Forget mannequins. The next time you walk into a Zara store, you may see clothing modeled through augmented reality instead.
Zara removed mannequins from 120 stores worldwide for one week and replaced them with augmented reality displays. Customers can access the experience through an app on their phones. Instead of traditional mannequins, shoppers scan the empty display pedestals with their phones to reveal holographic fashion models inside the app. Customers can even take selfies with the hologram models.
Believe it or not, Zara created the augmented reality models using real people. Models Julian and Fran Summers posed, talked, and danced while photographers captured more than 60 images of each person. Designers then used those images to build the holograms.
This experiment likely marks the beginning of Zara’s expansion into augmented reality retail experiences. The company wants to see whether customers prefer viewing clothing on moving digital models instead of traditional mannequins. Zara also hopes to learn whether augmented reality can drive more sales. If shoppers respond positively, the retailer may introduce even more augmented reality features in the future.
