Everyone has endured the experience of shopping with his or her family. The struggle was
real. Maybe you’ve had dad sitting in the hallway ignoring your need for a more realistic size of overalls. Or maybe you’ve had mom sporadically slinging different pieces of clothing over the curtain rod in a “let-me-Captain-Hook-your-left eye-out” sort of fashion. In any case, you most likely left the store with something you didn’t like, that didn’t fit, or without something you never saw again.
Polo Ralph Lauren’s flagship location in New York City feels your pain – and has done something about it. From a revolutionary collaboration with
Oak Labs emerged the Oak Fitting Room, a one-of-a-kind smart, connected fitting room that leaves shoppers with both eyes intact and carrying out the clothes they love. Naturally, we had to check it out for ourselves and see if it even comes close to
the “original” smart closet. Here are a few things we loved:
Direct Communication with a Sales Associate
When you walk into the fitting room, your items are hung up neatly on the rack; the mirrored-screen is lit and identifies, with an image, the style of garment you chose and its size for your reference. If you need a new size, or want more detailed info about the garment, tap the message box and write a message to ask your associate any question you like.
COOL BONUS FEATURE: Not a native English speaker? Oak Fitting Room has your back with a handy translator. When you type your message in your native language, Oak translates it into English for the sales associate, who writes a reply in English, which then gets translated back to you.
Lighting Options
Like a few of its predecessors, Oak Fitting Rooms also allow you to select the lighting scheme you plan to wear the garment in. But Oak one-ups these legacy systems by giving the user pre-set options that mirror real-word lighting experiences, such as Fifth Ave Daylight, East Hampton Sunset, and Evening at the Polo Bar. Translation: Polo Ralph Lauren totally knows where you’re taking your next selfie or killer ‘gram.
Approved Showrooming
Let’s say that that jacket that you nearly refused to take off has a substantial price tag. If you weren’t living in the future, you might have added that piece to the pile of things you’ve loved and lost. But since you’re at Polo Ralph Lauren, there’s hope for you yet. The fitting room allows you to send that list of items you pulled in your correct sizes directly to your cell phone, complete with a link to the images, names, and purchasing links for everything you had in that room on the day of your visit. You know, for later.
