The concept of an
online closet has been around for years, a system that shows you how clothes
look on your body, what clothes look good together and instructions in
accessorizing every outfit. This idea has always seemed so advanced, something
that will happen in the future, but in fact several of these systems have
already been made!
(TC)2 is one of the
largest apparel technology companies, with the central goal of turning research
into reality. They are constantly pushing the technological envelope and as a
result, they are the world leaders in digital body scanning. Digital body
scanning is a system that scans a person’s body and creates an avatar of that
individual, allowing them to shop virtually and see how clothes look on their
body without trying them on.
There
is still a lot of research being conducted about the scanning system to make it
as life-like and convenient as possible, but some stores have already started
using these systems. In Seattle, there is a store that displays only one size of
all of their clothes and then uses a body scanning system to determine the shopper’s
size. When the shopper wants to try items on in their own size, it will already
be waiting for them by the time they get to the fitting room.
The CEO of (TC)2, Mike Fralix predicts that eventually fitting
rooms will be obsolete. Customers will be able to walk into a store, see the
sample clothing, determine the digital fit and have the item shipped by the
store in 24-48 hours!
The avatars will also be saved in a database that allows
shoppers to access them on any computer. This gives consumers the ability to
shop at home and see if the clothes will fit properly, eliminating the need for
returns. The database also recommends shoppers the types of clothing that will
suit their body, colours that compliment their skin tones, and hairstyles that
enhance their facial features; one shopper can get up to 600 recommendations; this
concept is being referred to as an online mall.
An online mall makes purchasing clothes convenient for those
people who do not like the hassle of shopping but hits a sore spot for those
who love a Saturday trip to the mall. Does this online concept push the fashion
industry where it needs to go or does it take the fun out of loving what you
buy?
