Courtesy of SciJourno
When we think of technological advancements happening today, we tend to think of robots, immortality, and self-driving cars. It can be difficult to think of ways that technology has affected the fashion industry. This may be due to the the fact that some of our favorite purses are to a large degree hand-crafted by artisans and have remained consistent for decades. Traditional silhouettes haven’t changed, but the technology powering our shopping decisions has definitely evolved.
PurseBop is here to give you an update on all the new technological advancements that directly affect us as consumers of luxury fashion.
Luxury AR and VR
Courtesy of Prada
In the wake of the Augemented Reality (AR) phenomenon Pokemon Go, luxury companies have developed AR and VR experiences for their consumers. As a way to demonstrate a brand’s technological relevance and ability to adapt to changes in the modern world, Prada, Gucci and Burberry have created campaigns that seek to immerse the viewer in the experience of their brand.
The Prada x Prada VR experience was a series of online videos shot in 360 degrees that sought to bring viewers into the sensory experience of Prada fragrances. Burberry delved into VR by recreating sculptor Henry Moore’s studio so that buyers could better understand the inspiration for their collection. Gucci used 360 degree videos designed for mobile devices to immerse viewers into their young, party-themed campaign images.
Will this marketing and branding trend continue? Might we see a luxury fashion virtual reality game anytime soon? Only time will tell.
RFID Tags to Track Inventory and Fight Counterfeit
Moncler RFID tag
On the flip side of things, fashion houses have a new strategy to battle counterfeit products. RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips) store information digitally and can communicate that information wirelessly. This useful technology has been steadily adopted by stores to account for inventory and even to give the shopping experience a more futuristic feel. Rebecca Minkoff used RDIF’s to allow customers to self checkout at her boutiques.
Using RDIF’s to battle the high volume of fake goods in the market was pioneered by luxury label Moncler. In the last few months, the label has begun embedding RDIF chips into their goods. This means that if a consumer purchases a Moncler second-hand they can verify its authenticity through an app that can read the RDIF chip.
It’s unclear if this particular technology would work for bags, but it seems like the fashion world is making major strides towards battling fake luxury products.
A Fashion Designer Robot?
Courtesy of The Independent
With fashion trends changing at the snap of a finger…or rather, the snap of an Instagram picture, retail giants are turning to technology to keep up with new trends. Brands like Amazon are turning to robots to minimize the turnaround time between when a fashion trend becomes visible and when consumers can purchase goods in line with that trend.
In a research facility in San Francisco called Lab126, Amazon is attempting to develop an AI fashion designer. This AI will be able to analyze popular images and then create designs with similar styles. Though the project is in its early stages, it doesn’t seem that far-fetched that fashion companies will start to make use of the copious information available to them through new technologies to attract consumers.
Would you be more attracted to brands taking risks with technologically advanced marketing? Would you purchase a luxury purse with a chip embedded into it with information? And finally, are you excited or terrified by the prospect of an age of robot designers?
Share your thoughts in the comments and on BopTalk!
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Updated: October 25th, 2017
Comments
1 Responses to “Fashion in the Age of Technology”
Interesting idea of a designer robot – I think that AI could follow trends quite easily, but getting new style ideas that catch on would be harder – as would totally new concepts.
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