Asos has been making more use of augmented reality (AR) technology to provide a simulated view of more of its products during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The retailer developed AR tool “See my Fit” earlier this year and now it aims to help customers make more informed purchasing choices, by better showing how products look on a variety of models. Developed in a partnership with Israeli AR company Zeekit, the use of this technology will make the fashion company offer customers a view of up to 500 products each week on six real-life models, which will digitally map each product onto the model in a realistic way, taking account of the size, cut and fit of each garment.

Yael Vizel, CEO at Zeekit, said in a statement to EssentialRetail: “Digital dress up brings to life the powerful capabilities of generating beautiful fashion content with a click of a button, on any real-life model or customer – without leaving home.”

Tim Carey, senior content manager at Asos Studios, said: “We’re fortunate enough to have been experimenting with Zeekit’s AR technology for a while, which has meant that we could scale this tech up at short notice. It’s a great tool for us to have at our disposal, helping us drop new items on site each week and provide customers with realistic product images in a studio setting while protecting the well-being of our models and staff.”

The fashion company has also introduced a range of innovative measures to help keep its employees and models safe while working during this period. These include asking models and Asos insiders to photograph items remotely from home and increasing shoots of clothing on hangers rather than on models, known as ‘flat shot’ images.