The world of technology is making great headway. With some of the smartest minds working on
new innovations and advancements constantly, with each passing day, technology is being
tailored to seamlessly bind into our lives.
Today, we’re going to talk about one particular technological breakthrough that is reimagining
how we interact with it. Introducing augmented reality. Augmented reality takes digital
interaction to a whole new level. It uses a mobile camera to augment or create a digital graphic
and imposes it on to the real world. From images, videos to other digital assets, using augmented
reality, the virtual world can be blended with the physical world that we see through the camera
to open up new avenues for user engagement and interaction.
This technology has great potential and can be used in several industries. But its application in
the field of online fashion retail is what excites us the most. With this technology by their side,
brands can take a futuristic leap towards offering their users a seamless customer experience.
WonderFashion has been working towards building deployable augmented reality solutions for
online clothing companies. Build using mixed reality and virtual reality, its unique solution offers
businesses an unmatched competitive edge.
WonderFashion’s augmented reality platform allows users to click and upload their selfie. Once
uploaded, this selfie is rendered in 3D and applied on to a digital avatar. This digital avatar or
‘mannequin’ is nothing but the virtual replica of the user. One can change its height, shoulder
width, skin complexion and much more and see the changes in realtime. This way they can
accurately design their digital twin in just a few clicks.
This is a crucial process of the application, as it lays the foundation for enabling a virtual trial
room. Using this platform, users can try on different clothes right from the comfort of their home
and with much greater ease.
Shopping, traditionally, meant going to the on-ground store after taking time out of our hectic
work schedule, wading through traffic and then spending time walking down aisles and waiting
outside trial rooms before we purchase the one piece of clothing we like. Or, thanks to the
recently acquired norm, it means scrolling through thousands of images online, selecting the one
we like and then purchasing it. Then we wait for our order to arrive, after which we try it on and
find out if the fitting is right or if the design, pattern or colours shown in the image matches with
that of what we received. If it doesn’t, we return it back and go through the same process again.
As frustrating as it can get to customers, for businesses too it becomes a tiresome operational
process that is also expensive - as brands need to reinvest in the return logistics, shipment,
delivery and more.
WonderFashion’s virtual trial room using augmented reality helps in overcoming all these
problems. Firstly, it allows brands to bring their entire wardrobe online. Not like online shopping
where you can see images of models wearing the garments. This solution goes a step further by
rendering the garments too in 3D. This means that you can apply them to your digital twin and
see exactly how you would look in them.
While it is as engaging as the physical dress trial room, it also lets you try on a range of clothes
from the comfort of your home - anytime and anywhere. Users need not second guess how they
would look in a particular dress or contemplate whether a specific shade of colour would suit
them. Instead, with the help of the 3D avatar, users can clearly see for themselves. They can get a
360-degree look of their selection and can take a look at the tiniest details of the fabric.
With hyper-realistic lighting and dynamic backgrounds to choose from, they can make very
calculated buying decisions. A virtual clothes trial room can resolve the ‘returns issue’, thereby
allowing brands to invest their energies and finances on other areas of operations.
This personalised trial room can be altered to suit different people based on their interests and
buying patterns. Brands can get insightful information like preferences, interests, purchasing
capacity and much more. They can then use this data to launch focused marketing campaigns and
communications. This way, they can not only increase sales but also improve the overall
shopping experience for customers.
Additionally, an online fitting room can come in handy for businesses during times of pandemic -
the times we are living right now. A truly intelligent solution, it allows people to try and buy as
many clothes as possible without the risk of falling sick. This lets businesses always stay open,
no matter what the circumstances are. In the case of physical outlets too, customers who visit the
store can be handed over a phone or a tablet on which they can create their digital avatar and try
on all the clothes they like. At the end of it, they can proceed to the billing counter and walk out
with their shopping bag. This not only makes the entire shopping experience less tiresome but
also lets store enforce high standards of hygiene and safety - as the clothes trial will be
happening virtually.
Virtual clothes fitting is an innovation that has all the makings for catering to the next generation
of online buyers. While it offers a host of benefits, it is also the most logical iteration for online
brands as the world is transitioning into the digital realm very quickly. Imagine how beneficial a
Myntra virtual trial room could prove for Myntra shoppers. With leading businesses from around
the world looking at integrating this technology into their platforms, soon, augmented reality
shall become the new norm in retail shopping.
Not just for the fashion industry, augmented reality can prove to be a gamechanger for many
industries like automobile, real estate, cosmetics, jewellery and many more. Its digital interaction
interface makes it possible for brands across the spectrum to reach out to more audience and
engage them in a more compelling manner. Thereby taking us closet to the future.