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With Hyperrealism, Perfect AI Moves From Beauty To Fashion

Perfect Corp., the AI-powered beauty tech that’s already generated close to a billion downloads, is making a move into fashion.

Starting with eyewear and earrings, the Taipei-based company calls the move “a pivotal moment” and one likely to increase the company’s clout in the D2C and digital universe.

“Try-before-you-buy is a concept consumers have come to expect when making confident purchase decisions,” founder and CEO Alice Chang says in the announcement.

“The updates to Perfect Corp.’s instant 3D renderings and virtual try-on effects makes it easier than ever for brands—be it beauty or fashion— to deliver on that experiential journey across all consumer touchpoints.”

Perfect says its new AI-powered Automated Pupillary Detection (APD) delivers the most accurate eyewear frame size for users.

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The company says the technology presents a radical improvement to existing approaches, allowing brands to customize eyewear frame sizes, colors, and other factors such as the reflections on the lenses and opacity of the frames.

To celebrate National Eyewear Day (June 6) and National Sunglass Day (June 27), users are also invited to experiment with glasses in their YouCam Makeup app.

Perfect’s move is likely to challenge D2C powerhouses like Warby Parker and Zenni, which also offer digital try-ons.

Warby Parker, meanwhile, is shifting more muscle into its brick-and-mortar strategies. Its execs recently told The Wall Street Journal it plans to open 35 new brick-and-mortar locations. But digital is key: The execs also say that 75% of Warby Parker’s physical customers have also purchased from the brand online.

Started in 2015, Perfect made its name with the YouCam Makeup app, which lets users experiment with accurately rendered makeup and hair colors. Its apps have been downloaded some 950 million times.

And its partners include heavyweights like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, LVMH and Snap.

In an interview with Bloomberg last week, Chang said the company is nearing break-even status and continues to focus on growth and innovation ahead of profits.

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