Fashion brands to launch virtual fitting room

Adidas, Hugo Boss and Superdry are among a number of brands set to launch a virtual fitting room function aimed at improving the online shopping experience for customers.

Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss will offer a virtual fitting room online.

Shoppers can use the tool, created by Fits.me, to enter their measurements including height, weight, bust, hip and waist size to see an an accurate reflection of what a particular item will look like on them.

It uses robotic mannequins to model garments and photographs each item to show how clothes fit all size and shape combinations.

Shoppers could, for example, look up what a size 10 dress would look like on their dimensions compared with a size 12 of the same dress rather than a stock image of a model wearing the item.

The brands using the tool, which also include fashion label Nicole Farhi and LK Bennett, are likely to introduce the tool alongside their spring summer collections.  

Fits.me says the tool allows online shoppers to “overcome the obstacle” of not being able to physically try on garments.

Heikki Haldre, founder and chief executive of Fits.me believes the assurance the tool offers shoppers will increase confidence in buying clothing online and also reduce return rates. It claims conversion rates of up to 62 per cent compared to retailers using a traditional size chart.

Online shopping is set to reach £87bn in 2013, growing 12 per cent year on year, according to IMRG and retailers are investing in online platforms to help boost sales.

Brands including Thomas Pink and Pretty Green have already trialled the service.

Tesco launched a similar virtual fitting room tool that overlays an image of clothing items onto a personalised model on its Facebook page last year. It has since rolled it out to its main F&F fashion site.

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