Get inspired for your shopping trip and help save time with the help of a pioneering cyber changing room. Sarah Dunn strutted her stuff in front of the Magic Mirror and found out more.

Spring may still feel some time off but in the fashion world they've been thinking about it for months...

Magazines are awash with the hot new trends awaiting us in 2012, but how do we know what's going to work for us?

Step in the Magic Mirror - a gadget at the Trafford Centre offering a snapshot glance of the new season's styles, which helps you work out what trends you might want to try as we move forward into spring, and where you can pick up key pieces which fit into your budget.

It is a cyber changing room, which uses technology from the X-Box console.

It works using a camera which films the shopper as they stand in front of it, producing a live image on the screen - or ‘mirror’ - in front of them. Remarkable remote technology then allows them to scroll through a selection of garments, and see them appear magically on their bodies as if they were wearing them.

To make the results as authentic as possible, there’s the opportunity to increase or decrease the size, and move the placement of top, skirt or dress up and down on their body to ensure it sits in the right place, using a mere flick of the wrist.

As you work your way through a variety of designs, shapes and colours taken from a selected group of Trafford Centre retailers, key information including the garment name, store and price appear in the bottom corner, allowing shoppers to take note of the items that catch their eye.

The idea of the Magic Mirror is not to replace the act of trying on before you buy, but rather to offer a snapshot of the trends out there and a quick - and fun - means of working out what suits you so you know where to direct your energy when you hit the mall.

Caroline Aikman, marketing manager, says: “It’s about giving you a starting point, particularly for those who are strapped for time.

“It provides an overview of the season's big hitters and offers a snap shot of 20 things within minutes - you can rule out the ones that don’t suit you, or the ones you don’t like, and make a note of the ones you do. It's giving you the opportunity to try on far more outfits at once than you would get in a normal changing room.”

There's no doubt it's also useful for opening up you mind to the variety of looks out there, particularly if you've got stuck in a retail rut.

Caroline adds: “You might think certain shops aren't for you so you just avoid them all together when you're out shopping.

“But the Magic Mirror might help you spot something fabulous where you might not normally look.”

Retailers currently on board include John Lewis, French Connection, Coast, Banana Republic and Karen Millen.

Key trends making an appearance include bold patterns – everything from tribal to floral and “the bigger and the bolder the better” according to Caroline – and “sugary sweet” pastel colours.

I've already got my eye on a floral frock from Coast whose large print may have put me off at first, but which I can see through the Mirror actually works well, and a lemon coloured lace skirt from Karen Millen, which the screen shows me works well with my colouring.

And if with all this choice you find yourself stuck between two outfits, you can even invite your friends and family to join the shopping trip through the internet. Technology incorporated into the mirror allows you to take a photograph and upload it to Facebook.

Caroline explains: “You can post the pictures online and get your friends to tell you which one they prefer.”

The device will be available to try out on the malls during the Trafford Centre's Beauty Magic Week until Sunday, designed to show off the best new products and techniques in the beauty world.

IT consultancy Apache, who have been employed by the Trafford Centre to develop the technology, are now continuing to work on the mechanics of the device – with hopes that the image will eventually provide a 3D image of the garment on the person. Limb tracking, where each garment measures up to fit an individual's arms and legs exactly, is another area which they hope will further improve the overall effect.

Their main challenge so far, according to managing director and computer whizz Adam Vahed, was getting the live image of the person to interact and match up with the stock image of the outfit.

Adam says: “It's been a challenging project, but lots of fun,” adding with a chuckle: “Especially trying all the different dresses on!”

Justin Webb, PR manager at the Trafford Centre, said he was thrilled to be bringing such state-of-the-art technology to the shopping centre.

“We saw the idea and have invested in it from its inception through the development to where we are now.

“It's exciting to be part of the next big thing.”

A canny invention, there's no doubt the Magic Mirror is also set to inject a healthy dose of fun into the sometimes stressful task of clothes shopping.

Now all we need is a magic wallet, complete with money growing powers, to accompany it....

Visit http://www.traffordcentre.co.uk/beautymagicshowcase for more information about the Beauty Magic week.

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