I’ve just arrived at SXSW in Austin, Texas, for a few days, where I’m very excited to see there looks set to be more fashion-related content than ever before. Stay tuned for coverage on that, and please excuse the hiatus otherwise throughout it.
In the meantime, here’s a look at a few more stories surrounding all things fashion and digital over the past week:
Jean Paul Gaultier releases first film of three-part mini series in new role as creative director of Diet Coke (as above) [Fashionista]
Barneys launches shoppable video for spring CO-OP campaign [The Window]
Neiman Marcus tests new customer service app [WWD]
Cartier embarks on multi-channel Odyssey campaign [L2 Think Tank]
Leading Pinterest user to ‘Live Pin’ for fashion label Calypso St. Barth [Mashable]
Online fashion outlet Nasty Gal raises $9m from Index Ventures [TechCrunch]
Guess is celebrating the launch of its new season denim collection with a contest on Pinterest called ‘Color Me Inspired”.
From March 8 – March 15, users are invited to demonstrate how colour inspires them by pinning at least five images to the Guess-branded board. Four winners will then get a pair of the new colour-coated Guess Jeans of their choice.
The judging panel is comprised of four of Guess’ favourite style bloggers – Michelle Koesnadi of Glisters and Blisters, Kristina Bazan of Kayture, Jennifer Rand of Belle de Couture, and Samantha Hutchinson of Could I Have That.
Ted Baker is continuing to focus on bringing digital initiatives into the retail space with a new campaign that will see 11 top illustrators recreating consumer looks from Instagram as pieces of original artwork.
Following on from the brand’s “It’s Rutting Season” project last season, “Ted’s Drawing Room” will invite consumers to head in-store and try on pieces from the new collection, before being photographed in their looks.
Those images will then be sent to Ted’s London HQ, where a team of illustrators will be sat ready to draw the shoppers they feel the most inspired by. Those involved range from pure fashion illustrators like Jacqueline Bissett and Niki Pilkington; to watercolourist Michael Frith.
The other artists include Miss Led, Emma Lofstrom, Viet Tran, Harry Malt, Serge Seidlitz, Dale Edwin Murray, Damien Weighill and Matthew Green.
The initiative ties in with the brand’s spring/summer 2012 campaign “The Great Exhibitionist and his Private Views” (as the above video shows). It will take place across Ted Baker stores in the UK and New York on Saturday, March 17.
A film crew will also be on hand to capture the illustrators at work, with the footage being broadcast back in-store and on Ted Baker’s Facebook page.
100 customers will receive both a digital copy and a one-off, signed and framed version of their portrait. For some, there will also be a time-lapse video of their piece being created. The same will appear on Facebook, alongside the original photos that inspired them.
Three illustrators have been commissioned in advance to demonstrate the variety of styles that will be involved on the day. Pilkington has recreated a womenswear look from the season’s collection, Green has done the same with menswear, while Malt has produced an image of the elusive Ted Baker. Each are below…
Triumph has partnered with augmented reality technology provider Holition to offer shoppers at Selfridges in London, the opportunity to virtually try on its new collection.
Through the ‘Fantasy Mirror’, women can see themselves wearing items from the Triumph Essence line, without removing a single item of clothing. The mirror uses a motion sensor camera that scans anyone standing in front of it. Infra-red technology then creates an accurate 3D reconstruction of the environment, facilitating a female avatar with real-time movement.
Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of Holition, said: “The Fantasy Mirror demonstrates how 3D virtual reality solutions can be used to develop the consumer experience. We have integrated elegant design with innovative technology to give female shoppers something they have never seen before. The mirror is not an alternative to trying-on clothes, but an additional shopping experience. Consumer expectations are constantly changing as technology evolves and Holition is proud to support this evolution by providing complementary services.”
The Fantasy Mirror was created in partnership with OgilvyAction, and unveiled at Selfridges last month alongside the new Triumph collection, by Helena Christensen (as pictured).
