Transparent display could spell future for shop windows – CES

Amid all the tech trends to come out of CES this year, it was the Transparent Display Case from Samsung that particularly stood out from a fashion perspective.

Seemingly a glass box (in the above example holding a shoe), the front is in fact a see-through screen linked up to a built-in PC and speakers. What that means is videos are able to play over the top of real-life items, enhancing rather than distorting their view.

It might just be a 22″ screen at the moment, but as PSFK reports, what place does that sound more relevant than in the store windows and retail shelves of the future? See it in action in the video below.

“[The display] allows images and animations to dynamically interact with the merchandise inside the showcase while still enabling passers-by to view the product,” reads the write-up from Samsung, who refers to it as “a new era of creative display in digital retail design”.

Now, add that idea to the transparent smart window it launched last year, and we might be on to something.

Digital snippets: Prada, Instagram, ASOS, adidas, American Apparel

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

• Prada debuts iPad app, Il Palazzo [WWD]

• Instagram introduces web profiles (see picture of Burberry page above) [Mashable]

• ASOS shoppable videos drive holiday sales and brand engagement [BrandChannel]

• adidas experiments with interactive window shopping [DigitalBuzzBlog]

• American Apparel CEO responds to social storm over storm sale [Bloomberg Businessweek]

• Op-ed: The problem with most fashion-tech startups [BoF]

• Shopping site The Fancy sells a $26 million round [AllThingsD]

• Fashion brands sell their image with online video content [eMarketer]

Harrods unveils Pinterest contest winner, #DiamondJubilee window

As previously reported, Harrods recently launched a contest on Pinterest to tie in with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Here now is the video of the winner, Fay Martin, and her custom display in the infamous department store’s window ahead of next month’s celebrations:

 

Click here to see Martin’s original pink- and gold-themed Pinterest board too, inspired by an early portrait of the Queen.

Net-a-Porter launches Karl line with pop-up window shops worldwide

Net-a-Porter returned to its virtual window shop concept to launch the new Karl by Karl Lagerfeld collection in several cities around the world today.

First previewed at Fashion’s Night Out in September 2011, the augmented-reality storefronts allowed customers to shop the collection by scanning products with their iPads or iPhones. In doing so, they were also in with the chance of winning various prizes from the luxury retailer.

The pop-up windows were on show in London, New York, Berlin and Sydney, as well as in Paris where Lagerfeld himself was in attendance. He told reporters: “We are making fashion and technology history.”

The 70-piece collection launched exclusively online at 10.30am EST worldwide; following which numerous pieces quickly sold out.

The site also hosts a huge variety of Karl-themed content, not to mention what can only be referred to as a Google Doodle-inspired logo, featuring Lagerfeld’s silhouette in place of the “a” in Net-a-Porter…

Garrard unveils augmented reality windows

Garrard developed a virtual “try on a tiara experience” in the window of its Albemarle Street store as part of UK Vogue’s Street Lights initiative earlier this week.

The luxury jeweller partnered with augmented reality technology company Holition to create the interactive campaign, which allows users to see themselves wearing the precious item.

Advanced photo-realistic computer modelling and Holition’s unique real-time light reflecting technology means the user can even see each diamond sparkling as they move.

Creative director at Garrard, Stephen Webster, said: “Having seen a demonstration of the technology being developed by Holition we thought it would be fun to use the technique of virtually trying on jewellery and adapt it to create a unique window for Garrard.”

Holition has previously worked with the likes of Tissot, Boucheron and Taccori on similar initiatives.

Garrard’s interactive tiara experience will remain in its windows until May 15. It forms part of the Street Lights project set up by Vogue jewellery editor, Carol Woolton, which in collaboration with The Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins is focused on creating innovative displays within the windows of fine jewellers.

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: