With Covid’s 3rd wave coming in, online shopping is all set to take a full swing yet again.
Future of fashion in the digital age as collaborative and inventive, online try-ons and sampling have become a viable choice as 3D technologies and AR/VR options have entered the fashion sector.
Since the epidemic broke out in the year 2020, the world and its ways have changed dramatically. Technology and digitization are rapidly infiltrating even the tiniest of global processes. With virtual becoming the trend these days, fashion has taken a virtual turn as well. Fashion of all kinds is now widely available on the internet via websites and apps. Virtual fashion has remained popular due to various advantages, including low pricing, high quality, and convenient delivery.
The outbreak of the COVID virus has only accelerated the apparel industry’s digitization. All types of clothing labels are now available online, including customized bespoke premium brands that were formerly slow and resistant to digitization. While the digital transition is extensive, one cannot anticipate it to totally eliminate the presence and relevance of physical stores, which will continue to play an important role in the world tomorrow. The introduction of such technologies, according to one experience e-commerce platform, makes purchasing more accessible and navigable by a far wider audience.
The growing demand for industrial sustainability is a crucial reason that has opened the road for digitalization to become an important norm in the fashion industry. Fashion in the digital age is collaborative and inventive. Online try-ons and sampling have become a viable choice as 3D technologies and AR/VR options have entered the fashion sector. It’s currently being utilized for sampling, try-ons, and digital demonstrations, reducing the amount of waste generated by the fashion industry. By eliminating any carbon footprint, these digital samples have reduced production costs and time. This shift is necessary, given that technology and sustainability are likely to be the two primary pillars of future corporate growth.
Furthermore, purchasers can now choose from a wider range of personalized clothing options, resulting in a market shift toward bespoke clothing labels, rather than the previous dominance of readymade brands in terms of market share. This move could result in a large market share for personalized clothing in the future.
Technology and digitization have also played a vital role in expediting operations on the manufacturer’s side, in addition to making buying easier for customers. Moreover, sustainable fashion businesses have a lot of promise to help the bespoke clothes industry go green. Some fashion firms are incorporating digital transformation into their production processes, such as VR/AR design, 3D design, virtual fitting rooms, digital apparel, AI buyer prediction, and so on, to improve the precision and efficiency of manifolds.
Finally, in the clothes production process, sampling and the use of sustainable materials have helped to reduce costs while also increasing the garment’s durability and life. Fashion designers can now model materials into exact reproductions of 3D clothing, eliminating the need for several modifications and reducing material and resource waste.
It’s not only about data management; it’s also about lowering costs and increasing efficiency. Traditional methods of clothing creation generate a lot of trash. According to a recent study by Aalto University, the fashion sector produces 92 million tonnes of garbage each year. By switching to a 3D-digital design process, this vast waste output may be reduced by about 75%.
According to a recent survey by IMRG and Hive, fashion retailers are anticipating significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming years. Using computer-aided systems and artificial intelligence (AI) methods, one may match supply with demand and limit unnecessary manufacturing. AI and augmented reality can be coupled to improve shopper experiences even more (AR). Virtual fitting rooms powered by technology and chatbots are being used by fashion businesses all over the world. Fashion shops can profit from digitising work processes by entering new markets, saving time and money, and creating successful marketing campaigns and new merchandise.
Customers can use online platforms to compare prices, personal spending limits, varieties, and sizes, among other things. AI-based technology allows customers to communicate with sellers via virtual buyer-seller meetings. If current trends continue, the fashion industry will become increasingly reliant on technology in the future, forcing those who are still doing things the old way (which has proven to be unsustainable) to change.
The pandemic has been a difficult period for everyone. Some industries, on the other hand, have used it as an opportunity to actually innovate and move up, demonstrating that there is always a silver lining if you look hard enough. One of these businesses is personalized apparel, which has elevated its status and demand by making significant changes to how it operates. Brands of bespoke apparel are finally making an online debut and benefiting greatly from it, overcoming their previous reluctance to a digital change. In the scope of this essay, some of the ways in which digitalization has affected the present and is projected to shape the future of fashion were examined. While there are concerns about plagiarism, increased rivalry, and an overabundance of communication with clients and suppliers, fashion houses cannot overlook the benefits of the digital age.
The above article is authored by Bibhuti Dash, Founder and CEO, Louoj.
