Google Launches "Try It On" AI Feature

- The technology is powered by a custom image generation model that analyzes how fabric drapes, folds, and stretches on different body types from a single 2D product image, without needing a full 3D model. - Major US retailers like Macy's, Kohl's, Walmart, and Nordstrom are integrated into the feature's rollout across Google Search, Shopping, and Images, signaling a mass-market adoption beyond individual brand apps. - Early performance data for virtual try-on shows significant user engagement, with some retailers reporting conversion rate increases of up to 400% after implementing similar technology. In Google Search specifically, virtual try-on images receive 60% more high-quality views than standard listings. - This move positions Google as a direct competitor to in-house styling tools and reflects a broader industry shift where AI is used for trend forecasting and design assistance at brands like H&M and Zara. - While Google's tool targets broad consumer use, luxury houses are deploying AI differently, focusing on campaign creation and brand storytelling. Moncler's 2023 "Genius" campaign and Prada's AI-reinterpreted fragrance campaigns are key examples of using AI for creative asset production rather than direct-to-consumer utility. - For brands to effectively participate, they must standardize and enhance product metadata, including precise dimensions, fabric properties like weight and stretch, and construction details to ensure the AI can render garments accurately. - The tool is part of a larger Google strategy to evolve its search function into an AI-powered stylist that generates full outfit recommendations, shifting the challenge for brands from being found via SEO to being recommended by the AI. - The broader push into AI-generated content comes with brand perception risks, as seen when a Valentino AI campaign in late 2025 received public criticism, indicating that luxury clients still hold brands to a higher standard for authenticity.