Brandy Melville has closed all fitting rooms across its UK, US, and Canadian stores, impacting shoppers who rely on physical try-on. Brandy Melville's closure of all fitting rooms across its UK, US, and Canadian stores signifies a major shift in retail, prioritizing efficiency over traditional customer touchpoints.
While physical changing rooms are being eliminated by major retailers, digital try-on solutions are proving to be a powerful new driver for sales and conversion. The elimination of physical changing rooms by major retailers while digital try-on solutions drive sales creates a tension between cost-cutting measures and the emergence of advanced consumer engagement tools.
Given the dual pressures of cost-cutting and the proven sales efficacy of virtual try-on, physical changing rooms will likely become a rarity. AI-powered digital experiences are poised to become the new cornerstone of retail, particularly for luxury brands.
The Disappearing Changing Room
- Sainsbury’s permanently closed all changing rooms in 2025, and Goodwill shuttered its rooms in 2023, according to The Guardian.
- Removing a changing room allows brands to reduce staff, including security, and increase floor space for stock, as also reported by The Guardian.
The closures of changing rooms by Sainsbury’s and Goodwill, driven by operational benefits like reduced staffing and increased sales floor, illustrate a broader industry trend prioritizing efficiency over traditional customer amenities. Beyond cost savings, this shift fundamentally redefines in-store layout, pushing retailers to innovate how customers interact with products in a physical space devoid of traditional try-on.
AI Virtual Try-On: The New Conversion Engine
Shoppers who engage with AI virtual try-on are 50 percent more likely to purchase overall, according to Businessoffashion. For luxury consumers, conversion rates using AI virtual try-on jump up to 10 times higher, as also reported by businessoffashion.com. The stark difference in conversion rates (50 percent for general shoppers, 10 times higher for luxury consumers) underscores AI's particular potency within the luxury sector, where enhanced digital engagement translates directly into significantly higher sales. The higher conversion rates suggest virtual try-on is not merely a replacement for physical changing rooms but a superior engagement tool, particularly for high-value luxury items where visual fidelity and personalized experience are paramount.
Economic Pressures Driving Innovation
British retailers reported the highest year-on-year decline in sales in over 40 years in April, according to The Guardian. The challenging economic climate compels retailers to embrace radical changes, including technological solutions, to maintain profitability and market relevance. The challenging economic climate, with British retailers reporting the highest year-on-year decline in sales in over 40 years, thus transforms technological adoption from an option into a strategic imperative for survival and growth.
The Future of Fashion Retail: Blended Realities
The widespread disappearance of physical try-on, coupled with the proven efficacy of virtual alternatives, is rapidly conditioning consumers to expect and prefer digital product interaction. Physical fitting rooms may thus become obsolete in consumers' minds, even if they still exist in some stores. The future of retail will increasingly blend physical presence with advanced digital tools, making virtual try-on a cornerstone of the shopping experience and a key differentiator for luxury brands seeking both efficiency and enhanced customer engagement.
Physical changing rooms have become a relic, as leading luxury retailers like LVMH and Kering integrated sophisticated AI virtual try-on technologies by 2026, solidifying digital engagement as the new standard.
