For some of us, online shopping has been somewhat of a coping mechanism during this pandemic. It's been a more convenient and safer option of late—everything from your favourite sportswear brand to those treat-yourself luxury fashion buys are a few simple clicks away. And all can be done without even leaving your bed.
But with buying fashion online, there's a risk of not liking something that's been shipped to you. Looking at an item on the screen is certainly not the same as trying it on to see if it's something that one could pull off. Returning them is always an option of course, but that also comes at the cost of going through unnecessary (and sometimes troublesome) procedures.
Farfetch is aiming to ease those concerns and make shopping using its iOS app a tad more intuitive. Partnering up with augmented reality (AR) technology company Wannaby, users are now able to try on sneakers at home, even before purchasing them. The 'Virtual Try-On' feature is currently only available on the Farfetch iOS app and has just been launched in conjunction with the e-commerce platform's designer sneaker edit.
While the edit consists of a diverse range of sneakers from fashion brands the likes of Gucci, Versace and Prada, the 'Virtual Try-On' feature is only available for the Off-White selections for now. Each dedicated page of an Off-White sneaker features a 'Virtual Try-On' button which fires up a camera function. All one needs to do is wait for the AR program to detect their feet and a three-dimensional rendering of the selected pair of sneaker will show up quite seamlessly as though they're being worn.
Can't decide between a low-top variation in red or white? Make that decision easier by checking how they look on you. It's a nifty function, especially if Off-White isn't a brand that you're already familiar with.
Farfetch's use of AR is by no means the first of its kind. Gucci was one of the first luxury companies to partner up with Wannaby, using the same approach for the house's Ace sneakers in 2019. The company has also teamed up with various other sneakers brands to incorporate the use of AR, as well as created its own app, Wanna Kicks.
The Farfetch 'Virtual Try-On' feature is only available using its official iOS app.
