The $2.4 trillion fashion industry is a hotbed for new trends and technological advancement. It prospers on the constant changes in consumer standards, better aesthetics, and more interactive shopping experiences.
And if you think about it, it makes sense. Virtual reality is a platform that brands are using to improve consumer interaction with their products. Now, if you are shopping for a casual look, you can try on a green bomber jacket men’s collection before buying. From the seamless blend of real-time and virtual environments, you get to experience shopping first hand, from the comfort of your home or in-store.
Growth of Virtual Reality in Fashion
Virtual reality is taking the fashion industry to the next level by boosting customer experience. It has been the new tool shoppers use to make more informed decisions in the already developed market.
The integration of synthetic cognition and reality is growing steadily. Couple this with a few games and smartphones, and you’ve got yourself a young crowd ready to try and progress the idea.
Virtual Reality for In-Store Shopping
With over 73 million millennials making a significant portion of the fashion market in today’s world, the inclusion of technology in shopping experiences is fast becoming a worthwhile investment. This tech-savvy generation appreciates trends and social media trends, and clothing retailers are taking advantage of this.
Other than the impressive experience and wow factor you get to enjoy when shopping, the use of virtual reality makes shopping more convenient. And with the added visual appeal, you can entice your audience to buy more.
Store owners are employing virtual reality to boost sales with augmented reality, which shows clients alternative outfits that complement their selection.
What Are the Benefits of Virtual Reality?
Technology has reshaped the industry and offered guidelines to future generations, from new, improved fabrics, designs, and stitches to features that make clothes what they are. With the use of VR in the fashion industry, both end-consumers and manufacturing are reaping benefits.
And while the beauty industry strives to modernize in-store shopping, the fashion world uses VR to bring the store to your home.
Using VR, you can view, review and try on clothes before making a purchase. Using tech, you can create your avatar whose physical features and measurements match yours. And using the avatar, you can shop and review the garment from different angles to only select the one that fits you best.
And if you are sick and tired of fitting into those tight, closed-space fitting rooms at your local vendor, then virtual reality is the next thing for you. You can create a digital dressing room to try on different pieces of clothes, and if you have a killer green bomber jacket men’s collection you want to buy, why not confirm the fit first before ordering in?
Finally, nothing compares to the convenience of shopping from home. And it has long been an appreciated idea, but shopping blindly has always been a concern for many shoppers. With the confusion between sizing charts, international standards, and many middlemen, only a handful of people got the quality they wanted. Virtual reality is revolutionizing all this by bringing a cloth store to your living room. Now, shopping comfortably, from your couch, and quick deliveries are base guidelines for fashion houses and outlets.
What is the future of VR in fashion?
Though technology has been affecting the fashion industry, virtual reality has been a skeptical matter that many believe could change how end-users and manufacturers perform in the market.
The fashion industry saw a surge in technologies that enabled people to tap into emerging markets over the past decade. However, not many technological advancements hold water for a long time, and brand owners resort to digitized markets and interaction platforms with their users.
Virtual reality is a new powerful tool that vendors and customers can use to interact. However, it will take time before it peaks, and almost every fashion house has a virtual reality room. Just like e-commerce took time to build, augmented reality will need time.
That said, it is clear that VR is a space you can invest in and gain profits. Even social media giants like Facebook and Snapchat have their share in virtual and augmented reality.
Even then, it is challenging to make an accurate projection of where VR will be in the next five to ten years. But from the growth it is experiencing today, it is safe to say that you will soon need not visit dress fittings for the perfect jacket to match your outfit.
How VR Will Evolve for The End Consumer
Customer adoption of VR/AR will see the fashion industry attract more clients to their shops. From attending high-class fashion shows with front row seats to getting full access to the latest actual runway shows, you get to immerse yourself in the fashion industry with the tap of a button.
The gaming industry, which also goes hand in hand with the fashion industry, finds the perfect place to interact on virtual reality. These platforms help you build a relationship and interact with a fashion brand that speaks to your style and preference. And once you are happy with a design, you can put some dollars on it and have it delivered in a few days.
VR for Fashion retailers
Nothing speaks to fashionistas than finding that one store that makes shopping fun, quick and satisfactory, with a range of products, from summer to winter, fall to spring collections. Retailers can now include virtual reality to present these options to their customers without stuffing their shops with all the products. And if you master the customer shopping trends, you can appease their preference, making them come back.
With the ability to create virtual clothing for your audience, and shoppers having to spend more time indoors today, you can exploit the digital realm to your advantage.
So, does VR really work in fashion?
We cannot conclude the discussion without discussing whether VR works or is a new online store marketing. But the question to this answer lies in data.
With a comprehensive analysis of customer data, you can create clothes that match your market, be it single-size or multi-size demographics, which is usually the case. However, VR is one way to drive end-user benefits.
Not long ago, luxury brands took to e-commerce, and now there’s a new feature. So, it may take some time, but for tested cases, the younger generation would go for a more exciting shopping experience at their favorite store rather than go out and stroll the mall looking for a bomber jacket to wear to their road trip.
Truth be told, virtual fashion is fast-rising, from fashion powerhouses like Nike and Adidas to clothe lines selling bomber jackets for men like us. And this technology is becoming more influential now more than ever. With the blend of reality and virtual experiences, you can interact with a hybrid closet behind that screen and walk home with what you love.
Final Thoughts
The fashion industry follows technological advancements and evolves with time. It may be a slow process like introducing e-commerce to shopping platforms, but the trends take ground. Virtual reality is breaking the market to make the user experience even better. Yes, it has worked with famous brands before, and you can try it too. No more stuffed fitting rooms and tiring trips to the clothes store.