Kirsten Dunst fronts Bulgari fragrance ad

Following on from the print campaign shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott (see below), Bulgari has released a video ad for its new Mon Jasmin Noir fragrance, starring Kirsten Dunst.

The actress appears alongside a lion draped in a pale pink dress and jewels from Bulgari’s new Mediterranean Eden Collection, which was unveiled during Milan Fashion Week at the end of February.

She is filmed strolling around a 16th century garden at Villa Balbianello, Lake Como, as the lion placidly follows along behind. The two are then seen cosying up as Dunst delicately strokes the lion’s mane.

“With her distinctive charisma, Kirsten is the embodiment of the warmth and tenderness this scent evokes,” said the brand’s Facebook post.

The spot finishes with a shot of the new perfume bottle. Supposed to represent a bewitching femininity, Bulgari has also created a microsite where you can find out more about the scent, here: Bulgari.com

Take a peek behind the scenes with this video, too: YouTube.com

Digital snippets 15/04: Bottega Veneta, Bergdorf Goodman, Burberry, Franceline Prat

Bottega Veneta's Viaggio Notturno

Some more great stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital this week:

• Bottega Veneta unveils first fashion film, “Viaggio Notturno”. Based on the subject of travel, it was made in collaboration with photographer and director Christian Weber [Bottega Veneta, NOWNESS]

• Bergdorf Goodman places location-based banner ad in mobile application game Words With Friends to drive consumers in store [Luxury Daily]

• Burberry is kickstarting its digital retail commitment by outfitting its China stores with touchscreens the size of full-length mirrors and iPads to facilitate ordering; other markets will follow [WSJ]

• And watch highlights from Burberry’s Beijing hologram show [YouTube]

• Why we still love magazines, including a short film of infamous French Vogue editor Franceline Prat telling the story of her first shoot with Helmut Newton [The Business of Fashion]

• Online advertising revenue grew 15% in 2010 to $26bn [IAB]

House of Fraser to launch multiple international sites

House of Fraser is set to up its international business by launching several foreign language websites, according to New Media Age.

The UK-based department store, which currently operates in 32 countries, is aiming to encourage customers to engage with its brand via e-commerce, social media and mobile channels.

E-commerce director Andy Harding said the intention is to “represent the brand better abroad”.

The store is also developing smartphone apps and a mobile-optimised site. A refresh of the UK website will follow later this year.

Burberry live from Beijing

Burberry’s “music, fashion and tech extravaganza” is streaming live from Beijing, now. Expect to see ground-breaking virtual image technology placing live models against animated footage and life-like holograms. Not to mention British band Keane performing for the first time in China.

Watch it here – http://live.burberry.com

Or read about it here – Burberry to host music, fashion, tech extravaganza for Beijing opening

Ralph Lauren fragrance ad stars Fashion Toast blogger

Ralph Lauren has released a short film starring Fashion Toast blogger Rumi Neely alongside her photographer boyfriend Colin Sokol to promote the Seductive #2 fragrance from the brand’s Big Pony collection.

Titled “Laws of seduction”, the ad was shot at the Soho Grand hotel in New York. It sees Neely playing a fugitive, with Sokol as the detective chasing after her. He plots to seduce her but instead opts to snap a set of handcuffs on her wrists instead.

The film is shot in black and white throughout, with soft touches of red seen in the likes of the fragrance bottle, a glass of wine and a bouquet of flowers.

It was written and directed by Seth Hagenstein.

Neely has previously modelled for Forever 21, Free People and Rebecca Minkoff.

Nordstrom uses Xbox’s Kinect for interactive windows

US department store Nordstrom has integrated Microsoft’s Kinect technology into the windows of its flagship Seattle store.

The Xbox accessory has been used to enable shoppers passing by to “write with light” on the white backdrop of the display simply by moving their hands.

“With the help of Kinect’s infrared technology and their technical genius, our teams created a seamlessly interactive display that anyone can ‘paint’ on using just the motion of their hands in front of the glass,” Nordstrom posted on its blog.

