Phydigital Fashion
Phydigital fashion is a term that combines the words physical and digital.
It refers to the integration of the physical and digital worlds in the fashion realm. Phydigital fashion offers hybrid and integrated experiences, combining the best of the physical and digital worlds in the fashion sector. Encompassing many technologies, it not only enhances the physical fashion but also elevates online shopping to new heights. Integrating the physical and digital realms holds significant importance, bringing many benefits to both customers and brands. Promoting inclusion enables fashion enthusiasts from diverse locations to access products and events from anywhere in the world.
Moreover, adopting advanced payment methods, such as digital wallets, ensures convenient and streamlined purchase processes.
Importance of Integrating the Physical and Digital Worlds in the Fashion Industry
The integration between the physical and digital worlds in the fashion industry brings forth several benefits, encompassing inclusion, collaboration, personalisation, convenience, and sustainability. These advantages culminate in a truly enriching shopping experience that aligns seamlessly with consumers' expectations. Through live streaming of fashion shows, it offers an opportunity for people from various locations to actively engage with the latest trends, even if they cannot attend in person. Furthermore, the trend of customisation caters to diverse body types, promoting a culture of inclusivity and celebrating diversity.
The integration of physical and digital empowers fashion designers to form strong connections with consumers, facilitating real-time feedback and collaborative efforts to craft products that perfectly align with their preferences.
Digital channels play a pivotal role, enabling closer and more direct communication between brands and customers, and encouraging active participation in the creation of new products and exciting campaigns.
By seamlessly integrating technology into physical events, fashion brands can create truly immersive experiences that leave a lasting impression on their guests. No wonder that phygital experiences have become an important tool for brands to engage their audiences tool for brands to engage their audiences during fashion shows.
At London Fashion Week 2023, some designers and brands used augmented reality and NFTs to create a seamless integration between the physical and digital worlds.
What Physical Experiences Took Place During London Fashion Week?
During London Fashion Week, fashionistas could visit a free immersive exhibition, redefining the body, curated by British Vogue editor Edward Enninful in collaboration with Snapchat. This exhibition was designed to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in fashion. It featured a range of inerter active installations and exhibits from different designers, ranging from established brands like Dior and Versace, to quintessentially British labels and newer up-and-coming voices like Kenneth Ize and thebe magugu. Augmented reality transforms each room throughout the exhibition into an engaging experience with the opportunity to interact with the designer's visions and collections through AR lenses. A phygital fashion show took place during London Fashion Week. On entering Swiss church studios in London’s Covent Garden, visitors could view a real-time virtual fashion show, which saw models walk alongside their avatars on an interactive runway. Designers involved included Taskin Geok, Oscar Keen, and Valaclava. Each presented their own take on digital fashion through three garments, available through the use of NFTs. The digital assets were launched for sale at the event and included access to in-person and virtual benefits.
Phygital and Physical Fashion Week
The young fashion consumers have not connected to the brand exclusivity or logo anymore; they prefer trendy, fashionable, and comfortable clothes. During the pandemic, the businesses of Instagram and social media websites boomed, and the only reason was their online presence and connection to customers. They were able to interact with a large audience and be relevant in the current scenario. The phygital fashion weeks are an evolution of physical fashion weeks. In phygital fashion weeks, the fashion houses get a chance to connect with a wide audience, express their creativity through clothes, and become more sustainable and inclusive. There is a lot of scope for creativity and innovation to present their designs and clothes with the help of virtual reality. But the shift will not be easy. Getting clicked on the streets, socialising at parties, excitement to get ready, roaming the streets with new designer clothes, all these things cannot have the same impact digitally. Fashion houses need to find a way to connect with their customers and keep them engaged. The use of technology will play a crucial role in the fashion industry’s advancement. The phygital fashion week has created numerous opportunities in the fashion industry that need to be discovered, but at the same time, they need to find a way to make the phygital experience as remarkable and mesmerising as the physical one.
Brands That Are Already Embracing Phygital Fashion
Many forward-thinking brands have adopted the phygital fashion approach, recognising its potential to elevate the consumer experience.
- Burberry
Burberry is spearheading innovation in the phygital fashion movement. The leading forward offers a mesmerising blend of experiences for fashion enthusiasts worldwide with a fusion of physical shows and live streaming.
Moreover, the brand’s physical stores leverage technologies like augmented reality to provide customers with an interactive and captivating shopping experience.
- Louis Vuitton
By investing in online broadcasts of their fashion shows, Louis Vuitton extends the reach of collections, granting a wider audience access to their creations.
The brand leverages the power of virtual and augmented reality, providing customers with immersive experiences that transcend traditional shopping, such as the phygital trunk.
- Nike
Nike is another brand that has wholeheartedly embraced the physical concept. With the integration of augmented reality, the company offers customers the opportunity to virtually try on their sports products. Empowering confident decision-making. But Nike’s innovation doesn’t stop here; the brand goes beyond by providing apps and connected devices that track user performance, creating an integrated digital experience.
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