Yue Gao and Yifeng Wang

Outfit Club is on a mission to revolutionize online shopping, empowering users to visualize outfits, assess fit, and make informed purchases using a personalized avatar-based virtual try-on platform tailored to their preferences and body shapes. Our journey began with a personal connection to the frustrations of online shopping, amplified by the rapid shift to e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Motivated by these shared experiences, we conducted in-depth user interviews to uncover the root causes of these challenges. Through collaborative efforts with business strategists and engineers, we identified the potential of a virtual avatar to address these issues. Fueled by our passion for improving the online shopping experience, we have worked tirelessly to refine and enhance our platform, driven by a genuine desire to positively impact the user experience.

Outfit Club is more than just a professional endeavor; it embodies our commitment to making a meaningful difference in users' lives. Recognition, feedback, and growing interest in our platform serve as validation of its success and importance. Our journey underscores the power of blending technology, design, and user-centric innovation to create impactful solutions, reinforcing our dedication to continuous improvement in user experience design.

Design serves as a versatile tool for solving problems by harmonizing aesthetics, functionality, and empathy toward users, resulting in solutions that enhance their lives. It involves delving into the core challenges faced by users, such as those encountered in online shopping, and leveraging inventive technology and imaginative approaches

User-centric design is my preferred style, prioritizing the user's needs, preferences, and behaviors throughout the development journey. This approach, exemplified by projects like Outfit Club, resonates with me deeply for its ability to innovate while enhancing user experiences. Putting the user at the forefront enables the creation of products that are not only practical and inclusive, but also inherently enjoyable to interact with. This philosophy not only fosters positivity but also leaves a meaningful and enduring impact on the user's daily life.

The project took place in three distinct phases: 1. Discovery Phase: We explored the world of online shopping issues through surveys and interviews, alongside extensive market research and product analysis to gain valuable insights. 2. Ideation and Conceptualization: Armed with insights, we embarked on a journey of brainstorming innovative solutions. Using an impact matrix, we carefully selected a personalized avatar as the cornerstone for outfit visualization. Crafting intuitive user interactions, we honed the virtual experiment. 3. Iterative Development and Testing: iterating tirelessly, we prototyped interactive avatars to refine personalized onboarding experiences. Incorporating feedback from user testing, we introduced body shape templates, eventually replacing generic models with user avatars for enhanced outfit visualization

An exemplary creative process strikes a seamless balance between aesthetics and utility, crafted to meet user requirements while embracing innovation and sustainability. It must effectively address real issues in a way that feels intuitive to the user, as exemplified by our approach with Outfit Club's avatar visualization feature. In addition, a commendable design prioritizes sustainability, recognizing its environmental footprint and striving to minimize waste while encouraging mindful consumption. Above all, a remarkable design is inclusive, accessible, and adaptable to changing technological landscapes and shifting consumer dynamics, ensuring its continued relevance and significance over time.

Our award-winning entry for the 2023 NY Product Design Awards is "Outfit Club," a groundbreaking mobile app revolutionizing online shopping. Standing out among 1,500 entries, it addresses e-commerce fashion challenges, especially the struggles customers face in visualizing outfits and making confident purchasing decisions. Key features of the Outfit Club include: 1. Personalized avatars: Using advanced 3D modeling, users can accurately preview outfits on lifelike avatars, boosting their buying confidence. 2. Sustainability Focus: By providing a precise and personalized shopping experience, the app minimizes returns and shipping, contributing to environmental sustainability. 3. User-Centric Design: Tailored to young adults' style preferences and shopping habits, the app prioritizes quality, style, and technological innovation. We chose to submit "Outfit Club" to the NY Product Design Awards due to its blend of innovation and user-centric design. It addresses a pressing real-world issue in a growing post-pandemic market, perfectly aligned with the evolving needs and expectations of modern consumers.

The first hurdle in the Outfit Club project was crafting a personalized avatar-based virtual try-on platform that could realistically show how different outfits would appear and fit into diverse body shapes. This challenge included several key elements: 1. Accurate 3D Avatar Modeling: Advanced technology and an understanding of ergonomics and fashion design are needed to faithfully replicate various body types. 2. User Experience Design: Focused on creating an intuitive interface for straightforward avatar customization and outfit visualization. 3. Balancing Realism with Performance: Required to optimize the app to deliver high-quality avatars and outfits without sacrificing smooth performance across devices. Overcoming these barriers was critical to ensuring that Outfit Club not only met functional needs but also delivered an exceptional user experience, addressing the core issue of building confidence in online apparel shopping.

Our key to success lies in relentless curiosity, empathetic user engagement, and dedication to continuous learning and adaptation. Throughout my journey developing Outfit Club, I've learned that success isn't just about solving problems, but about addressing user needs and experiences in a meaningful way. Direct engagement with users to understand their challenges and feedback was crucial in refining our solution to better meet their needs. Moreover, maintaining a mindset of continuous improvement and embracing feedback has been essential. Every setback served as a learning opportunity, and every accomplishment pushed us forward to tackle the next challenge.