The Kinect controller is reportedly hidden underneath a Dolce & Gabbana bag.

The interactive windows, which run until today, April 11, follow on from the store’s Spring 2011 Designer Catalog, a partnership with Glen Luchford and Ruben Toledo which also saw experiments in writing with light.

According to AllThingsD, Kinect for Xbox has also been used to create the world’s best shadow puppet and to operate a computer like Tom Cruise in Minority Report.

See the Nordstrom windows in action below:

Digital snippets 08/04

Some more great stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital this week:

• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to launch personalised shopping website, StyleMint.com [The Cut]

• Miu Miu unveils new e-store in US, Japan and across Europe [FTape]

• Behind the scenes with the celebs in H&M’s new Fashion Against AIDS campaign [Interview]

• Style.com to launch print edition [Adweek]

• Twitter to offer brand pages in the same vein as Facebook [Marketing]

• Living Social valued at $3bn after funding round [Dealbook]

New Matalan ad orbits perfect spring day

This is a lovely video from UK discount retailer Matalan for spring/summer 2011.

Part of the store’s new ‘Feel Good Fashion’ brand campaign, it sees a series of models interacting with each other as well as their future selves as the camera continuously rotates on the same picnic scene.

With the title Forever Spring, the aim of the 60-second TV spot was to encapsulate the perfect everlasting spring day.

It was created by BBH and directed by Scott Lyon. Richard McGrann of BBH said: “We set out to make a fashion film that not only stands out, but gives the audience something new to spot each time they view it.”

The campaign is also running in print, while a second TV ad is due in the summer.

The soundtrack Plage by Crystal Fighters can be downloaded for free at Matalan.co.uk.

Burberry to host music, fashion, tech extravaganza for Beijing opening

Burberry's new flagship store in Beijing

Burberry is set to celebrate the opening of its new flagship store in Beijing with its most immersive experience to date, combining music, fashion and technology.

Live-streamed from the Beijing Television Centre on April 13, the event will see ground-breaking virtual image technology placing live models against animated footage and life-like holograms. British band Keane will perform throughout.

A sensory element is also supposed to feature, with rumour of the weather playing a part.

“I love the creativity, vibrancy and history of China with its exciting and dynamic energy and it is a huge privilege to be flying the flag for Britain in the magnificent city of Beijing connecting all of our global communities to celebrate everything Burberry represents today from music, to heritage and innovation,” said chief creative officer Christopher Bailey.

The event will welcome 1,000 VIP guests, but as usual with Burberry, also be live-streamed online and to 50 stores around the world.

At the new Beijing store, a 12,500sq ft space at Sparkle Roll Plaza (as pictured), the extravaganza will be viewable on the giant flat-screen LED video walls.

On Keane’s participation, lead singer Tom Chaplin, said: “I met Christopher Bailey a few years ago. He’s a big fan of Keane and I’m a big fan of what he does for Burberry, so we hit it off. Christopher suggested that we should team up to create an incredible event combining music, new technology, and fashion in one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting cities, Beijing.

“It’ll be our first trip to China, and we hope to put on a show that will surprise and delight the folks of that fascinating and brilliant country.”

He announced the band’s participation in the event through a short video on Facebook, as below:

Coach calls for memories in online Mother’s Day campaign

Coach has launched an interactive online campaign in the build up to Mother’s Day in the US.

“Mother’s Day Stories: You, Your Mom & Coach” encourages consumers to share their Coach-related mother-daughter memories through Coach.com and Facebook.

“Our heritage, your legacy,” runs the tagline.

“We hear so many passionate stories from our customers on the store level, that we wanted to take this opportunity to invite them to engage in our brand message for Mother’s Day and share their Coach memories with us online,” a spokesperson told WWD.

The campaign launches with stories from key fashion insiders including Gretchen Gunlocke Fenton, accessories director at Glamour magazine; Eva Chen, beauty director at Teen Vogue; and Lauren Sherman of Fashionista.com.

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