Technology For The Industry That Didn’t Want It
If you are a fashion analyst or student, you will know that the luxury fashion sector actively discouraged digitisation as a major tool in fashion show marketing after several failed trials. However, the pandemic has now resulted in many brands branching out into the use of tech, with London Fashion Week going digital, Burberry showcasing their collection on Twitch, and Gucci exhibiting their Spring Summer 2020 collection online in a bid for more ‘immersive brand experiences.’
Gucci Spring Summer 2020 collection
These trials had largely positive results and are now starting to shape a new terrain for luxury fashion; what was once considered an exclusive sector has started to become accessible for a broader audience. Although the consumer demographic for luxury fashion has not changed, brands are certainly capitalising on the increased hype surrounding their products. Social media is already a common and widespread digital marketing tool used by ready-to-wear and fast fashion brands, and so for a mass audience, the jump to the luxury sector is a comfortable one.
Impero, a creative agency founded by Michael Scantlebury, has been trying to find ways for tech to advance the luxury fashion sector. One of the products they have created is an AR portal similar to the Institute of Digital Fashion, whereby an online digital space creates a virtual experience for the viewer, akin to that of a boutique. The virtual space makes use of an AR filter accessible through Instagram, allowing anyone – and not just Fashion Week invitees – to ‘step’ into a showroom filled with designer collections. Although, as Scantlebury explains, ‘the problem with experiential is [that] it’s hugely expensive and you might get 5,000 people there over five days.’
Gucci x Google virtual tour for in-store browsing
Given the exclusive nature of the luxury fashion sector, it is refreshing that these brands are working towards a multi-platform marketing model which prioritises immersive experiences for the consumer, regardless of their demographic or connection with the brand. However, with restrictions easing across the world, it remains to be seen whether this digitisation will continue post-pandemic.