Fashion fanatics have long craved the convenience of Cher Horowitz’s digital fitting room in Clueless. You know the one, the computer app where you can swipe to see how every item in your wardrobe will look together, and more specifically, how it will look on you. So, it’s really no surprise in today’s convenience-driven, technology-centric world that virtual fitting rooms are becoming the new reality for fashion brands and shoppers alike.
Yes, virtual try-on is gaining momentum in the e-commerce sphere, especially for mega brands like ZARA, Nike, ASOS, and LVMH, and there’s a good reason. This isn’t tech for tech’s sake; as online retail continues to become the preferred mode of shopping for many consumers, this AI-driven technology is aiming to solve two of fashion retail’s biggest problems: 1) uncertainty around fit and 2) high return rates.
Here’s why fashion retailers looking to improve their e-commerce conversion rates should be paying attention to virtual try-on.
Why virtual try-on (VTO) is surging in fashion retail
Online fashion returns are still one of fashion’s most expensive problems. There are several reasons why apparel return rates are consistently reaching 30–40%, and that includes:
- Inadequate product page features regarding fit and fabric,
- sizing inconsistencies between categories and brands,
- and customers not knowing how a garment will look on their body.
These problems aren’t going away, so in the pursuit to reduce returns and increase customer confidence, more and more brands are seeing the possibilities in the new generation of VTO technology.
One of the original purposes of the runway model was to allow audiences to see how clothing moved, draped, and fit on the body – the very experience that encourages buyers to place orders to this day. So, why wouldn’t a similar, virtual experience have the same effect… just infinitely more personal with the customer subbed in for the model?
The best part is that VTO goes beyond the standard e-commerce video and involves the customers in the online shopping process. Finally, the online shopper can visualise products before purchasing; they can regain the interactive, human aspect of shopping that 2D ghost imagery so sorely misses.
In fact, per a January 2025 Imagine.io report, augmented reality (AR) integration can lead to up to 40% reduction in product returns, especially for apparel and footwear, while 72% of luxury fashion consumers in the UK are looking to use AR as a standard part of the digital shopping experience.
The technology is moving quickly enough to shift mainstream retail infrastructure. AR try-ons have been shown to boost purchase likelihood and engagement compared with traditional product pages. AI models, like Google’s Try It On, “understands the human body and nuances of clothing” and are capable of realistically simulating fabric drape, body shape, and product fit.
How does virtual try-on work?
AR and computer vision couldn’t be more real in fashion e-commerce. From the high street to luxury, fashion brands and retailers are integrating tools that allow customers to see how clothing, shoes, eyewear, or makeup might look on their own bodies using a smartphone camera or uploaded image.
AI body mapping
For the most accurate fit possible, body mapping is used to create a personalized 3D model of the shopper. The customer either uploads a full-body photo or uses their device’s camera for a quick scan, then the software locates dozens of precise measurement points on the body, and constructs a custom 3D avatar that accurately mirrors the customer’s real-life proportions.
Augmented reality overlays
For AR overlays, Shoppers use smartphone cameras or smart mirrors to overlay clothing, shoes, or accessories on their bodies in real-time. Advanced AR tools simulate fabric drape, fit, and movement, creating a nearly tactile digital try-on.
Computer vision and facial/body tracking
Computer vision analysis works to understand the human body and garment structure, using technologies such as:
- Pose estimation - Identifying body landmarks and orientation
- Body segmentation - Separates the person from background
- Shape analysis - Maps body proportions and dimensions
- Fabric detection - Analyzes garment texture and drape
Generative AI for realistic garment simulations
This VTO technology generates photorealistic final images using advanced neural networks to create realistic images and near-perfect 3D scene representation, while maintaining lighting and environment consistency and finishing each image with super-resolution, for quality and detail.
How are fashion retailers using VTO?
From footwear to apparel, beauty, and eyewear, brands are incorporating VTO technology across the complete customer experience. The tools are being utilized across their apps, websites, and in-store fitting rooms in the form of selfie-based try-ons, live AR camera try-ons, smart mirrors in stores and avatar-based digital fitting rooms.
RealFit, a VTO tool by Catches and investor-backed by members of LVMH’s Arnault family, is a capability for labels like Amiri that allows shoppers to see, with mirror-like realism, exactly how a garment will fit, drape, and move on their own body before purchasing. Shoppers enter their measurements and a photograph to generate a digital twin, toggling between sizes to know exactly how each piece will fit. And with the Arnault name attached to investors, the luxury end of the market is likely to pick up steam on the technology.
Always at the forefront of the online customer experience, Spanish fashion giant Zara is experimenting with AR mirrors and app-based try-on features. Available in the brand’s app, consumers can select any clothing item to ‘try on’. All the app asks for is two photos – one headshot selfie and one full-length body picture to get your personal avatar ready.
Similarly, ASOS is testing AI-powered tools allowing shoppers to preview clothing on digital avatars or personal photos, and Zalando is integrating AI and virtual try-on. Pioneering the footwear market, Nike uses the Nike Fit app to scan feet and recommend the correct shoe size, while for eyewear, Warby Parker used facial-mapping AR to let customers try frames digitally, and Ray-Ban’s online tools show how sunglasses look via webcam or photo upload.
The business impact
The technology may be intimidating, but the impact is clear. VTO tools offer an enormous advantage for the e-commerce stores that rely on their online channels for the bulk of their sales.
Not only does the VTO and AR encourage reduced returns and higher conversion rates, but the consumer can enjoy a more engaging, interactive, and personalized shopping experience that will leave them coming back for more. Studies suggest AI-powered tools boost satisfaction and repeat purchases by up to 35%.
In an increasingly omnichannel retail landscape, virtual try-on bridges the disconnect between in-store and online shopping, with the interactive storefronts even offering the ability to create viral moments. In a world where fit and sizing is increasingly scrutinized, the time is now for fashion brands and retailers to invest in the tech that offers a rare solution to fashion’s biggest challenges.
