There’s a new way to sport the latest digital fashion accessories, thanks to the freshly launched Desktop Camera by DressX. The Mac application, first presented at The Economist Metaverse Summit in October and launched Thursday, aims to make it easier for people to look their virtual best on Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, Teams and Slack video calls, allowing users to don their digital fashion for friends, family, coworkers or anyone else who may appreciate a little onscreen flair.
Deployed as a beta release, the software, alternatively described as the DressX Metacloset for Video, is an extension of the company’s Metaverse Closet, an augmented reality mobile app that places an overlay of virtual outfits on selfie videos. As the name indicates, the Desktop Camera brings a taste of the experience to desktop Mac computers (running Mac OS 12.3 or higher versions), with Windows to follow.
By default, both the phone and computer versions offer built-in style options. The Desktop Camera arrives stocked with accessories created by DressX, as well as third-party 3D companies and traditional beauty brands like IPSA. It also features special looks by established AR fashion creators such as Ines Alpha, Sophie Maxx and others. But unlike the phone app, the desktop application doesn’t yet allow owners of fashion NFTs or other wearables to put on their own purchased goods.
The download is free for the basic version, but the company notes that premium options are also available for users interested in special items. In that way, think of it as a taste of what’s to come or, as DressX put it, a chance “to experience the future of digital fashion.”
Founders Daria Shapovalova and Natalia Modenova — WWD x Footwear News x Beauty Inc’s Women in Power 2022 honorees — envision broad usage for their new tool. They liken virtual accessories to the swappable backgrounds that have become commonplace in virtual meetings. “This camera application embodies our vision of seamlessly blending fashion and technology, allowing users to express their unique style in virtual meetings and livestreams,” they said in a prepared statement. “We believe that in today’s digital age, how we present ourselves online matters, and with the DressX Camera, we’re empowering individuals to make a statement, stand out and redefine their virtual presence.”
Ines Alpha sees DressX’s efforts as spiritual successors to the Snapchat camera. “DressX camera is reviving when Snap Camera allowed us to infuse live calls with AR experiences,” she said, “but now, it’s all about fashion.” Alpha is making two of her favorite lenses available: HyperEmotionalSkin and Alpha Beauty Booth.
“Both are also quite technically advanced,” she explained, adding that “one is tactile and enables you to create your own 3D makeup look; the other uses machine learning to understand and adapt to your emotions.
“I hope that when people incorporate these lenses into their video calls, they’ll not only have a blast but also discover a newfound confidence and beauty within themselves.” These overlays join other looks, such as Sophie Maxx’s On-Chain Royalty Crown, as part of the DressX camera experience.
