Digital snippets: Peter Som, Bergdorfs, Prada, Jean Paul Gaultier, American Eagle

There’s been a lot happening in the fashion and technology space over the past couple of weeks, ranging from Proenza Schouler’s new site to Net-a-Porter moving into the beauty space. News of Pinterest’s new analytics platform and Facebook’s planned integration of the hashtag have also hit. Here are the rest of the highlights sourced from around the web…

Don’t forget to check out this wrap-up report from SXSW Interactive as it applies to the fashion industry too.

 

• Behind Peter Som’s 3.3 million Pinterest followers [BoF]

• Insider Access: Q&A with Cannon Hodge, Bergdorf Goodman [Fashion’s Collective]

• Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola made a Prada film (as per above trailer) [Fashionista]

• Jean Paul Gaultier launches responsive web design [Web&Luxe]

• American Eagle spoof video pokes fun at skinny jeans trend [NY Daily News]

• Neiman Marcus launches fashion contest on Pinterest [WWD]

• Justin Bieber plays drums in adidas NEO interactive lookbook [MTV Style]

• Aeropostale launching new tech for teens [Business Insider]

• Puma seeks to celebrate individuality with Worn My Way lifestyle campaign [Marketing magazine]

• 3D printing clothes at home could be reality by 2050 [PSFK]

• Google Glass app identifies you by your fashion sense [NewScientist]

• Zalando concept car spots fashions, transforms into changing room [Gizmag]

• China entering e-commerce and mobile “golden age”. So why are fashion brands lagging? [Jing Daily]

• What real-time branding means for luxury brands [Luxury Daily]

Video highlight: Jean Paul Gaultier talks 2014 Barbican exhibition

There’s three types of good fashion films these days: the conceptual creative type (think features for seasonal campaigns), the product shots (more for selling, a lot shorter in length but ideally still tied to a story), and then the interview. That was an idea coined by Harriet Mays Powell of The Look Now (formerly fashion director at New York Magazine), speaking at the first Fashion Forward conference in 2011.

Her focus was that each needs investment, not just in terms of money, but in terms of a strategic approach. The better interviews for instance aren’t haphazard behind-the-scenes clips that don’t do a high fashion house any justice, but well-shot and insightful pieces in their own right.

This one (below) just released by The Barbican Centre in London serves as a great example. It captures designer Jean Paul Gaultier animatedly discussing his upcoming exhibition in its art gallery in April 2014. Set in his Paris studio, with shots of various items from his collections interspersed, he jokes about the retrospective being shown while he’s still alive, and highlights his appreciation for the city of London.

The entire video is such an enthusiastic insight into him and his brand, that when he says, “I am very lucky because I am living my passion”, at the end, the viewer truly believes him.

 

The exhibition itself also sounds like a winner. The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, as it’s called, will see more than 140 garments from 1970 to today presented. Included will be the infamous conical bra from Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour, as well as costumes for Kylie Minogue and films such as The Fifth Element.

The exhibition will also comprise catwalk footage, music videos, films, dance performances and snippets from Gaultier’s cult TV show, Eurotrash. It will be accompanied by an events programme and film season.

It has been initiated and produced by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with Maison Jean Paul Gaultier, and will tour worldwide.

Jean Paul Gaultier celebrates grown-up ‘enfants terribles’ with digital advent calendar

Jean Paul Gaultier has launched an online campaign for the festive period centred on a digital advent calendar.

Created with digital agency Isobar, and housed on jeanpaulgaultier.com, the calendar’s 24 dates appear as the inside pockets of Father Christmas’ coat (in this case with Jean Paul Gaultier playing the role).

Each one reveals a variety of games, entertainment and prizes to be won. Designed for “grown-up enfants terribles“ (Gaultier’s own long-standing nickname), and celebrating “the Christmas of naughty children”, it features animations including sexy reindeers and naughty elves, and names such as “Shake your snowball” and “Eat the log”.

“Once upon a time, it was a Christmas unlike any other. An alternative Christmas, an upside down Christmas, a new slant on Christmas, as only Jean Paul Gaultier could imagine it, “ reads the write-up.

Users will be able to open three pockets at random each day, followed by a further three when they share the experience with their Facebook or Twitter friends. Prizes include bottles and boxsets of fragrance, Jean Paul Gaultier stuffed animals and a special gift due to be revealed on Christmas Eve.

Check out the intro video below:

Digital snippets: Jean Paul Gaultier, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Cartier

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]