Models wore nothing but their underwear as onlookers used AR technology to try on clothes.
Pokémon Go may have been the largest exposure many people have had to augmented reality marketing and technology, but London Fashion Week took things a step further. With live models standing in a display window, the Lyst online retailer used tech and shock value to attract attention.
The result was gimmicky, but it did the trick because the entire world has had a look.
The Lyst augmented reality marketing campaign involved using real models dressed in nothing but a pair of underwear. They stood in a display window so people could use their smartphones to view the way a digital version of the clothing would look on them. The London shop drew a great deal of attention, though it is unclear as to whether it was because due to the Lyst fashions or because there were topless women as well as known celebrities such as Spencer Matthews standing behind the glass.
Whatever the reason the attention was drawn, the augmented reality marketing tactic certainly caught the eye.
The AR technology made it possible for people to clothe the live models using digital fashions. They could then view those fashions from any angle, providing a 360 degree representation of the clothing. The images were detailed enough that people could also zoom in on the fabrics in order to get a closer look at their textures.
According to Christian Woolfenden, the CMO at Lyst, “In a week where London comes alive for fashion, we thought it would be fascinating to look at what lies in store — quite literally — for us all in the coming years.” He added, “Emperor’s New Clothes’ as we wanted to stop people in their tracks twice — first in puzzlement; then in awe.”
Woolfenden also explained that by bringing augmented reality marketing technology into the mix with Lyst’s inventory (which he called the “biggest in the world”) it will allow consumers to rapidly try the latest hot fashions. This way, they can try them on no matter where they are in the world, regardless of whether the fashions are from catwalks or street styles.
