Blurring boundaries between physical and digital: Consumer perception of emerging technologies in the fashion landscape.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology across various sectors in contemporary society, including the fashion industry. Lockdown and social distancing measures resulted in the inability for individuals to visit physical stores and purchase products. Therefore, a disruption to traditional retail operations was made evident. This led to fashion brands becoming creative and innovative, by turning to digital solutions to maintain their consumer base, aiming to provide a positive consumer experience while generating revenue through sales. Additionally, digital fashion has increasingly become a topic of significant interest to fashion marketers, brands, and academics. This research intended to understand the perception of Gen Z consumers and how they engage with emerging technologies, particularly virtual try-on (VTO), within their shopping experience post-pandemic. UAE Gen Z residents were the chosen demographic, and a qualitative study was conducted with eleven semi-structured interviews being held. Gen Z are a crucial demographic to examine due to their substantial purchasing power and digitally savvy nature. Their influence could greatly impact the success of established fashion brands and the emergence of new ones in the competitive market. The UAE was chosen because of its strong position in the e-commerce sector, being identified as the fastest growing among the GCC nations. The research intended to gain an in-depth understanding of how the current technology is responded to by consumers by accounting for their opinions, views, and perspectives. The thematic analysis revealed that VTO, consisting of augmented reality and virtual reality technology, can enhance the consumer shopping experience and gravitate the fashion industry towards becoming more sustainable. However, concerns were found surrounding the unreliability, inaccessibility, and safety of VTO technology. Despite these concerns, the study found that consumers are open to using VTO as a fashion shopping tool and would be more inclined to use the features provided the issues are addressed. This research provides valuable insights for fashion marketers, fashion brands, developers, and psychologists and contributes to the existing literature on consumer experience and technology acceptance.