Cher Horowitz’s computerised catalogue wardrobe featured in the 1995 film Clueless has always been an item of great envy for me. Her ability to style outfits together on a screen and see how they look on a computerised mannequin of herself, only to be told by a satirical beep of the computer that the look is actually ‘mismatched’, couldn’t sound dreamier. Imagine being able to skip the hassle of emptying half your wardrobe onto your bedroom floor, which always inevitably results in you leaving the house in the same jeans and jumper combination that you wear every single day. For a film made nearly 30 years ago, Cher’s concept of a digitalised wardrobe is still, to my mind, an unknown experience, but with the ever-growing influence of the metaverse, comes the rise of digital dressing rooms. 

A digital/virtual dressing room is the computerised virtual equivalent of your classic changing room experience, except leave the harsh lighting, ghastly hot temperatures, and constant fear of being walked in on by another customer, at the store. This progression in retail experience allows customers to ‘try on’ clothes in the comfort of their own home, with the help of augmented reality and artificial intelligence. And it’s clear to see that consumers within a post-pandemic market are receptive to the virtual experience, with Fortune Business Insights predicting that the virtual fitting room market is set to reach 12.97 billion USD by 2028.  

Virtual reality designers, Reactive Reality, released the aptly named, PICTOFiT, back in 2021, describing themselves as the ‘perfect try-on solution for fashion brands and retailers’. With varying levels of personalization within the app, users can choose to either create an avatar of themselves by uploading photos, or place their measurements on an anonymous avatar, in a computerised imitation of themselves. The app also allows users to take their outfits beyond the dressing room, placing their avatar in various virtual environments; from the office, to the countryside, or even a night out. With augmented reality becoming even more prominent within the e-commerce market it seems that my dream of having a Cher inspired digital wardrobe is not as farfetched as once thought. And PICTOFiT’s statistics seem to suggest that this is a dream I share with consumers, as they record an average 500% increase in sales revenue from brands utilising their digital dressing technology, and a 30% decrease in product return rate from first-time shoppers. 

With premium brands like Gucci, Hugo Boss and Burberry, allowing customers to try on their garments virtually, it seems that the AI experience is becoming the expected norm in delivering top customer service. Beyond the dressing rooms, artificial intelligence is becoming a key marketing tool in the strategies of the luxury fashion houses. Back in 2021, Gucci launched a virtual Gucci Garden on the digital platform Roblox, in celebration of their 100^th Anniversary, allowing players to complete the gaming experience decked out in a full Gucci look. Their focus in ensuring their anniversary celebrations were accessible to the virtual realm signifies a turning point for the brand, as we witness the commodification of the digital design market.  

As luxury fashion houses continue to prioritise customer access to the digital experience, the future of fashion technology seems firmly sited within the metaverse. The fashion start-up, DRESSX, is a digital only fashion platform carrying virtual pieces from a huge number of brands, including collaborations with adidas, Bershka and Coco Cola. Once a digital item has been purchased, customers submit a photo of themselves to DRESSX, and within 24 hours, they should receive an image of themselves wearing their chosen garment created by augmented reality. This image is then in the users hands to submit or upload to social media as many times as they want. The garments themselves are loud, flamboyant and dominate space on my screen, and with no need to acknowledge practicality, the digital world offers unlimited creative freedom and license to ignore the physics of fabric design. It can’t help but feel a little paining that the beauty of some of these designs will never be worn in the real world, but as the fashion industry continues to face constant backlash over their contribution to the climate crisis, DRESSX offers a solution to mass production and consumption. 

Whilst yes, these virtual experiences are mainly tailored to the consumer retail market, rather than digitalisation of personal wardrobes at home, these developments do open the potential for bringing AI inside our homes. German start-up, Styleriser, assists customers with their purchases by recommending the best colours or tones to suit their skin. By uploading a photo of themselves to the software, customers are helped in their fashion decisions by AI image consultants. This tool has proven to be successful in the retail market as Styleriser CEO Mark Hunsmann, says shoppers have a new confidence in shopping, resulting in an 80% increase in purchasing eagerness. An AI image consultant is not too dissimilar to Cher’s computerised assistant warning her of an incompatible look. So, maybe, my dream of having a Clueless esc wardrobe in 2023 is not so far out of reach…