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March 3, 2022
| 5 min read
Recently, a silvery flowy dress called Iridescence sold for a massive $9,500. The CEO of QuantumStamp, Richard Ma, bought the dress at the Ethereal Summit in New York for his wife, Mary Ren. The dress, however, is not designed by a popular global fashion house like Gucci or Prada. Nor can Richard’s wife Mary wear it to the Met Gala next year or any other year. Iridescence is entirely a virtual dress. And Mary Ren can only wear her $9,500 dress on digital platforms like Instagram or Snapchat.
Iridescence’s story is enough to sum up the influence that augmented reality technology has started having in the fashion industry. The future of augmented reality in fashion is nothing but bright and realistic.
The Dutch Startup called Fabricant dared to make and auction Iridescence because people are accepting personalized virtual fashion as a new trend. As we move ahead, we will surely see AR penetrating further into the fashion industry and consumers becoming more comfortable with this still alien technology.
The fashioned industry had always been primed to embrace augmented reality technology for two major reasons. One, the retail houses were struggling with the returns problem that tends to leak their revenue. And two, the global outcry about the industry’s impact on the environment.
According to a press release sent out by the National Retail Federation of the United States, American shoppers returned almost $428 billion worth of merchandise in 2020 after shopping for them online. And of that, almost $25.3 billion were fraudulent returns that continue to cost the industry dearly.
Online retailers say that the major roadblock to online fashion shopping is try-and-buy, and this is why consumers tend to return almost 10.6% of the total US retail sales.
Concurrently, the fashion industry’s impact on the environment is no longer a mystery. The United States disposes of 85 trillion liters of wastewater every year, and almost a fifth comes from the country’s fashion industry alone.
As global consumers turn more environmentally conscious, fashion brands desperately need an overhaul.
Enter augmented reality in fashion. The simple idea where people can superimpose a digital dress on their live video feed eliminates both the above-stated problems at once.
Augmented reality will enable fashion houses to digitize the entire try-out process and only make those apparel that fit their customers.
With limited manufacturing, the impact on the environment should also reduce, and that is naturally where the future of augmented reality in fashion is headed.
Foresight Factory conducted a study in collaboration with Snap. The report noted that the world has already seen a 57% increase in AR use among Gen Z shoppers. And 56% of them admitted that the AR infused in their shopping experience actually made their purchase decision easy.
Gap’s Virtual Dressing Room is a fine example where you can try out Gap apparel virtually before making a purchasing decision. You simply need to stand in front of an AR-enabled device and swap through Gap’s collection as the apparel goes on changing on your live feed.
Tanishq is doing something similar in the jewelry space. With mirrAR’s omnichannel augmented reality solution, Tanishq allows its consumers to try on any jewelry virtually, through their website, mobile app or in physical stores, before moving forward to place an order.
Virtual showrooms and digital catalogs will enable fashion retailers to expand their inventory. AR technology will also help boost online sales because, according to Shopify, 48% of online apparel shoppers think that their inability to try a product before buying online keeps them away from multiple brands.
Customers can also make better purchase decisions in brick-and-mortar stores as the process of physically trying every apparel option can be exhausting.
The future of augmented reality in our everyday life is no longer a Marvel movie story. The concept of holograms and virtual parties became very real when Mark Zuckerberg changed his company’s name to Meta and revealed the company’s vision to work majorly behind Metaverse.
The promise of Metaverse holds humongous potential for the fashion industry. And the virtual dress Iridescence is just the beginning.
We already know about the Smart Glasses that Ray-Ban has built along with Facebook. Snap Spectacles were also launched back in 2021.
And how will the fashion industry benefit from AR glasses? Say you are walking down the street wearing an Apple AR Glass. You come across a stranger walking from the opposite end in a stunning outfit.
Your AR glass will be equipped to direct you to the online store where you can find those exact merchandise, and you can literally purchase on the go. AR and VR glasses will also make virtual goods popular.
Merchandise that your digital avatars can wear to virtual parties or social gatherings. Nike has already started filing patents for virtual goods, and other top brands are not far behind.
In the context of wearable AR, Mojo Lens is going a step ahead and making AR-enabled contact lenses. If Oculus currently seems too heavy to wear and shop around, Mojo Lens is working to alter that dynamic as well.
In fact, we can safely conclude that the future of augmented reality is gradually becoming the present. Post-COVID, fashion houses are increasingly adopting AR to remove any existing bottleneck in online shopping and enable customers to make purchases from home.
The pandemic has just accelerated the revolution, and you can expect augmented reality to take over the fashion industry anytime soon.
In the ever-evolving landscape of the fashion industry, technological advancements continually redefine the way consumers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions. Among these innovations, Augmented Reality (AR) Virtual Try-On Solutions emerge as a game-changer, offering a transformative bridge between the digital and physical realms. This discussion delves into the key benefits of integrating AR Virtual Try-On Solutions into the fashion industry, exploring how they mitigate challenges, provide valuable insights, drive engagement, and reshape the strategies of pioneering brands. From reducing return rates to fostering deeper connections between consumers and brands, the influence of AR in fashion is not merely a trend but a paradigm shift shaping the future of the industry.
Returns have long been a challenge in online fashion retail, often attributed to discrepancies between online imagery and real-world products. However, with AR, the game changes dramatically. Features like *Tanishq's mirrAR* or *Zara's AR Showroom* enable consumers to virtually "try on" products, offering a lifelike preview of fit, texture, and appearance. This tangible preview substantially diminishes the chances of post-purchase disappointments, resulting in a marked reduction in return rates. By bridging the digital-physical divide, AR instills confidence in consumers, ensuring that what they see is precisely what they get.
The digital interactions facilitated by AR aren't just beneficial for consumers; they're a goldmine for brands. Every virtual try-on, every mix-and-match session in a digital showroom, generates invaluable data. Brands can glean insights into consumer preferences, popular design elements, and emerging trends. This data-driven approach empowers brands to refine their offerings, tailor marketing strategies, and foster a deeper understanding of their target audience's evolving needs and desires.
At its core, fashion is about engagement—the emotional connection between a consumer and a product, a brand, or even a narrative. AR amplifies this engagement manifold. Whether it's through gamified shopping experiences, immersive storytelling, or interactive campaigns like those of Burberry, AR creates captivating digital realms that captivate and resonate. By offering consumers an avenue to actively participate in the fashion narrative, AR transcends passive consumption, fostering deeper, more meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.
In the realm of fashion, several key brands are reshaping the consumer experience through strategic integration of Augmented Reality (AR). Nike leads the way with "Nike By You," empowering users to personalize footwear designs and democratizing design choices. Gucci takes a forward step with a Virtual Try-On experience, allowing users to virtually try on accessories and eyewear, enhancing engagement. Burberry elevates its marketing campaigns through AR, creating immersive experiences that include gamified shopping and interactive narratives. Tanishq's mirrAR addresses the challenge of online jewelry shopping by reducing return rates through a lifelike preview of jewelry pieces. Zara stands out with its AR Showroom, revolutionizing online fashion retail by enabling virtual try-ons, transforming the way consumers interact with and purchase clothing items. These innovative applications of AR not only keep these brands at the forefront of industry trends but also signal a future where technology and fashion seamlessly merge for transformative consumer experiences.
AR's integration into the fashion industry isn't a mere technological upgrade; it's a paradigm shift. It's about elevating consumer experiences, fostering brand loyalty, and forging a future where technology and fashion coalesce seamlessly, crafting narratives that resonate, engage, and inspire.
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