Smart mirror can guess your size

A mirror that can tell you what size you'd take in various clothing brands is starting to make its appearance in retail stores — potentially obviating a trip to the dressing room.

Why it matters: 80% of clothing returns are size-related. When people can try on garments virtually — either online or in front of a smart mirror in a store — they're less likely to return them and more likely to buy additional items.

Driving the news: While lots of apps let you input your measurements and see size recommendations, the FirstLook Smart Mirror from a company called MySize is one of a small but growing number of AI tools that will match your figure to particular sizes from particular brands.

• First, you use the sensors in your phone to map your body contours and store a "MySize ID," which is private to you.
• Then, you use your MySize ID to buy clothes online from participating manufacturers — like Levi’s, Lacoste, Nautica and Gant — or in a retail store that has the FirstLook Smart Mirror.
• The mirror, introduced in February, is in more than 1,000 retail locations.

"The vision is to change the way people buy clothes," Ronen Luzon, CEO of MySize, tells Axios.

• It's especially useful for buying children's clothes, Luzon says: Parents can update their kids' measurements every few months.

The big picture: Clothing sizes vary from brand to brand, and retailers lose a lot of money taking back returns. Lots of AI companies are working on the problem by making tools that will pinpoint your fit.

• Retailers like Warby Parker, Nike and Asos let you find the right size in their products online.
• Augmented reality companies like Zyler let retailers offer virtual try-ons.

• A company called Bold Metrics has patented a Body Data NFT, which uses proprietary AI body modeling technology and works in the real world and the metaverse.

"Shoppers with a Bold Metrics Body Data NFT in their Coinbase, MetaMask or other Ethereum wallets can instantly get apparel size recommendations" at Canada Goose's, Men's Wearhouse and elsewhere, the company says.

• "One of the challenges at Canada Goose is that all their jackets fit differently, so you can be a medium in one jacket or a small in another," Morgan Linton, the COO of Bold Metrics, tells Axios.
• The Body Data NFT takes the guesswork out of buying a particular style — and lets you adjust for whether you prefer a looser or tighter fit.

The bottom line: "The dressing room is not going to die completely," Luzon predicts. "People still love going shopping, going to the malls — it's fun."