Virtual Insanity

I received a press release the other day that made me groan. Then I received another one, and I groaned again. They came from two different clothing retailers, both reaching out to the fashion press and absolutely fizzing with excitement about their new high-tech offerings — offerings that promised to provide customers with a unique, “truly interactive” shopping experience. They told of two new applications for phones, tablets and laptops that let you try on clothes virtually, all with a simple visit to a website and click of a button instead of going to the shops. Great, I thought. Very impressive! Who found it so inconvenient and annoying to go to the shop in the first place?