Coronavirus has changed how we shop, affecting just how many go into a store, so is digital the answer? Snapchat’s experiments may suggest yes.
The future is always coming, and while we don’t have flying cars or robots to do all the nitty gritty chores you don’t like, you may soon have a way of trying on clothes without, you know, actually trying them on.
The world of augmented reality (AR) may well be to the rescue here, as Snapchat teams up with the world of high fashion so you don’t actually need to go in store to try something on. AR isn’t just for games or checking out how big dinosaurs were in real life, and while we suspect folks still will make their way into stores, this approach may spark the beginning of people using their phones as a test for what clothing and shoes look like before needing to physically try them on.
It’s a collaboration between Snapchat and Gucci, as the two launch a lens for the popular social media app that allows you to virtually superimpose one of four pairs of Gucci shoes on your feet, getting a glance as to what the items will look like.
To try it out and see what virtual shoes look like, thrown on a pair of socks (no shoes) and grab your phone. The augmented reality fashion show can be launched using the two Snapchat codes below, and the shoes can even be purchased from the app.
While we suspect Gucci is hoping folks will say yes and order from their phone, our guess is augmented reality trial runs of shoes won’t quite reveal everything about them, and you may still yet want to go for a walk around a shop in order to see whether real shoes are a right fit, even if their AR counterpart looks like the goods.
Still, it’s a bit of a beginning, and one anyone with a recent phone can try out for themselves. Snapchat says this is the first time its AR fit trial technology has been used with a brand since the tech was first announced this year, so we may end up seeing more as the year wears on.
“Snapchatters are actively looking for more and more ways to engage with brands on our platform and we’re so excited to help partners like Gucci connect with them during this time,” said Selby Drummond, Head of Fashion and Beauty at Snapchat’s Snap Inc.
“The entire industry knows that augmented reality try-on is going to be incredibly important to the future of commerce and after many years of investing in the space, we’re proud to share it with Snapchatters alongside a brand that they love.”
