Samsung’s Vision of the “Future of Fashion” Unveiled
by Clara Myer
Samsung has big plans for fashion. Like, BIG plans. Just last week, they unveiled just a few of them at the National Retail Federation’s BIG show. And it was impressive.
As guests entered Samsung’s 837 studio, they could see four live mannequins showcasing the new Samsung products on display, from the Gear S3 smart watch to the Galaxy Tab S2 tablet.
Every corner of the space had something new and intriguing. The way each model posed with the product combined with their ultra-cool, head-to-toe Adidas outfits conveyed how every “it girl or guy” will be dressing. As each model gave a sense of how easy it is to show off the newest Samsung piece, every person in the crowd wanted to be them.
Every person in the crowd wanted to be them.
Attendees snacked on yellowtail sushi balls, parmesan flan served in egg shell cups (which one woman loved so much that she admitted to wanting to fill her pool with it) and jalapeño cheddar tots, which was my personal favorite out of all of the savory bites.
You could order up the signature drink of the event — a hand-crafted Samsung Manhattan — while looking over the Highline in the Meatpacking district. Guests sipped away while being surprisingly entertained by two different flash mob dances.
All of a sudden the amazing DJ Rosé interrupted her stream of music to play an urban, upbeat song that the live mannequins performed a dance to at the center of the venue. The swift movements and passion that the performers radiated got everyone talking as some even tried to hop in.
Not only were some of the Gear S3 Classic and Frontier smart watches out for display, but you could actually sport one for the night. For non-Samsung phone users, you could even try out a Samsung phone to pair with the watches or Gear Fit2, their latest fitness band. I tried out the Classic Gear S3 watch, which looked so sleek peeking out from under my blue fur coat, and it was fun and easy to use.
The popular bezel around the face from the S2 model (which we recently got to try out with Vogue) is more fluid, and the watch now has an LTE feature.
This is major, for those of us who like to discretely check what is going on in meetings, or can never seem to remember our phones. Did I mention you can even order an Uber through the watch? The capabilities of the Samsung Gear S3 are endless.
You can even order an Uber through the watch.
Techtopia
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But this was just the warm-up.
Samsung’s virtual reality headsets were available to test out, but in a whole new way to excite and inspire these guests. The app “Obsess” — which is bringing a new shopping platform for fashion to virtual reality — was being shown on the virtual reality headsets. One of the scenes you could test out was the recent Dior show in Paris. You step into the front row of the show, seeing the show from all angles.
You step into the front row of the show.
The whole idea of virtual reality fashion is quite fascinating. No matter where you are, you have the chance to step inside a foreign place and feel as if you are actively participating in an adventure you might have never dreamed possible.
With the “Obsess” app, you can sit front row, next the fashion elite like Olivia Culpo, all from the comfort of your own couch at home.
Whether you are deeply invested in each look that passes by, being distracted by your favorite A-list celebrity across from you, or admiring the architecture and ambiance of the venue, it’s all there. Through this app you have the ability to “heart” your top favorite looks, which will then be emailed to you with shoppable links.
You can “heart” your favorite looks in VR.
In another “Obsess” adventure, you could “go” into a glamorous designer boutique, virtually walking around to each corner and product within a store. Whenever you saw a piece that sparked your interest, you could read its description, price, and the brand, all by focusing on it. You could easily “heart” a pair of jeans or sweater that you wanted to purchase, or save for later.
The founder and CEO of the app, Neha Singh, was there to talk about the early stages of “Obsess” and how retailers will integrate it into shopping experiences of the future. Before she became a VR entrepreneur with amazing shoes, she had spent time at both Google and Vogue. This instantly explained her amazing style and innovative app, which is sure to be the way for fashion-followers everywhere to experience elite fashion events and see a whole new side of the fashion industry.
The founder and CEO of the app, Neha Singh, was there.
Here are some other “wow” moments from the evening:
– A display that recognizes you as you enter store from your mobile device, and welcomes you on a large display screen
– A Samsung video wall used for “sentiment analysis” (it detects and displays your mood — no more resting mean face!)
– Examples of Samsung Pay added to vending machines (these exist already!). You just tap your phone with Samsung Pay to the front of vending machine. Transaction approved.
– A touch-and-tap payment cartoon
– Item pedestals that light up purple if the item displayed is already in your cart
One of the event’s offerings was a room set up as a photo-booth. When Samsung has a photo booth, you will get an experience that far surpasses any traditional photo booth you have ever encountered.
Leave it to Samsung to solve the age-old problem of fitting all of your friends into one group shot! This is where the Gear 360 camera comes into play.
The spherical camera was set in the center of the room on a tripod, paired to a Samsung phone that can trigger the camera when you take the photo. The camera has multiple lenses so you can capture all 360 degrees of the space and stitch it together for one full photo.
After each photo, you can email the full 360-degree image to yourself, complete with shareable social media links.
Covering the walls were Samsung’s digital photo walls with interactive touchscreen capabilities. Imagine, trying on a full outfit inside of your favorite store without even taking off your coat!
This technology is setting the new standard for how people shop, and reinventing the world of retail to better connect with the millennial shoppers.
Imagine, trying on a full outfit without taking off your coat!
Digital mirrors will show personalized marketing and information to shoppers.
With the amount of time that we are spending staring at the screens of our phones, Samsung has blown this screen up and personalized it. As consumers’ attention spans — and ability to be amused — shrink, the demand for a personalized experience grows.
The digital displays and mirrors bridge the gap from traditional shopping experiences to the type millennials demand.
At the end of the night every attendee, including myself, left with an exciting taste of what the fusion of technology and fashion is going to do for retail. I cannot wait to see what else Samsung develops to inspire, intrigue, and amaze shoppers of the future.
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Related
Virtual Reality Fashion Week
VR Fashion
With love,
FWO
