5 Ways Technology is Changing the Fashion Industry

Technology is not solely limited to entertainment. Think of communication all through to innovation in businesses and you’ll undoubtedly agree tech has been changing our society in many different ways. One of the industries that has significantly reaped from technology in the last decade is the fast-paced fashion sector.

Tech has greatly changed how we view fashion and continues to dictate many aspects of its latest trends. Of the global online fashion market anticipated to be valued at $765 billion by 2022, e-commerce would constitute about 36% of total fashion sales. If that’s not enough of an indicator, here’s just a quick glimpse of how technology has dabbed into the fashion world.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Fashion industry is no stranger to big data buzzword sweeping every industry in the business sphere. Some fashion sectors have jumped onto the digitalization carriage and are using these machines to further their growth. With social media lively abuzz, manufacturers and retailers are utilizing AI to collect, organize, analyze and sort data into relevant categories. It’s thus getting easier understanding and predicting what customers are looking for and customizing its delivery.

Virtual/Augmented Reality (VR)

The growing online purchase by fashionistas has seen some brands suffering backlash from customers who received items that didn’t match their expectations. New VR platforms are striving to merge the physical and online worlds of fashion. Apps relying on augmented reality technology have enabled shoppers to try outfits on avatar (customized to the correct measurements) before purchasing an item. Offering more personalized experience to customers, these platforms change online shopping excitement for the better. Customers can see the product on themselves before the actual purchase.

3D Printing Has Become a Thing

In 90s, hearing of 3D printing was more of myth. This technology has recently invaded the fashion industry causing a huge frenzy. 3D printers are steadily becoming available for the fashion world. With the ability to create customized pieces readily, this tech allows more versatility for content creators. Any unique piece can be made on demand. This magnifies and delivers on the highly regarded aspect of personalization. Whatever unfolds later from 3D printing technology is obviously going to be more interesting.

Wearables are Now a Hot Commodity

From the Apple watch to Google glasses, several different wearables are innovating fashion with current technology. With huge improvement to computers and mobile devices, smart technology has been all the enticing rage in the last decade. Smart watches and fashion-forward fitness gears have grown popular. Think of the bracelets and shorts that track user’s steps all through to headphones that can monitor a person’s heart rate. Wearable technology seems to eclipse well with the fashion world. Design-wise, most of the available wearables aren’t there yet, but expect the fashion industry to still develop new innovative devices that will make life more seamless.

E-Commerce, Fashion Apps and Social Media

Internet access has grown easier whenever and wherever, thanks to smartphones. The fashion apps and digital wallets are just but an indication of how e-commerce is pushing its way into the business world. The technology of connectivity has not only introduced a sleeker form of online shopping, but also easy payment experiences. BigCommerce recently found out that two of three millennials prefer to shop online rather than visit the physical store. Social media also hugely markets a lot of fashion products. An example is Instagram’s shopping feature that offers users seamless mobile-friendly shopping experience by just clicking on the item of their interest.