Imagine being able to use a simulated fitting room as you shop for clothes online. A startup company working in Buffalo, which won half a million dollars last year in a business ideas competition, is seeking to make that a reality for clothing shoppers.
The company, known as triMirror, demonstrated its virtual fitting room on a video monitor on the lower level of the Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga on Thursday. Company co-founder Jenny Tcharnaia, who gave WBFO a demonstration, explained that users are measured so that, utilizing their actual stats, they can see how clothes would fit, and not just for looks.
"Once you have your accurate avatar, you can try on various clothes that are real," Tcharnaia said. "We model them using their CAD patterns - so their designs - and all of their fabric properties, their physical properties, how will they stretch, how will they move, how thick are they. When your avatar is animated, walking down the runway, dancing or playing golf, you can see how that fabric is behaving and moving."
Tcharnaia says online clothing purchases result in an apprximately 35 percent return rate because of improper fits.Her company's mission is to reduce the need for returns, and the waits and additional expenses created by shipping back and forth. The concept earned for triMirror a $500,000 cash prize and one year of rent-free space in last year's 43North business idea competition.
"We're really excited about the work they're doing," said marketing director Peter Burakowski. "Right now we're in the midst of our 2015 competition. Come October, we'll know who our next class of winners are."
43North is funded by dollars from New York State's "Buffalo Billion." In addition to prize money and rent-free space to incubate a company, prize winners must work in Buffalo for at least twelve months. Tcharnaia told WBFO her company's partners are located worldwide but, following visits to Buffalo, are impressed with the city's environment for encouraging startups.
