Westfield debuts digital fashion event
3D catwalk shows, interactive LCD displays and QR discount codes updates traditional instore experience
Westfield is aiming to be at the forefront of retail technology innovation this spring with the launch of its all-digital, interactive spring/summer 2012 event.
The event will feature a 3D fashion show, which is making its commercial debut in a pop-up cinema at futurefashion, Westfield’s first ever all-digital style event, which ran at Westfield London from 27 March to 1 April and is at Westfield Stratford City from 4 to 9 April.
3D fashion catwalk experience
Seating 15 visitors at a time, each guest wears 3D glasses to view an immersive six-minute fashion show. The 3D lenticular catwalk show shows footage filmed in 3D using two digital cinema cameras and at significantly higher resolution than standard HD film to preserve quality levels.
Nick Dew, director at production company Really Creative Media, said the 3D filming allows the models to emerge from the screen and have a life-like presentation to the viewer. “The film was made to be presented in a cinematic format on a 3M Wide 3D cinema screen,” he explained. “We shot it in a very filmic way using a lot of lighting. We added a number of effects on set during the shoot to enhance the 3D experience and keep a sense of drama about the show.”
Five digital 103-inch touchscreens (pictured above) also allow shoppers to create a look by browsing images from trend- themed galleries, each housing current High Street and luxury apparel, accessories and illustrations. Spring/summer fashion from Westfield’s 700-plus brands can be navigated onscreen and looks can be created on a futuristic editorial style canvas by dragging items to adapt and personalise a unique spring look.
Integrating social and mobile
Once shoppers have curated their look they can also publish it on Westfield’s Facebook Gallery and choose to have a bespoke shopping list of items selected with prices automatically emailed to them. Shoppers can also easily share their style via their own Facebook and Twitter pages.
The futurefashion event also embeds each product onscreen with quick response (QR) code technology. The QR codes can be scanned with a reader via a smartphone and used to obtain a discount code, which can then be used to make purchases in participating retailer’s stores. Shoppers with near field communication (NFC) technology-enabled handsets are also able to scan and collate discounts to then redeem instore.
Myf Ryan, Westfield general manager marketing UK, said it was important to respond to the rise of the online retail world: “We hope that by introducing new ways to interact with fashion through the latest technology in a retail environment, the boundary between bricks and mortar and online shopping will blur and a new age shopper who can seamlessly shift between both will emerge – more empowered than ever in how they shop.”
