Fashion & Luxury and the race into virtual reality

Digital Fashion Week, shopping in augmented reality and digital influencers: Fashion in the “New Normal” is increasingly online.

The cancellation of major events, the forced closure of stores and the restrictions still in force pushed Fashion and Luxury on a race into the virtual world beyond all expectations. And all areas of the sector are reinventing themselves with creative ideas and technological innovation.   

From fashion shows on the catwalk to streaming events

It would have seemed an insurmountable obstacle, but it turned out to be an incredible opportunity.  The cancellation of the traditional Fashion Weeks, replaced by Digital Fashion Weeks, gave designers and fashion houses the opportunity to express themselves in a completely original way.  Live streaming catwalks, 3D movies and video clips are just some of the tools used by designers to experiment new approaches.

In the months of June and July, London, Paris and Milan all opted for an agenda full of video content. In fact, the brands gave life to the most creative formats to convey their contents.  From the shooting of traditional fashion shows to actual movies created in cinematographic style, each fashion house gave its productions a unique touch.

Those who remained faithful to the classic fashion show setup the catwalks in unique places: wheat fields, ancient ruins, lush mountain landscapes and charming old town centers.  Some sceneries were more sophisticated, staging refined settings for a short period of time, while long live streams gave visibility to the backstage and the company teams. Most of the movies were absolutely innovative, showing off amazing technical skills, elegant graphic design solutions and references to current issues.

It was all was a success not only in terms of art and critics, but also for the general public. Through brand websites and APPs, social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Weibo and platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Tencent and Bilibili, the showings recorded an audience of tens of millions of people worldwide.

Virtual stories and augmented reality for a new Shopping Experience

While the world of fashion events and communication experienced this breath of fresh air, the retail sector did not lag behind. In this sector, digital technology and innovation  are key factors. Some brands opened their virtual stores: much more than mere e-shops, but actual showcases, thanks to which it is possible to discover products, services and the values of the various fashion houses.

More specifically, it is augmented reality that has been growing in popularity in recent months.  Supported by smart phones and applications such as Snapchat, this feature makes it possible – for example – to virtually try out footwear, both in store and at home, after having scanned one’s foot with the device camera.

Special 3D glasses and smart eyewear allow live connections between sellers and clients, starting virtual tours of the stores. Once the appointment has been agreed upon and contact established, the possibilities are remarkable: discovering the collections in the store, recording conversations with the sellers, taking pictures to assess the items later, having the clothes worn by virtual models, booking the collection of the purchased product or even organizing its shipment.

Pixel Influencer: the last frontier of digital luxury

The trends we saw in the previous sections can be collected in an ultimate, futuristic novelty coming from the Far East. In fact, the Luxury segment there is experiencing the development of digital influencers: testimonials and virtual models created autonomously by e-tailers. An innovation that has been a reality in China and Japan for some time now, considering that in these countries virtual celebrities, such as fictitious pop stars and video game characters, are stars who have been followed for some years.

In short, technology, virtual reality and digital engagement seem to be the keys to relaunch the fashion industry. By solving problems and developing new solutions, these factors provide the fashion world with an authentic vision and strategy in step with the times as needed.  A field into which Bizeta’s applications, always up to date and cutting-edge, fit naturally.