Introduction to Augmented Reality Fashion
It’s a dilemma a lot of us are faced with – it looks good on the model in the image, but will it look good on me? Augmented reality takes among the stress out of that call by combining tech with fashion and allowing you to try on that purchase before you truly make the leap. From clothing and shoes to accessories and make-up, augmented reality items offer you the posh of try before you purchase.
What is AR Fashion?
AR fashion or augmented reality clothing is a type of digital graphic that uses technology to use artwork to a photograph or video. It allows the user to virtually try on clothing using technology that adapts the artwork to your body movements, after which shows a picture of the way you’d look in real time. There’s even the choice of buying digital garments and posting a photograph of yourself wearing the item, cutting out the delivery process altogether.
How AR Fashion Works
The social media app Snapchat is just one in every of the businesses that uses AR technology. They have over 250 million people engaging with AR day-after-day, with a mean of six billion AR plays a day. Users can select from various ‘lenses’ that supply you a glimpse into how an item would look. They launched a brand new feature on Snapchat called ‘Dress Up’, that compiles AR fashion and try-on’s from creators, retailers, and fashion brands. Creators and types use the app to indicate users what items might appear to be before they make a purchase order.
Benefits of Augmented Reality within the Fashion Industry
By using AR before making a purchase order, the user gets a feel of what an outfit or product looks like without physically having it in front of them. The rise of online shopping, which particularly increased throughout the pandemic, means items are returned more incessantly, which in turn has an impact on the environment. Rajni Jacques, Global head of Fashion and Beauty at Snapchat, says "66% of shoppers who use AR are less prone to return the acquisition". This signifies that AR fashion will be seen as reducing someone’s carbon footprint. Jacques adds that "the patron gets to really play and have interaction with the brand" and in consequence "Snap AR makes online shopping fun and for brands, it’s impactful simply because it’s personalized".
Who is Using AR Technology within the Fashion Industry?
Snapchat collaborates with brands on augmented reality projects that allow users to make purchases directly from the Snapchat platform and offers an experience that involves more interaction with the products themselves. Snap recently worked with Vogue to "enhance" physical fashion items with the usage of lenses and augmented reality designs. In the digital age, some artists are even offering digital garments where users can share photos of themselves with perfectly fitted clothing items, a few of that are beyond the realms of possibility.
The Future of AR Fashion
Doddz, an augmented reality creator, hosted the primary all-AR runway show within the UK during London Fashion Week, debuting his Defy collection. The fashion show began as an education concerning the environmental impact of fashion and the way digital garments is usually a sustainable option for conscious buyers. The show used Snapchat body tracking to indicate the audience how the garments would look using augmented reality. "The audience held their phone up after which using body tracking on Snapchat, the garments […] were applied to the models as they walked around." Rajni at Snap said "day-after-day is different, there are recent finds, recent things which can be happening, engineers creating recent things. So what something looks like on Monday may not be what it will appear to be in a month from now."
What is Holding AR Fashion Back?
If you have used any AR filter across social apps, from the cry face to the cartoon filter, you will know that it might be glitchy. As the technology tracks the body or face movements, users notice the items or lenses glitching because the tech tries to update itself in real time. Doddz adds that the tech is not entirely there yet "however the tech is improving, the processing speeds are improving. So it might do all those calculations quicker." "The Internet speeds are going to get quicker, which will let you perhaps have more garments or greater file sizes. Bigger file sizes means that you would be able to look more realistic."
Conclusion
Augmented reality fashion is changing the way in which we shop and interact with clothing. With the power to try on virtual garments and buy digital items, AR fashion is reducing the necessity for physical try-ons and subsequent returns, which in turn reduces waste and minimizes environmental impact. As the technology continues to enhance and more brands begin to utilize AR, we will expect to see a shift in the way in which the style industry operates. With its potential to make online shopping more fun, personalized, and sustainable, AR fashion is an exciting development that is bound to shape the longer term of the style industry.
