Is The New Zara Try-On Tool Actually Any Good?

I’m sure we have all been there – endlessly online shopping, popping items into our basket but scared to click buy because we know that it will probably result in another trip to the post office or even worse, be stuck at the back of your wardrobe gathering dust because you once again missed the return date.

But fear no more, because Zara may have changed the online shopping game with their new AI tool.

The built in AI tool allows you to virtually try on the clothes before you buy. This means you can see how they fit, try on different pieces together, and get a feel for the item all before making the commitment.

@astyleinthemaking Zara has just launched an AI try-on feature & it’s not as interesting as you think… This isn’t Zara being ‘sustainable’ It’s about how tools like this might help people shop more intentionally resulting in fewer impulse buys, fewer returns & outfits that actually get worn again. @ZARA It doesn’t replace real try-on’s & doesn’t fix fast fashion but anything that helps people make better decisions is worth talking about, especially during party season! Would you use it? #partyseasonstyle #outfitformulas #intentionalshopping #fyp #partyseasonready ♬ original sound – Astyleinthemaking

Now this seems like a game changer for the online fashion industry, but how exactly does this AI tool work, and is it really necessary?

At the end of last year, Zara made the announcement that this tool would be a new feature on their mobile app and hoped it would change the future of online shopping. The tool was created by the Zara team in hopes it would help reduce the amount of clothing items being returned and ending up in landfill in an attempt to become a more sustainable brand.

To use the tool, all you have to do is upload two photos of yourself: One selfie and one full body photo. The AI tool will then generate your own 3D digital avatar where it fits the garments you choose on to your avatars body. From this you will be able to see how the fabric moves, creases and stretches in real time, while also seeing if the item suits your body shape.

Not only can you try items on for size, this tool also allows you to pair it with other items, like shoes, trousers, jackets to get a full feel and vibe for an outfit before you commit to the payment.

It all sounds very high tech and futuristic, just like something a late eighties film would have predicted, but how does it really play out?

 

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I must admit when I first heard this tool and the creation of an avatar to try clothes on for sizing, I was very much sceptical. I mean Zara sizing is notoriously bad, and after too many hours spent wrestling try to take off a tiny top, I had little hopes for how this new feature work and look!

But in all fairness, after I saw one or two tutorials online, I have to say I was impressed. From the comments section on the first few videos, it seemed that others had the same reaction as myself, and were fascinated by this new technology.

But with positive reviews also came some negative ones, with other social media users saying they found the feature extremely disappointing, and hard to use.

One creator put up a side-to-side comparison of all the virtual outfits the Zara tool had created versus how they looked in real life. And while some looked okay, most weren’t entirely accurate, with the biggest drawback being the back of the outfits.

Since the tool only requires a front facing photo, the back of the outfit is completely generated by AI on what it thinks it should look like. Therefore, when it comes to sizing on the back, the information will be totally inaccurate. When the creator of the video brought this issue up, she suggested that if proper measurements and body imaging was used it might be more accurate.

@rachaelgrif Zara have introduced us to their new AI try on feature on their app! I can’t wait for this to be spun as an accessibility feature or something😶‍🌫️But seriously wtf I’m uncomfortable with this…soon we’ll be the humans in Wall-E…No but seriously, does anyone think this is genuinely helpful? Maybe it’s just my feed, but for years it has been full of Zara reviews, and how their sizing is so OFF…???…anyway guys Zara is poop and let’s continue to shop second hand💖🩵🌀🩷#zara#ai#shopsecondhand#tryon#fastfashion ♬ Yacht Club – MusicBox

The creator of the video also goes on to say that some of the items looked different to how they did not only in real life, but from the product photo to the virtual avatar. She showed a pair of jeans that the avatar had made straight legged and baggy, when she knows the style is more of a tighter fit.

There’s also the issue of continued AI used in general, and the effects this has on the environment. Sure, an AI tool might reduce some clothes waste, but the amount of energy needed to generate AI content doesn’t exactly make it a “sustainable alternative.”

After seeing all the mixed reviews online, I decided to give the tool a go myself, and let’s just say I was less than impressed.

Firstly, I found the app itself quite hard to navigate, with no clear instructions on where this try on feature is, and where to upload my photo. After speaking to a chat AI service, I located the Try On tool and proceeded to set up my avatar. However, it took me five attempts to set up my avatar, with the app crashing every time I tried to upload my photo.

When I finally got my avatar set up, I have to say I was impressed, but a little underwhelmed. After all the work I had gone through to set it up, it felt like the outcome wasn’t enough, especially being aware of the body inaccuracies. What I will say is that I enjoyed putting outfits together and creating looks.

After my app crashed, I wanted to know if it was something that I did, or just a flaw in Zara technology, to which I found many other users had reported the feature not working for them either.

While it may not be changing the landscape of online shopping as we know it right now, apps like these may have its place in the future, with hopefully better advancements. But we can’t deny that it may help save at least one person with that got awful trip to the post office with a bag full of returns!