Overview

One of the key pain points for online apparel shoppers is uncertainty about fit and appearance, which often leads to hesitation in purchases and higher return rates. To address this, I conceptualized and designed a Virtual Fitting Room feature for the Uniqlo app, aimed at helping customers visualize how clothing items will look on them using augmented reality (AR).

The goal was to leverage innovative AR technology to reduce friction in the purchasing journey, increase customer confidence, and ultimately drive sales—all while staying true to Uniqlo’s core principles of simplicity, functionality, and innovation.

The Problem

User Pains

Difficulty visualizing how items would look and fit, leading to uncertainty.

High return rates due to misjudging sizing or style.

Lack of interactive, engaging features in the current online shopping experience.

Business Pains

Missed opportunities for boosting conversions from customers who abandon their carts due to fit concerns.

High costs associated with product returns.

The Solution

Virtual Fitting Room

My goal was to design a seamless AR-powered virtual fitting room within the Uniqlo app that allows users to try on clothes virtually, giving them a more personalized and interactive shopping experience.Uniqlo has a pre-existing MySize tool that's hidden behind a button, leading to many users not even knowing it exists. It also has many on-boarding screens that make using the tool more combersome. I wanted to break the tool down and strip it to it's bare essentials.

User Confidence

Informed Decisions creates consumer trust.

Restructure

Elevating and scaling the current process down leads to a higher adoption rate.

AR Try-Ons

Informed Decisions lead to lower cart abandonment.

Design Process

Why Fit is Crucial to Users

The design process began with a deep dive into user research, focusing on understanding the frustrations and desires of online shoppers. The insights gathered helped inform the features of the virtual fitting room, such as providing highly accurate visualizations and personalized size recommendations.In a survey I conducted with 40 participants:

68%

of users hesitate to buy clothing online due to uncertainty about fit.

50%

of returns in online fashion are due to poor fit or misjudged sizing.

75%

of users are more likely to purchase after seeing how it looks on them.

Research into Similar Experiences

I explored a range of Augmented Reality (AR) products embedded in e-commerce platforms to inform the design of Uniqlo's Virtual Fitting Room. Zenni Optical stood out for its real-time try-on experience with glasses, providing a seamless and user-friendly interaction. I also analyzed popular filters on Instagram and Snapchat to gain a deeper understanding of how instant feedback and AR can work jointly.

Wire Framing & User Flow

I started by mapping the user flow, ensuring that the virtual fitting room would be an intuitive, integrated part of the shopping process. I sketched out initial wireframes, focusing on key moments like selecting items, adjusting body measurements, and using the AR camera.

The Final Design

Virtual Fitting Room: MySize Camera

I focused on streamlining the onboarding process for the tool by implementing a static outline that guides users. This approach not only simplifies the user journey but also enables users to pose with the clothing in the AR experience seamlessly.

By enhancing accessibility and reducing barriers to entry, we empower users.

Virtual Fitting Room: MySize Assist

I optimized the existing UI for consistency and simplified the recommended fit screen to enhance usability.

By improving the clarity and efficiency of this interaction, the design supports better user engagement and fosters long-term trust in product recommendations.

Reflection

Takeaways

This project has been an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable journey. I set a goal to complete it within two days, which pushed me to explore augmented reality—an area I had not previously ventured into. Additionally, collaborating with a brand I deeply admire, like Uniqlo, was both inspiring and fulfilling. Analyzing their UI and understanding how they developed it presented an engaging challenge that has motivated me to continue growing in this field.

Next Steps

Although the initial design is complete, I believe it’s essential to invest additional time in testing and gathering user feedback to ensure the experience is both enjoyable and comprehensive. By prioritizing user insights, we can continuously refine the experience to better meet their needs and drive greater engagement.

Let's Collaborate!

cynthia.phung5@gmail.com