Digital snippets: Beats by Dre, Alexander Wang, Apple, in-store tech, China social media

A round-up of the latest stories to know about surrounding all things fashion and tech:

• Did Beats by Dre just out-Nike Nike with this incredible World Cup ad? [AdWeek]

• Alexander Wang and friends bring SNL’s Mango back in latest ad [GQ]

• Apple’s newest ad says we’re ready for wearables, now [re/code]

• In-store tech, sales driver or hype? [BoF]

• Beyond Weibo and WeChat: four chinese social platforms with big luxury potential [Jing Daily]

• Regent Street to deploy beacon technology in shops [The Telegraph]

• Is the price point of wearables weighing on sector growth? [FT Material World]

• Tanya Taylor partners with Instagram artist Kalen Hollomon on coolest lookbook ever [Fashionista]

• Nike unveils world’s first-ever 3D-printed performance sports bag [WGSN Tumblr]

Alexander Wang serves up Instagram-worthy ice cream in Hong Kong

Alexander Wang has been spreading summer cheer in Hong Kong with a black ice cream truck stationed outside its Harbour City store for the past two weekends. The branded van has been handing out free ice cream to customers and passers-by.

The ‘Eat Me’ campaign, developed in collaboration with HK boutique, Joyce, was launched to celebrate the two year anniversary of Alexander Wang Harbour City. Those who commemorated their ‘Eat Me’ moment on Instagram using the hashtags #joycehk and #alexanderwanghk had the chance to win an Alexander Wang gift.

Sure enough, the initiative drew quite a crowd – people of all ages were captured queuing up for the chance to enjoy ice cream out of the branded ice cream cones. The result was Instagram buzz from young and old alike, with winners of the competition receiving prizes such as a yoga matt and a domino set.

By Anna Abrell

Digital snippets: Burberry, L’Oréal, Macy’s, Adidas, Uniqlo, Google Glass

A round-up of the latest stories to know about surrounding all things fashion and tech:

• How Burberry has fared in its first days on Tmall [Jing Daily]

• L’Oréal launches virtual try-on make-up app [NY Times]

• Macy’s is the first retailer to run Facebook’s auto-play video ads [Adweek]

• Adidas app to print Instagram snaps on your shoes [CNET]

• Uniqlo lets consumers design their own t-shirts [WSJ – Japan Real Time]

• Google’s new fashion-savvy exec can’t fix Glass’ biggest flaw [Wired]

• Burberry cites integrated marketing activity for revenue growth as EasyJet CEO joins the board [The Drum]

• CFDA to give out Instagram award [Telegraph Fashion]

• Op-ed: Why fashion is the next big thing in venture capital [BoF]

• Why are fashion brands shying away from Tumblr? [Tumblr]

Digital snippets: Nike, Burberry, Selfridges, DKNY, John Lewis, Burt’s Bees

It was perhaps Nike that was the buzziest of brands over the past couple of weeks, if you take into consideration both the successful launch of its unofficial World Cup campaign, Winner Stays (as above), and the rumoured shift in strategy for its FuelBand wearable device. That latter news reported the brand is laying off 70-80% of the fitness tracker’s hardware team in a bid to focus on software and the NikeFuel metric instead. A further interview with Nike President Mark Parker added fuel to the fire on a big partnership with Apple.

Burberry meanwhile was another brand with various stories to follow. It opened its new Shanghai store to much theatrical, multimedia fanfare; pushed yet another social tie-in via WeChat; launched an online store on Alibaba’s Tmall; and was announced as one of the first brands to advertise using Instagram video. And if that wasn’t enough, Angela Ahrendts just made that move officially over to Apple. “Did you notice?” asked the FT.

Safe to say, some other companies were up to things too. Here are the best of the fashion and tech stories not to be missed…

• Selfridges launches biggest ever beauty campaign with Google+ partnership [Campaign]

• DKNY shoppers go product hunting with Awear Solutions chips [FierceRetailIT]

• John Lewis looks back on British history in TV spot to mark 150 years [Campaign]

• Burt’s Bees creates promotional messages via appointments in digital calendars [NY Times]

• What can fashion-tech companies learn from Instagram’s success? Co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom shares his start-up secrets [BoF]

• Instagram is brands’ best bet for consumer engagement… but not for long [Fashionista]

• ‘Brand tagging’ mobile apps: China’s next selfie sensation [Jing Daily]

• Fashion retailers eye up image-recognition apps for smartphones [The Guardian]

• Microsoft to push into fashion space “like never before” as it boosts commitment to UK start-up community and unveils ASOS as partner [The Drum]

• Why online retailers like Bonobos, Boden, Athleta mail so many catalogs [WSJ]

• Crowdemand is like Kickstarter for fashion designers [Mashable]

• Like a dating site for fashion, PopInShop plays matchmaker for brands and boutiques [Fashionista]

