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How are luxury brands leveraging

the power of Augmented Reality ?

Gucci's AR filter
Gucci's Augmented Reality filter

In this article, we are going to explore how brands like Dior, Chanel, and Gucci use mobile augmented reality to build memorabili e coinvolgenti e unforgettable experiences for their consumers. We have identified 7 key applications of mobile AR di fashion brands.

 

First, let’s go through a quick definition of Realtà Aumentata. “Augmented reality is the layering di digital components onto our existing reality“, often done through a viewing device such as a tablet, smartphone, o del AR glasses. 

 

Augmented reality is used to enhance or augment the world around us with digital information.” The Augmented Reality market revenue is projected to reach a value of 26.06 billion dollars by 2025 [1]. It, therefore, represents a forceful tool to invest in.

 

Now let’s see how this technology is playing out in the luxury industry.

 

Augmented Reality: How to use it?

1. The use of lenses

Tiffany's virtual-try-on filter
Tiffany's virtual-try-on filter

What better way to immerse your audience in your brand universe and move beyond physical marketing efforts than to use augmented reality lenses?

Learn more about Augmented Reality
AR filter by Chanel
AR filter by Chanel

That’s precisely what Chanel decided to do while hosting a holiday pop-up at The Standard in New York. During four days, the brand created a busy shopping area into a winter wonderland with hot chocolate, ice skating, and plenty of ‘Instagrammable’ spots out of the boutique hotel.

 

Chanel has created an AR experience that can be accessed through a Snapchat lens or by downloading an app through its website Chanel.com. Those unable to come to the pop-up could also use the lens, which created more virality around the campaign. For the rest of the Chanel community around the globe, you were still invited to view the world through the lens of the brand, which was amazing. 

2. Virtual-try-on

Who has never experienced virtual try-on experience through Snapchat filters? One of the most common use-cases for augmented reality in fashion is for enabling a virtual try-on experience. Loads of makeup brands have jumped into this space, including L’Oreal e YSL Beauty. Over the years, brands such as Dior e Gucci have created a series of filters for Snapchat and Facebook to enable consumers to try-on accessories.

 

Dior created filters to enable hats and sunglasses virtual try-on while Gucci launched a feature within its iOS app to enable augmented reality try-on of its line of ACE sneakers. Both experiences help consumers relate to the brands and visualize these luxury products on them. It’s also a way for brands to get closer to younger generations of consumers, more sensible towards new technologies. 

Dior's virtual try on filters
Dior's virtual try on filters

3. Embedded experiences

SmartPixels Augmented Reality experience

For the opening of Burberry’s new retail shop in Tokyo, the brand launched an Realtà Aumentata shopping tool through Google Search technology. The tool enables consumers to experience Burberry’s products embedded in their environment. The goal is to enhance customers’ research and shopping experience online.

With the COVID-19 situation, there are even more opportunities for augmented reality nelle della moda, especially regarding Runway Shows, Virtual Fitting rooms, Smart Mirrors, Showrooms, and Windows.

Why you should invest in Augmented Reality for e-commerce

4. AR runway Shows

GIANTSTEP's AR runwayshow
GIANTSTEP's AR runwayshow

Runway shows have always been expensive and resource-consuming to produce. COVID-19 has indeed accelerated the need for a digital version. An augmented reality runway experience is a true alternative, as it complies with the rules of social distancing. It’s also a way to democratize the runway, enabling new guests who wouldn’t usually be invited to the front row of the fashion show.

 

 

What we mean by augmented reality runway isn’t just a live stream of the events, which has existed for a long time, but visualizing augmented reality models in your living room. It was done recently at the London Fashion Week when the British fashion model Adwoa Aboah walked proudly the catwalk nelle augmented reality.

5. Augmented Reality mirrors

Burberry's Augmented Reality mirrors
Burberry's Augmented Reality mirrors

It seems very interesting to keep an eye on augmented reality mirrors, which will develop further. Smart mirrors are moving from in-store to in-home, assisting us every step of the way: whether we are trying different outfits, discovering our style, assisting us with online purchases but also dressing up, and who knows, maybe even helping us to stay fit.

6. Augmented Reality showrooms

Snapchat X Kohl's AR showroom
Snapchat X Kohl's AR showroom

Augmented reality can provide a simulation of the in-store experience anywhere. 3D is becoming the new standard for product rendering, offering a 360° view in any environment. It is also being used extensively to conduct product research, testing the demand for certain products.

 

Many companies have been trying to use augmented reality to offer a showroom experience to their consumers. For example, Kohl’s and Snapchat created a partnership to offer an immersive shopping experience using the Snapchat app to transform any space into a showroom. Users could explore countless looks and add items to their shopping cart for purchase in real life.

7. Augmented Reality windows

Louis Vuitton virtual mirror
Louis Vuitton Augmented Reality window

New collections have often been showcased using display windows to catch shoppers’ attention in your store. Using augmented reality, brands can add a new layer of digital storytelling and interactivity. For example, Helen Papagiannis developed an augmented reality activation to show how Louis Vuitton could extend its window displays. SmartPixels developed similar activations for Dior, Moet Hennessy, Nike, and Kenzo.

SmartPixels’ interactive Dior in-store experience

How Augmented Reality can boost personalization

Augmented Reality conversion rates among different age groups
AR' conversion rates across age groups

An Augmented Reality experience does not only boost conversion by providing consumers with an immersive experience, but it can also make it completely personalized. In-store shopping is also benefiting from AR, which tailors the purchase journey for each customer.

 

Why personalization

A few examples can be listed. At Tom Ford’s London beauty boutique, shoppers can choose from 233 lipsticks stored in the Color Room and track their makeup application sessions in the Makeup Room using the so-called MemoMi “memory mirrors.” These mirrors even keep a record of which products clients test.


Furthermore, data from Estée Lauder demonstrates that the virtual-try-on tool remarkably increases conversions. For example, users are 25% more inclined to add a product to their cart, once they have tried it in advance with virtual-try-on [2]. One of the several implementations of this digital tool might be correlated to the initial test and learn phase of a product launch.


Your customers will have a deeper understanding of your items thanks to SmartPixels’ flawless and dynamic 3D augmented reality solution. They will just need a few clicks to visualize their personalized product on their desktop or mobile. For shoppers, envisioning thousands of product combinations in real-time is the key to a successful online shopping experience.

Virtual-try-on filter by SmartPixels
Virtual-try-on filter by SmartPixels
Discover SmartPixels AR solution

*Sources:

[1] https://www-statista-com.revproxy.escpeurope.eu/statistics/282453/mobile-augmented-reality-market-size/

[2] https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/beautys-augmented-reality-revolution-whats-real-whats-hype-whats-next/

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