Westfield has partnered with Inition to host Future Fashion – an immersive pop-up, which will present a brand new way of experiencing the season’s key trends through technology.
A series of digital fashion experiences will take visitors on a journey of the season’s trends through virtual reality and avatars.
In a world first, visitors to Future Fashion will have the opportunity to experience a Virtual Reality headset combined with gesture tracking technology, which allows users to see their own hands within the virtual world.
This will be the first time that these two technologies have ever been merged together and allow users to interact with virtual characters, fly through the landscape and mix and match the trends within a completely fantastical space.
Using a combination of Virtual Reality headsets with gesture tracking technology – which allows users to see their own hands within the virtual world – you will be able to interact with virtual characters, fly through the landscape and mix and match the different trends within a completely fantastical space. This will allow every user to have a unique experience, making them “a director in their own conceptual fashion journey”, says Ainsley Henn, Inition Producer.
Approaching a large scale screen, the technology will recognise the person’s shape and represent them through a fashion avatar. A digital representation then tracks the person across the screen as they make sweeping shapes and movements, leaving trails of the season’s trends in the air: Future Modern is expressed through glowing lines; Denim will see the avatar appear as if woven from thread; and Floral will create buds and sweeping colours representative of scent across the screen that colour flowers around you.
After being immersed in this virtual journey of the season’s key trends – denim, floral and future modern – the user will then be able to digitally curate products that fit these trends and can be found in retailers within the centre. On giant touch screens displaying Westfield’s trend microsite, Edit Me, they will be able to experiment and push style boundaries by discovering new looks and products and then shop the looks within the centre.
For the first time since its launch in 2014, Edit Me will also include menswear – giving fashion conscious men a chance to pick their favourite on-trend pieces from Westfield retailers without leaving the event space!
Myf Ryan, Westfield Director – UK & Europe, explains: “One of the most interesting topics today is the impact of the digital world on our everyday lives. Last year, Westfield’s Future Fashion event brought together the best in technology innovation, allowing shoppers an opportunity to immerse themselves in fashion in a new way.
“With the evolution of Future Fashion we wanted to explore a more abstract way for our consumers to experience the season’s key trends. From research Westfield conducted we know that shoppers are eager to explore new fashion technologies and are intrigued by new virtual ways to experience it – 52% would use Augmented Reality in a retail environment and 57% are tempted by Virtual Mirrors. This event will take our shoppers on an incredible virtual journey, which pushes the boundaries of fashion and technology.”
Ainsley Henn, Inition Producer, adds: “Inition is delighted to be working with Westfield to bring state of the art interactive technology to the reach of thousands of consumers. Combining Westfield’s insight into the key SS15 fashion trends with Inition’s expert knowledge of technology has resulted in a unique retail theatre experience that is informative, engaging and altogether mind-blowing!”
