Let's test out some more fashion and tech marriages to see if they have a bright future together. 

Digital Innovation: Shaping the fashion experience

For digital innovation, engineers and coders have helped to provide better experiences for customers but fashion customers are super picky.  Customers nit pick over everything from identifying their own body types, the task of self measurement and how life life the avatars may be. So how is technology holding up in digital innovation?

Actual digitization of person in body scanner.

Body scanning technology

Myth: Putting a body scanner in a store will help customer find their right size. The sophisticated mobile scanners are designed to take accurate measurements alleviating the question of “what’s my size?”. This alone should solve the issue of fit.

Truth:  Studies have shown customers loathe being body scanned. The experience is too personal and data it produces it too complicated. Customers are very unhappy when they are made to see the images of themselves in 3D because most people have a completely different idea of what they look like. Levi Jeans Introduced the technology in 2005 for  customers to solve the denim fit issue, it did not last. Selfridges put a body scanner in the mall for customers to better assess their own sizing issues and it was met with similar feelings of dissatisfaction. The truth is, bombarding customers with sophisticated technology may seem like it solves a problem but it’s not always what the customer wants.

*Body scan data analysis is undoubtedly important when it is analyzed properly and then fed back to the customers in a way they can utilize.

Men’s body scanning

3D scanning Bespoke tailoring

Myth: Everyone will love 3D body scanning for bespoke tailoring , it’s undoubtedly the future of customer clothing. Using 3D scanners for bespoke clothing creates a more private and customized experience for the customer. It will replace traditional tailors, speed up the time to get garments and revolutionize the custom experience.

Truth: The technology is yet to successfully replaced the knowledgeable tailor and the personal experience provided by a hands on experience. Proprietors of the technology for bespoke fail to realized that many people love the personal experience of having a tailor, asking questions and the feeling of being measured and pinned. Yes the scanners would make bespoke more efficient but fashion customers aren’t always looking for a quick way out when it comes to their investments of fine clothing and they enjoy personal interactions. Younger guys would better benefit from a tech tailor over the older generation. 

Virtual Try On

Myth: Creating an experience where customers can enter their measurements online will alleviate the try on problem and help customers understand fit.

Truth: Entrusting customers to accurately enter their measurements is a faulty system. Customers do not keep that data on hand and measuring always leaves room for error.  Also Inputting data about body measures does not alleviate the issue of fit completely. Many companies are yet to adopt a response to these technologies so customers have limited brands to choose from when inputting fit data. This method also incorrectly assumes the customer only wants one type of fit interpretation. This method is innovative but it is by far not the best solution.

Gosh no!

Avatars

Myth:  Avatars make virtual shopping experiences better. A great deal of computing and engineering has been spent on the creation of “true to life” avatars for fashion customers to virtually try on clothing because having an avatar makes the experience better. The idea operates under the assumption that customers would love to try on clothing with avatars they can personalize and this experience will be awesome for customer engagement.

Truth: Save the fancy avatars for wii consoles. Avatars do not actually improve the online shopping experience for online customers. In fact, customers are very picky with avatars and get distracted by features, skin tone and other various details that I’m sure designers did not anticipate. Although many consumers like interacting with the avatars , it’s more for fun and less for serious online shopping. If avatars are being used for fit technology they need to be strictly fit based. 

Verdict on the Matrimony

I’m not saying some technologies haven’t been successful,  many have gained much success. What I am saying is, to create the SUPERIOR virtual experience for the fashion customer, there has to be a meeting of minds between the experienced fashion veteran as the visionary and a talented engineer as the programmer. This marriage has the potential to be extremely successful if both partners learn to give and take while respecting each others roles, expertise and vision.

But what do you think?