Page 64 - #181 May 2023

SPECIAL FEATURE - AR & VR - PART TWO

A New Era of Retail

Following on from Part One of our Special Feature on AR & VR in last month’s edition, this issue sees RLI
take a closer look at a number of examples of AR & VR in the world of retail to highlight how it is being
used to enhance the offering of companies and entice customers to enter this new era of retail.

Retailers are using both virtual reality (VR), where customers typically available for sale in two different forms: physical - connected to
wear a headset to enter a completely digital world, and augmented Tommy’s e-commerce; and digital - connected to digital fashion
reality (AR), which overlays digital projections into the real world and platform DressX. The Varsity jacket is available for sale in physical form
can be accessed on a smartphone. This is the viewpoint of Simon Read, via the Emperia hub, while the Ready Player Me platform is offering the
Senior Writer at Formative Content and Contributor to the World digital version, which can be used in various games and environments,
Economic Forum in his article ‘How many consumers are shopping in multiplying the interoperability possibilities.
virtual reality and what can it offer them?’ Another example that is powered by Emperia is Tatcha’s new virtual
He goes onto say that such technology is being used to sell products store which launched back in February. The virtual experience aims
shoppers have traditionally been reluctant to buy online and that more to “immerse guests in the tranquil scents and sounds of the Japanese
of us are turning to VR to do our shopping and it is a switch that could hinoki forest” while introducing them to the brand’s Forest Awakening
signal big changes in the retail sector. Below we take a look at a few collection. In addition, the store includes information about the benefits
examples of AR and VR in the industry. of forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, a common medical
Within the roles of AR & VR, the Metaverse is another new element treatment in Japan known for its immunity and mood boosting powers
that is being incorporated by retail brands around the world. One by connecting to nature through the senses. Starting with a walk through
example of this is how Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., the Hinoki forest, visitors can explore several rooms that “engulf them
one of the world’s most recognised premium lifestyle brands and in the Tatcha Hinoki experience” and allow them to move freely, explore
a 3D technology pioneer, presented a brand-new, multi-metaverse products, learn about them and shop.
hub, powered by Emperia, which launched simultaneously and Fashion brand H&M has teamed up with leading technology company
brought together, interoperably, the most iconic metaverse platforms: Snap Inc. to launch augmented reality (AR) try on experiences –
Decentraland, Roblox (designed by Sawhorse Productions), Spatial, available now on H&M’s mobile app and on visual instant messaging
DressX and Ready Player Me, all part of Tommy Hilfiger’s Decentraland app, Snapchat. The AR experiences are co-designed by H&M and the
Metaverse Fashion Week 2023 presence. The new Tommy Hilfiger digital Institute of Digital Fashion (IODF), the London-based digital atelier and
hub also focuses on enhancing the product experience, by offering four thinktank. Powered by Snap’s camera technology, the Lenses offer the
exclusive selected items, led by the Tommy Hilfiger iconic Varsity Jacket, ability to try on one-of-a-kind digital designs, expanding the expressive
presented in different aesthetic representations across all platforms and possibilities of fashion. Anyone can select an outfit, strike a pose, and