Augmented Reality Is The Future Of The Fashion Industry
Augmented Reality Is The Future Of The Fashion Industry
The future of fashion is here, and it’s called augmented reality. This new technology is changing how we shop for clothes by allowing us to see how items look on our bodies without even trying them on.
What Does Augmented Reality Mean To The Fashion Industry?
The future of augmented reality in the clothing industry looks very promising. With recent technological advances, the potential for this type of application is increasing exponentially. Retailers are already starting to experiment with incorporating augmented reality into their shopping experience, and it is only a matter of time before this becomes the norm.
What does this mean for the future of shopping? Well, imagine being able to try on clothes without even having to put them on physically. You could see how they look on you, from all angles, and even see how they fit. This would save a lot of time and hassle, not to mention the number of clothes that would be returned because they didn’t fit properly.
In addition, augmented reality allows retailers to provide a more personalized shopping experience. For example, they could recommend specific items based on your previous purchase history. Or, they could show you how an item would look on you before you even decided to try it on.
Overall, the future of augmented reality in the clothing industry is looking very bright. It is only a matter of time before this technology becomes mainstream and revolutionizes how we shop for clothes.
Why Are Clothing Retailers Moving Towards Augmented Reality?
The world of technology has revolutionized every industry! We have seen the introduction of blockchain and AI technology in clothing production, 3D printing of textiles, and even entire garments! Over the last five years, there have been such advancements within the clothing and fashion industries.
It would be best if you asked what the attraction toward augmented reality is. Here are a few facts from Statista that may assist with why augmented reality is the way for fashion retailers.
· The augmented reality market is estimated at $30, 7 billion, which is expected to grow to approximately $50 billion by 2024.
· A survey done by Deloitte Digital in 2021 found that 76% of consumers preferred to use AR in their shopping.
· In another survey by Garner, it found that in 2020, 100 million consumers used AR technology.
Currently, several brands already make use of AR technology in various stages of the consumer purchasing chain. And as the shopping experience becomes more technologically oriented, the market share for augmented reality increases.
How Does The Fashion Industry Use Augmented Reality?
Can you imagine clothing buyers and merchandisers selecting their ranges from the comfort of their home office? Well, AR enables them to do precisely that. Clothing buyers no longer need to travel miles to create their seasonal ranges.
Here are a few reasons buyers and merchandisers choose to go the AR route.
1. AR Allows Easy In-Store Navigation
Shopping in-store is time-consuming for many consumers. Consumers prefer to make their purchases with the least time spent and effort. That’s where augmented reality assists consumers by reducing the time in the store searching for the item or product.
AR guides the consumer to the precise aisle that holds their garment. Much like how GPS guides a driver to their destination, AR does the same in-store.
2. Interactive Display Screens In Augmented Reality
International brands like Burberry, Zara, and Ralph Lauren utilize interactive display screens in their stores. They’ve found this improves consumer satisfaction.
Interactive display screens have changed the way customers purchase garments. Without physically trying on the garments, interactive display screens enable customers to view how the garment looks on their physique.
The best advantage of interactive display screens is it facilitates shopping for kids. Many of us with kids know what a task it is to shop for kids, no matter their age. Now with interactive display screens, we have the opportunity to select your kid’s wardrobe when the new school year comes around with more ease and comfort with less stress! Customers can play around with different looks, sizes, etc., before they make their final purchase decision.
3. Augmented Reality Gives Way To Virtual Try-On
Fashion brands like Dior and Balmain embrace augmented reality technology in their fitting rooms. With the assistance of Instagram and Snapchat, prominent brands have created AR filters that allow users to try on hats, sunglasses, bags, etc.
However, Gucci has taken AR technology far into the future. They created a filter that works with the rear phone camera. The technology is called Shoppable AR and allows consumers to browse through Gucci’s spectacular shoe catalog. Consumers point the rear camera to their feet using the filter and virtually try on as many shoes as they like. Fun activity!
Innovative Design With Augmented Reality
By creating virtual and augmented reality fashion shows, many celebrated fashion designers spun the fashion world on its head. Buyers, merchandisers, celebrities, and fashionistas were no longer required to visit fashion houses to view ranges. The latest seasonal range was compiled in-house and broadcast to interested parties over the internet.
That, however, was the introduction of augmented reality into the fashion world. Since then, there are huge strides forward in this field.
FINCH, a Ukrainian clothing company, experimented with AR and 3D printing. The team created sculptures of the models dressed in FINCH’s clothing. By applying AR technology, they were able to create Instagram filters. Consumers used filters to try various designs of eyewear and clothing. Cutting-edge technology at the swipe of your fingers.
We know clothing can be 3D printed in creative, sometimes over-the-top designs. FINCH took design to another level. They introduced clothing with 3D animation. So your T-shirt prints can now come alive!
FINCH worked with another Ukrainian brand FFFace.Me to digitize and create clothing that is next generation. They brought 3D animation to clothing, and brands are flocking to be a part of this technology.
Is Augmented Reality In The Fashion Industry Here To Stay?
In many ways, one can agree that augmented reality has a place in the clothing and fashion industry. The fashion industry is known for being labor intensive. It is fast-paced, and every aspect is based on time and, of course, money.
The faster the collections reach the consumer, the better the season. AR technologies cut through all the riff-raff and get to the point. However, there are some concerns about how safe AR is.
The fashion industry is a social one. People meet, discuss materials, resources, etc. and work with colleagues to put ranges together. With the introduction of AR technology, there are fears that social bonds will be weakened. There will no longer be human interaction.
There is also the issue of safety. If the devices are used outside of a confined area, the user may become so engrossed in their use that they may cause or be in an accident.
A significant cause of concern is the amount of data shared on social media and the security thereof. Filters on Snapchat or Instagram collect tons of information about facial recognition, retina patterns, speech patterns, etc. We should always be aware of how much we share on social media.
Conclusion
AR technology is the most innovative and immersive way of visualizing how fashion will look on you. It gives you access to a whole new level of information about your wardrobe and how it can be altered.
Moreover, it provides a way for retailers to showcase their goods interactively, allowing shoppers to see what they will look like with different styles or colors before buying them. The future of AR commerce is bright, just like the future of tech in general.
