David's Bridal Partners with Vertebrae to Bring Wedding Dresses to Life in Augmented Reality

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- David's Bridal, the nation's leading bridal and special occasion retailer, and Vertebrae, the technology leader in 3D & augmented reality (AR) solutions for retail, today unveiled the bridal industry's most immersive commerce experience yet that brings wedding attire directly into shoppers' homes through AR.  In partnership with Vertebrae, David's Bridal is the first bridal brand to offer AR in such detail. Customers can view gowns at a full 360-degree angle allowing them to walk around the dresses in their room, see how it will look next to other wedding party outfits, and examine intricate details up-close and personal directly on the website before heading to stores.

To ensure a seamless shopping experience, customers browsing on the David's Bridal website can now access 3D and AR visualizations of the company's 50+ best-selling dresses directly from product pages without downloading a separate app. They can place life-size dresses in their homes and zoom in on elaborate details such as beading, fabric, and trains. Brides who already have their gowns can wear them standing side-by-side with virtual bridesmaid dresses to see which colors and prints match best and take a screenshot to refer to at a later date.

When COVID-19 forced the shutdown of all David's Bridal stores for the first time in the brand's 70-year history, the company rapidly innovated with tools to bring the boutique experience online - such as a virtual wedding stylist, Zoey, virtual video appointments, and an innovative online wedding vision board, checklist and website builder. The partnership with Vertebrae is the next step in moving David's Bridal toward a digital-first, omnichannel experience by bringing the wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses to life for online shoppers, giving them the context and detail necessary to arrive at purchase decisions. 

"David's Bridal has always relied on the high-touch, personalized experience of visiting a boutique to select just the right dress for the big day," said Lizzy Ellingson, Chief Digital Experience Officer at David's Bridal. "With the temporary shutdown of stores in early March, we took the opportunity to reimagine the experience and help bring excitement to shoppers at home. Vertebrae's renderings enable brides to be, and their bridesmaids, the ability to view life-sized digital renderings in fine detail, boosting their confidence to narrow down options and buy online, which is something we know brides are becoming more comfortable with every day. We are excited to be the first bridal retailer to offer this immersive technology. It's an innovative and dynamic way to view our gowns that's unlike any other experience on the web."

"Selecting a wedding dress isn't the same as buying a simple product online - it's a highly personal decision as well as a big investment," said Vince Cacace, Vertebrae's founder and CEO. "David's Bridal needed the flexibility to use 3D & AR for dresses throughout what can be a lengthy consideration process. Using our Axis platform, David's Bridal can now mimic physical product experiences with 3D and AR on their eCommerce website for mobile and desktop users as well as on social media."

The team at David's Bridal states that over the course of the last six months they have been rapidly innovating with tools and technologies to bring their in-store experience online. Following the initial launch, new styles of bridal gowns and bridesmaids' dresses will be added into the 3D & AR assortment on a weekly basis.

About David's Bridal

With 70 years of experience dressing customers for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal is built on the idea that everyone deserves to have the attire of their dreams regardless of style preference, shape, size, or budget. We believe in inclusivity, authenticity, and empowerment, and it is our mission to help anyone and everyone find the look that will allow them to be the best, most genuine version of themselves on their wedding day or any special occasion. David's Bridal is dedicated to helping each customer, with the assistance of online planning tools, knowledgeable stylists, and expert tailors who will guide them through the entire purchasing journey. With more than 300 stores located across the US, Canada, UK, and franchise locations in Mexico, we offer the convenience of one-stop shopping for the entire wedding party and beyond. To learn more about David's Bridal, visit www.davidsbridal.com and connect on social media through Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

About Vertebrae

Vertebrae is the leading provider of 3D & augmented reality (AR) commerce solutions for the world's largest brands including adidas, Coach, David's Bridal, Facebook, Microsoft, Toyota, Herschel Supply Co. and more. Founded with the vision of making the online shopping experience more like real life, Vertebrae's technology enables web-based 3D & AR product visualization and try-on experiences that drive engagement and sales. The company's award-winning immersive commerce platform and unparalleled expertise in enterprise eCommerce and 3D and AR ensure that the process of 3D asset creation, management, deployment, and reporting is fast and easy for retailers of all sizes. Vertebrae is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Austin. For more information, visit https://www.vertebrae.com.

Media Contact:

For David's Bridal: 
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For Vertebrae: 
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SOURCE David's Bridal, Inc.