The future of fashion as imagined by Fashion VR technology experts
Last year’s London Fashion Week highlighted the exciting technology of fashion VR/AR (virtual reality/augmented reality).
Guests at the Martine Jarlgaard show experienced a catwalk reimagined with mixed reality. Wearing Microsoft HoloLens headsets, they watched Jarlgaard’s 2017 collection come to life in holograms, then walked among the designs to explore them from all angles.
Jarlgaard and other designers envision a future that encourages curiosity and fully immerses the consumer in the fashion experience. We talked with experts in the fashion VR technology industry to get their take on additional ways VR/AR will transform the world of haute couture.
Glamour Immersion
Fashion consumers purchase a dazzling lifestyle. Imagine stepping out of the everyday and for a few minutes becoming part of a world of luxury and beauty, a world you can then bring home with you on a hanger.
“AR/VR offer a deeply immersive platform where customers can experience that lifestyle. We should expect to see technology providers, retailers and fashion brands partnering to create VR experiences in pop-up stores and designer departments.” Jake Bennett, CTO, POP
Turbocharged 3D Imagination
As AR/VR revolutionizes the architecture and design industries, the fashion industry takes note. With fashion VR apps, designers experiment with various combinations of materials in the virtual arena before sewing a single stitch.
“We will be able to see a design come to life in front of our eyes before it is actually made. Designers will be able to design the fashion items in VR with life-like materials.” Dogu Taskiran, CEO, Stambol Studios, Inc.
“Designers can try as many iterations as their time allows and simulate those daring designs on a mannequin. Then AR can be put in place by overlaying the fashion design over a model. Both processes help save time and money.” Joanan Hernandez, Founder, Mollejuo
Seaside Shopping on Demand
Shopping for a tropical vacation in the cold gray of a northern winter day requires a hefty dose of imagination. Fashion VR/AR provides a boost to the vision.
“You will be able to see a realistic 3D-version of yourself in various outfits, projected into an event that you were planning to attend. Just imagine watching a very realistic you in a very realistic world walk down the beach in a variety of swimsuits or attending a cocktail party in a variety of dresses.” Beverly Solomon, Creative Director of Beverly Solomon Design
Virtual Decision Therapy
The sheath or the A-line? Earth tones or reds? Choosing among various styles and colors can require endless clothing changes in the dressing room. VR simplifies the process.
“VR can be used for color and style comparison. Have virtual models stand side by side and compare outfits.” Tim Lynch, Psychsoftpc.
Powering the Path from Vision to Consumer
These and other fashion virtual reality possibilities join a host of exciting technology applications that challenge the traditional business model in intriguing ways. Innovators in the industry see events like the Jarlgaard show as an early step in the transformation of how consumers interact with fashion.
“From creation to showcasing and retailing, this medium will have a profound impact on the way brands and designers will connect to their consumers.” Matthew Drinkwater, Fashion Innovation Agency
“Business leaders see VR as a cost and time-saving tool. It’s powerful to be able to visualize a design before it physically exists, and VR makes design and coordination more accessible.” Shane Scranton, CEO of IrisVR
Oodles of exciting fashion VR apps sparkle on the near horizon. They promise more glamor and style in our lives, turbocharging design. Many seek to envelope shoppers in immersive occasion-specific and selection-rich experiences. Hence, the future of fashion, powered by VR, looks to wow and amaze. I can’t wait.
