Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8.2
Technology that enables customization of products for made-to-
measure sizing such as the body-scanning method invented by Bodymetrics, as
well as those that support style selection such as the Personal Avatar introduced
by My Virtual Model, have brought an evolution in made-to-measure luxury
product creation en-masse
principle of made-to-measure. This application, called My Virtual Model
(see Figure 8.2), works by allowing customers to take their own measure-
ments or to select pre-determined sets of measurements that are closest to
theirs. Parameters that allow the input of information about the general body
shape can also be entered including the dimensions of the waist, hips, shoul-
ders, torso and so on. Facial and hair features may also be selected such as
style, colour, shape and so on. Following these, the online application then
generates an image of the customer's body shape and displays it on the
screen for confirmation or modification. After confirmation, the customer
selects clothing styles from the website and tries them on the virtual image
or model and, if it fits well, the item is purchased. Companies, brands and
retailers mainly in North America such as Lands' End, Levi Strauss, Lane
Bryant, and the Wedding Channel have adopted this application. It not only
allows the customer to visualize the appearance of the clothing on their bodies -
just as they would if they were looking in the mirror - but it also enables
people to be more in tune with their bodies and understand the type of cloth-
ing that suits them best.
The real opportunity for body scanners and virtual models lies in using
their applications to enhance client satisfaction and relations both online and
offline. As consumers become more demanding of personalized products and
services, such technology-based enhancers will be required more in luxury
product development, retail, e-retail and client management.
