the app to secure your spot, or find a friend with an invite. [Link in bio] Creative direction: Gui Boucher Editing: Noel Oppliger, Khaidar Styling: Jeanette Reza Music: Jake Nadrich Thanks: Tony Wang, Gaia Del Santo, Dena Yago ♬ original sound – doji_com The startup was founded last year by Dorian Dargan and Jim Winkens — hence the name Doji (Dorian + Jim). Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW Dargan previously worked at Apple on VisionOS and at Meta on games and experiences on Oculus Quest. Winkens was a researcher at DeepMind and also worked on a generative AI-based consumer product at Google. The duo connected on Twitter/X around 2022. After realizing a shared interest in the fashion world, they began exploring side projects to work on together. Later, when the controversial avatar creation app Lensa was released, Dargan saw how deep a connection people had with their avatars. 'Lensa was doing stylized avatars with different themes,' Dargan told TechCrunch. 'We saw Lensa and thought, what if we could do this for fashion, but in a photo-realistic way?' Thrive Capital partner Miles Grimshaw said he's been captivated by Doji's app since the first time he used it. He notes that diffusion models create an opportunity to build a 'virtual mirror' to try on clothes. 'Going around the web to hundreds of click links to shop is laborious. Doji has an opportunity to make shopping fun as it puts me at the center of the experience. The app also has a social aspect of making me want to share different looks [with friends and family],' he added. Image Credits: Doji What it's like to use Doji's app Doji, which is still in invite-only mode, guides users through the process of taking six selfies and uploading two full-body images to create an avatar. The app takes roughly 30 minutes to create an avatar, then notifies you when the avatar is ready. You can also choose your favorite brands during onboarding to see more items from them in the app. Other apps like Google-backed lock screen app Glance have tried to create AI-powered shopping inspiration flow by using a single image. However, Doji opted for a more in-depth setup process to create higher-quality avatars and better match users with the right clothes. By default, the app shows you clothes that might suit you through a series of looks with your avatar. You can scroll through the different tops and bottoms listed on the site and tap on them to create a new look for your avatar. Plus, you can post a link to an apparel from the web to check if it would suit you. These two look like different versions of me. Image Credits: Ivan Mehta In tests, I felt that some of the images of the avatar made me look thinner or taller than I am. (Doji notes that users have the option of retraining the avatar through a new set of images if they don't like their results.) While the app lets you try on different clothes to see how certain apparel would look on you, it can't yet tell you how an item would fit. That's something the startup wants to tackle later, we're told. The team is also working to make the virtual try-on process faster and integrate the buying process in the app, instead of directing users to external sites. The startup, whose app is available in more than 80 countries, didn't specify when it will remove the invite system to allow everyone to use the app. Dargan said that what sets them apart from other try-on apps is that Doji also offers a fun way to explore clothes. Plus, he believes Doji is better at human representation than others, thanks to his experience designing avatars over the years. 'I think people who have explored this idea before either haven't had the technology chops to make it good or the taste to understand what actually makes a person feel good about an image of themselves,' Dargan said. 'We have invested a lot in core technology to ensure the way you perceive yourself through images is interesting and inspiring.'