• The golden era of ‘fashion blogging’ is over [The Cut]

Digital snippets: Fabergé, Dior, Gucci, Marc by Marc Jacobs, H&M, J.Crew and Kate Spade

A round-up of the latest stories to know about surrounding all things fashion and tech:

 

• Fabergé’s NYC Easter egg hunt marks the largest Beacon deployment ever in the US [Fashionista]

• Dior explores global flower sourcing with interactive map [Luxury Daily]

• James Franco directs video for Gucci (as above) [WWD]

• Marc by Marc Jacobs line crowdsources models with #castmemarc campaign on social [Vogue.co.uk]

• YouTube fashion viral: Miranda Kerr is selfie obsessed in H&M’s spring 2014 campaign [Fashionotes]

• J.Crew and Kate Spade to foster the next big fashion tech start-ups through new accelerator program [Co.Design]

• IMG Fashion’s partnership with Tencent aims to boost Fashion Week China exposure  [JingDaily] bit.ly/1ltgJFZ

• Fashion in the age of Instagram [NY Times]

• How iBeacon and similar technology will change retail [eMarketer]

• Five examples of how marketers are using iBeacons [Econsultancy]

• ‘Showrooming’ hits luxury fashion – lack of e-commerce presence means clients buying elsewhere online [WSJ]

• Luxury brands are stupid to snub the internet [BusinessWeek]

• Decoded Fashion founder: ‘Designers need to launch like start-ups’ [The Guardian]

• New app, Think Dirty, tracks the nasty chemicals in the beauty products you put on your face [Co.Exist]

• The camera-wielding boyfriends behind fashion’s most famous bloggers [Fashionista]

• How LiketoKnow.it is changing Instagram by monetising your photos [Pinetop Group]

• Op-ed: The companies with the best software will lead fashion [BoF]

Digital snippets: Wren, Gucci, John Lewis, Lord & Taylor, Kenneth Cole, Sephora

A bit of a catch-up post today in light of several weeks of travel… here then all the latest stories to know about surrounding fashion and tech from the past fortnight or so:

 

• “First Kiss” film (as above) goes viral with 63 million views – is ad for clothing label Wren [NY Times]

• Gucci launches own Spotify music hub to promote short film ‘The Fringe’ [The Drum]

• John Lewis looks to digital innovation as next big thing in retail with ‘JLab incubator’ [The Guardian]

• Lord & Taylor now accepting bitcoin [CNBC]

• Kenneth Cole challenges consumers to do good deeds and prove it via Google Glass [Creativity]

• Sephora launches ‘Beauty Board’ social shopping platform [USA Today]

• Bergdorf Goodman makes Instagram shots shoppable at SXSW with 52Grams [5th/58th]

• Dolce & Gabbana crafts love story around perfume to appeal to consumer emotion [Luxury Daily] 

• adidas launches gaming platform powered by social media starring Lionel Messi [Marketing Magazine]

• Can Instagram save ageing teen retailer Aeropostale? [CNBC]

• Which big brands are courting the maker movement, and why – from Levi’s to Home Depot  [AdWeek]

• How beacon technology could change the way we shop [Fashionista]

• On Instagram, a bazaar where you least expect it [Bits blog]

• What Google’s wearable tech platform could mean for the fashion industry [Fashionista]

• Smartphone payment system to be unveiled in UK [FT]

• Alibaba ramping up efforts to sell US brands in China [WSJ]

• What does WeChat’s new e-credit card mean for luxury? [JingDaily]

• How the top 10 US retailers use Pinterest [Econsultancy]

• The NYC start-ups you need to know [Refinery29]

• Op-Ed | Are camera phones killing fashion? [BoF]

Digital snippets: Burberry, Calvin Klein, Moschino, Saks, M&S, Primark

A round-up of all the latest stories surrounding fashion and tech…

 

• Burberry reveals ‘digital innovation’ partnership with WeChat to strengthen social presence in China [The Drum]

• Calvin Klein asks fans to snap selfies in their skivvies for #MyCalvins campaign [BrandChannel]

• Fast-fashion: Moschino offers fans the ability to shop its McDonald’s-themed show live [Dazed Digital]

• Saks recreates in-store beauty tutorials with six-second videos on Vine [LuxuryDaily]

• Marks & Spencer launches new website to replace Amazon platform, after three years in the making [The Telegraph]

• How Primark achieved 1.7m Facebook Likes in just six months [Econsultancy]

• Former GQ editor Lauren Bans comes out as @CondeElevator Tweeter [Fashionista]

• New privacy website lets you opt out of tracking in retail stores [AdAge]

• Ebay buys virtual fitting room start-up PhiSix Fashion Labs [PC Mag]

Digital snippets: Michael Kors, Rebecca Minkoff, Vivienne Tam, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen

From New York to London, and everything in between, here’s a mega round-up of all the latest stories surrounding fashion and tech…

