Exploring the Economic Value and Path of Empowering Fashion Consumption with VR AR Technology

Abstract

Under the dual drive of digital economy and consumption upgrading, VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) technologies deeply penetrate the entire fashion consumption chain and reshape the industry's value creation model. This article relies on authoritative institutions such as iResearch's "2024 China Virtual Reality Consumer Application White Paper" and IDC's "Global VR/AR Market Forecast Report (2024-2028)", as well as top brand practice cases such as Zara AR fitting rooms and Etro immersive fashion shows, to systematically analyze the economic value and implementation path of technology empowerment. From industry practice and data research, it can be seen that VR/AR technology optimizes the consumer decision-making process through immersive experiences. Through the application verification of top clothing brands, the average return rate of clothing products is reduced by 30% -50% and the online conversion rate is increased by 30% -60%. According to publicly available practice data from fashion technology enterprises, virtual sample production can reduce design costs by over 60% and shorten research and development cycles by nearly 50%. The technology empowerment presents a "dual end drive" feature, which means that the consumer end reconstructs the experience scene through virtual fitting and immersive fashion shows. The industrial end relies on digital twins and AI modeling to innovate the production and marketing chain. Currently, technology applications face practical challenges such as high hardware costs at the consumer level and a digital divide among middle-aged and elderly users. This article proposes to provide practical reference for the digital transformation of the fashion industry by building a healthy ecosystem through technological sinking, industry standards and regulations, and policy support.