COO and co-founder of True Fit, Jessica Murphy, tackles Fashion’s Fit Problem in Vogue AU’s March Issue
April 14, 2022
What makes FIT such a difficult problem to solve for consumers?
Jessica explains “We all have different body shapes and individual preferences and these two things make the determination of a ‘great fit’ subjective and unique for every body.”
“When you combine this with the millions of options that shoppers are presented with, finding a perfect match for your unique body and preferences can be a daunting task, even for the most avid shopper. Billions of garments and shoes are produced annually and these styles are designed to fit differently, produced with different fabrics… all contributing to inconsistent fit and sizing.”
How it Started vs. How it’s Going
In the days before ready-to-wear, most everyone had clothing made specifically for them and their shape and preferences. Tailored apparel meant ‘guaranteed sizing’. Taking a step back to understand how the apparel industry has evolved, we can see that not only did ready-to-wear begin to introduce size systems that would later complicate the buying process but these systems were never standardized. Now introduce the tens of thousands of brands that are accessible to every shopper digitally and we have a daunting buying journey where fit stands in the way of a great shopping experience for so many consumers.
The article addresses the shift from made-to-measure to made-for-me with brands like Form and Fold and Emilia Wickstead paving the way by providing experiences that match the shopper’s expectation from an 11 question survey to get matched to a flattering swimsuit to bespoke options that let the consumer choose patterns perfect for their taste and preferences.
The Fitting Room is Changing for Good
There are so many ways technology is reshaping the traditional fitting room experience and the article highlights these technologies. From body scanning solutions like TruetoForm to virtual avatar creation tools like BODS, shoppers have so many options to evaluate fit. Our very own Jessica states
“There is technical fit and there is how a consumer chooses to wear a garment or footwear. The difference between these two is how we have to reset as an industry. That is why shopper preference and continuing to learn and understand about your shoppers is critically important to getting fit right.”
The True Fit experience offers shoppers the opportunity to create a fit profile by providing minimal information, style preference and height and weight, to get a personalized recommendation. This fit profile then travels with shoppers from site to site, providing recommendations and getting smarter as the shopper uses the tool.
Jessica closes out by sharing that “We believe the future of fit and size is labeless. We no longer need to be guided to the plus department or the womenswear department or to juniors or petites. There will be no more classification of shoppers. It will be about an offering that caters to you.”
