Lounge Review: Sketch to Reality

Delhi-based stylist Pernia Qureshi was one of the first to set up an online curated fashion store, Pernia’s Pop-up Shop, in 2012. Last week, Qureshi went live with a new feature called Sketch to Reality, an “augmented reality" tool that lets the customer try her hand at design.

“We have access to tech, why not use it to make shopping more exciting," says Qureshi. Register on the website (Perniaspopupshop.com), log in and click on a “pencil" icon on the top right. Silhouettes of lehngas, saris, salwar kurtas and anarkalis show up—currently, the feature is limited to Indian occasion-wear. You could get yourself a high-waisted lehnga with an asymmetric jacket or a traditional anarkali paired with slim pants.

It’s not a blank canvas but you can play with fabric, colour, embroidery, sleeve length, neckline and more. The website suggests fabrics that will be ideal for the design you choose. You will need to put in accurate body measurements: shoulder, bust, sleeve, waist, hip, right down to ankle circumference. Then you fill in the fabric and embroidery details, upload photographs for visual reference, and you’re done. The experts will get back to you with the final drawings—there is scope for iterations—before it goes for tailoring. “Over the years, we’ve had customers who write to us and say, ‘Oh I really like this lehnga but can you make it in pink ?’ I realized customization can be a full-fledged feature," says Qureshi.

The claim to augmented reality, however, is rather bleak. There is no 3D, wire-frame models or any such fun, nerdy playing around with the tool. It’s a simple, straightforward process, like someone gave you a line drawing and allowed you to fill in the colour, choose the fabric, embroidery and other details. The best part though? You get to put your label on it. There is no extra fee for this feature, only fabric cost.