Google’s Doppl: Testing the AI-Driven Virtual Dressing Room

This week, I had a rather fun encounter with Google’s Doppl – a smart, AI-powered virtual dressing room that lets you try on outfits using your smartphone. I even got a glimpse of myself in Kate Hudson’s famous yellow dress from ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’, evoking memories of the digital closet in ‘Clueless’ with a modern twist.

Using Doppl is as simple as snapping a full-body photo and uploading an image of the outfit you want to try. Within a minute, your digital double appears, sporting your chosen look. My version, closely mirroring my own appearance (albeit with a few quirky distortions), brought the yellow gown vividly to life – complete with a pose suggestive of an Oscars appearance.

Despite a few inaccuracies – like a test where a Pinterest-inspired ensemble turned into a mini dress paired with boots – the app impressed with its attention to detail, even replicating a belt from a pair of Zara jeans. Developed by Google Labs, Doppl is equally a fashion tool and a tech experiment, featuring 20 preset AI models to represent a variety of demographics.

At present, Doppl focuses on tops, bottoms, and dresses, leaving out shoes and accessories. While it doesn’t offer personalised fit guidance and requires users to be over 18 with a Google account, it still delivers a remarkably real virtual try-on experience. If you’ve ever hesitated over an online purchase, this tool might just give you that extra reassurance to take the plunge.