We all remember that scene from Clueless when Cher selected her outfit from her desktop. Fast-forward 20 years and Dubai-based specsaddict.com is giving sunglasses and glasses shoppers in the UAE the option to try before they buy by using a virtual mirror.
The eyewear platform’s virtual glasses try-on tool allows designer sunglasses devotees and eyeglass wearers to see how they will look wearing a pair of glasses or sunglasses before they buy them.
The virtual mirror, found in your shopping cart once you click ‘buy now’, enables the Emirates’ fashion-forward to channel their inner celebrity by trying on a range of brands, from Ray-Ban to Christian Dior, using their iPhone, iPad or laptop.
Why is the virtual mirror important? Simple. Tory Burch never leaves the house without a pair of shades, while Anna Wintour wears them come rain or shine. Karlie Kloss is often spotted wearing glasses with style, Jennifer Aniston meanwhile proves how spectacles can elevate an outfit from simple to sophisticated. Specsaddicts’ virtual mirror will make sure you never make a fashion faux pas again.
“We launched the platform for two reasons – one, to give consumers a fairer way to purchase their sunglasses at reasonable prices; and two to utilize market-first technology to make the online shopping experience more personal,” says D J Sengupta, founder of specsaddict.com. “Around 80 per cent of the world’s eyewear brands are owned by one conglomerate, inevitably leading to a price monopoly, and manipulation, on the retail price of both sunglasses and glasses. Our products can often be as much as 50 per cent less than retailers, supporting our mission to bring a level playing field to the luxury eyewear space.”
For sunglasses and spectacle wearers who are unsure about which glasses suit their face shape, Sengupta recommends specsaddicts’ ‘7 Pairs for 7 Days’ trial run, whereby shoppers can request seven pairs of glasses with a money back guarantee.
“The idea with 7 Pairs for 7 Days, and specsaddict more broadly, is to allow consumers to change up their shades as often as their shoes,” adds Sengupta. “In the past this has not been possible due to the price tag attached to glasses and sunglasses alike. Again, we’re hoping to bring the price point down so everyone can benefit, be it prescription glasses or sunglasses.”
