Google Launches AI-Powered Virtual Try-On Tool Now Featuring Dresses

Google announced on Thursday the expansion of its generative AI-powered virtual try-on tool to include dresses. This upgraded feature allows users to virtually wear thousands of dresses from hundreds of top brands, such as Boden, Maje, Sandro, Simkhai, and Staud.

According to the company, dresses have consistently ranked as one of the most searched apparel categories within the tool. However, Google noted in its blog post that using its current diffusion technique for dresses presents challenges because these garments are more intricate compared to other types of clothing.

For context, Google Shopping introduced this virtual try-on tool last year, employing its unique diffusion technology to generate high-quality, lifelike images of tops and blouses. This technology simulates how clothing drapes, folds, clings, and creates wrinkles and shadows on real people in various poses.

Due to the complexity of dress designs, the existing diffusion model struggled with accurately rendering detailed patterns, such as florals or geometrics. While it could process low-resolution images, a different approach was essential to preserve vital details in dress designs. To tackle this challenge, Google has developed a new training strategy that begins with lower-resolution images and gradually integrates higher resolutions.

Moreover, dresses typically cover significant portions of the body and come in various lengths (including midi, maxi, and mini styles), which can often lead to the obscuring or blurring of body features when a virtual dress is placed on a person. To enhance accuracy, Google introduced a new technique known as the VTO-UNet Diffusion Transformer (VTO-UDiT). This innovative process preserves a person’s unique features while seamlessly integrating the virtual dress, providing a more realistic depiction of both the dress itself and the individual wearing it.

This virtual try-on technology aims to clarify the search for the perfect fit across diverse body types. Various companies, including Adobe, Amazon, and Walmart, have launched similar tools, enabling consumers to virtually try on different clothing styles, including dresses. With this new enhancement, Google appears to be positioning itself to offer a more advanced solution than its competitors.