Google has announced a significant expansion of its virtual try-on feature, now including dresses - one of the most searched apparel categories. This update comes just in time for the fall fashion season, building on the success of their previous virtual try-on tool for tops launched last year.
Key Highlights of the Expansion
Expanded Category: Virtual try-on now includes dresses from hundreds of brands across Google's Shopping Graph, including SIMKHAI, Boden, Staud, Sandro, and Maje.
User Engagement: Since its launch, the virtual try-on feature has shown promising results:
- 60% more high-quality views for virtual try-on images on Search
- Users try on clothes using an average of four models per product
- Increased likelihood of users visiting a brand's site after viewing virtual try-on images
How It Works: U.S. users can search for dresses, click on styles with a "try on" badge, and view the garment on diverse models ranging in sizes from XXS-XXXL.
Shopping online for seasonal wardrobes can be both fun and challenging. It's often difficult to gauge how a new style will look, and purchasing items that don't work can lead to a cumbersome returns process for both shoppers and retailers. Google's virtual try-on tool aims to alleviate these issues by providing a more accurate representation of how clothing items will look on different body types.
Technological Advancements
To accommodate the complexity of dresses, Google's research team developed two key innovations:
Progressive Training Strategy: This approach allows the AI to capture fine details of dresses, such as prints, pleats, and intricate designs, which were often lost in lower-resolution images.
VTO-UNet Diffusion Transformer (VTO-UDiT): This new technique preserves a person's important features during the try-on process, ensuring an accurate portrayal of both the dress and the person wearing it.
In an exciting development, Google has partnered with ready-to-wear brand SIMKHAI for New York Fashion Week. Following SIMKHAI's September show, shoppers will be able to virtually try on select dresses from the collection straight from the runway and pre-order them from SIMKHAI's site.
Impact on Online Shopping
This expansion demonstrates Google's commitment to enhancing the online shopping experience through AI-powered solutions. By providing more accurate visualizations of clothing on diverse body types, the tool aims to help shoppers make more informed decisions, potentially reducing returns for retailers and improving overall customer satisfaction.
As the fashion industry continues to evolve, Google's virtual try-on feature represents a significant step towards more immersive and user-friendly online shopping experiences. With the inclusion of dresses and the ability to showcase runway collections, this tool is set to revolutionize how consumers interact with fashion online.
