But Can You Buy It With Virtual Cash?
For those who love to shop but hate the crowds, Culver City-based ModaCAD next month will roll out Fashion Trip, a hybrid CD-ROM and Web-based mall.
Shoppers--the average user is expected to be a 19-year-old college woman--will be able to navigate through roughly 40 clothing and accessory stores, such as Levi’s, Urban Decay and Skechers, clicking on items and dragging them to a digital dressing room. Later, they can try them on using the virtual mannequin that comes closest to their body type and skin color. Each virtual store--which pays a fee to be included in the mall--also offers suggestion for outfits best suited to the individual shopper.
The CD-ROM, which begins shipping later this month, will cost $39.95. Access to the Web-based features at https://www.fashiontrip.com will be free.
Fashion Trip was produced in a joint venture with Santa Clara-based Intel. ModaCAD, whose core business is 3-D rendering, modeling and virtual reality software for the apparel industry, spent two years and more than $3 million developing Fashion Trip, and an official said four other virtual malls that will focus on items such as cosmetics and home furnishings are in the works.