• Michael Kors dominates social conversation during NYFW [New York Business Journal]

• Rebecca Minkoff gives inside look at fashion week with Keek app [Mashable]

• Vivienne Tam’s WeChat partnership delivers NYFW front-row access [Jing Daily]

• Marc Jacobs opens fashion week pop-up that accepts Tweets as payment (as pictured) [Fashionista]

• Zac Posen curated a Spotify playlist for his new lookbook [Styleite]

• Alexander Wang showed colour-changing clothes during fashion week [Technical.ly]

• Warby Parker tops list of top 10 retail innovators [Fast Company]

• London Fashion Week: Nokia and Fyodor Golan create ‘world’s first’ smart skirt [Marketing]

• Net-a-Porter puts its fashion sense on paper in new print magazine [BrandChannel]

• Miu Miu unveils ‘Spark and Light’ short film [WWD]

• Sass & Bide launches 360-degree shoppable ad [PSFK]

• Bloomingdale’s hosts live-styling event on Instagram to drive interaction [Luxury Daily]

• The new Moda Operandi app is like Tinder for designer clothes [NY Observer]

• Instagram is shaping up to be the world’s most powerful selling tool [Forbes]

• Twitter planning to move into e-commerce [The Telegraph]

• Seven ways retailers are embracing tech, from body scanning to digital wallets [AdAge]

• A trend for fashion search apps [FT Material World]

• What’s so alluring about a woman known as Man Repeller? [NY Mag]

Digital snippets: The North Face, Instagram Direct, Target, Barneys, Harrods, Karmaloop

The big news over the past couple of weeks in the retail and fashion tech space was of course the concept of Amazon drones, but multiple other stories grabbed the headlines too. Here’s a highlight of the best ones…

• IBM’s Watson explores the great e-commerce unknown with The North Face [AdAge]

• What Instagram Direct means for fashion brands (as pictured) [Fashionista]

• Pinterest just figured out how to make shopping awesome with Target [The Washington Post]

• Barneys creates holiday .gif guide to appeal to younger consumers [Luxury Daily]

• Harrods’ Christmas Weibo campaign engages London’s Chinese tourist influx [Jing Daily]

• Karmaloop targets millennials with YouTube and Snapchat holiday plan [AdWeek]

• Kmart’s ‘Ship My Pants’ gets the Dickens treatment for Christmas [AdAge]

• Native advertising: the pros and cons [WWD]

• Designing the next generation of wearables, with women in mind [Fast Company]

• With 3-D printing, clothing that leaves out the sewing machine [NY Times]

• Mallzee is a Tinder-esque shopping app that lets your friends play fashion police [TechCrunch]

• Start-up Thread is building a scalable personal styling service, blending human stylists and intelligent algorithms [BoF]

• Instagram is the ‘best platform for brands’ in 2013, beating out Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ [Venture Beat]

• Retailers look to their best customers, not bloggers, as the new influencers [Fashionista]

• Achieving press-worthy initiatives through technology partnerships [Fashion’s Collective]

• Gap’s ad with Sikh model Waris Ahluwalia defaced with racist graffiti, drawing incredible response from company [Huffington Post]

Digital snippets: Selfridges, Prada, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Asos, Lancôme, Valentino

A highlight of the top stories surrounding all things fashion and digital of late: 

• Drive-through Dior? Coming right up at Selfridges London [CN Traveler] 

• Wes Anderson debuts latest Prada feature [Fashionotes] 

• Victoria’s Secret creates 3D-printed angel wings for fashion models [Huffington Post] 

• Gap rolls out “reserve in store” service [CNBC] 

• Asos plans China launch with ‘culturally relevant’ marketing [Marketing Magazine] 

• Behind the Lancôme digital experience [L2 The Daily] 

• Valentino jumps in on China’s high-tech runway revolution [JingDaily] 

• Under Armour looks to take a bite out of FuelBand success with MapMyFitness acquisition [BrandChannel] 

• Nasty Gal is opening a brick and mortar store [Hollywood Reporter] 

• Pinterest opens API to retail partners [TechCrunch] 

• Google’s Eric Schmidt invests in retail tech designed to help personalisation and data measurement [WWD] 

• Here’s why ‘The Internet of Things’ will be huge, and drive tremendous value for people and businesses [Business Insider] 

• Why companies desperately need to make wearables cool [Wired] 

• How brands get shoppers to volunteer their personal data: transparency and better experiences [PSFK] 

• Social media drives less than 1% of shopping sessions, study says [Fashionista] 

• Fashion retailers are still failing to optimise email marketing for mobile [Econsultancy] 

• What retailers can learn from mobile commerce in the UK [Shop.org] 

• 15 stats that show why click-and-collect is so important for retailers [Econsultancy] 

Note: Look out for a separate holiday-specific digital round-up later this week, featuring all the top retail campaign stories as well as insights into the biggest innovations being pushed for the festive season.