Since 2019 when a virtual dress from The Fabricant sold for $9,500, we’ve seen an uptick in digital fashion. Virtual couture, NFT handbags, and digital accessories in games like Roblox have garnered everyone’s interest. Today, you can use your phone to see a friend’s shirt come alive or create your own digital filter. Fashion retailer, Bershka, partnered with FFFACE.ME to create a semi-digital clothing collection. Owners of the “Wearable Art” collection can add their own AR elements to it by using Instagram.
Today, fashion designers are launching AR mirrors for specific collections in a few stores. Retail stores like Tommy Hilfiger and Coach are installing AR mirrors so you can try on new outfits straight from the street. Tommy Hilfiger partnered with Zero10 AR mirrors for their Shawn Mendes collection. The AR mirrors are limited to ten items from the 28-piece physical collection. Coach also partnered with Zero10 at a store in New York’s Soho district. Anyone walking by can try on eight versions of the Coach Tabby Bag.
Snap is also releasing AR mirrors for retailers. Snap partnered with Nike to place their AR mirrors in stores. People who tried on outfits digitally received a discount code. AR mirrors aren’t just for fun. Goodr, a sunglasses company that uses Snap AR lenses, found their customers were 81% more likely to add products to their cart after using AR Try-On and mobile users had a 67% rise in conversions. [37]
Today, companies are just starting to pilot AR in stores but, as time goes on, clothes will be designed for AR first- - ready to drop for anyone with an AR device. AR is more than just wearing digital clothes or using digital products It also involves more from the creator. Today, someone will release a song on Instagram and Tik Tok, but they don’t keep the song to themselves. They tag other creators to hear their spin on the song. They release music so that anyone on the platform can perform the song on their own instrument of choice. The original artists will share it–proud to see their work on the digital stage.