Following the strong performance of Web3 last week, the digital fashion landscape is looking up, with Coach entering the gaming space, Balenciaga adopting Vision Pro and Brunello Cucinelli embracing artificial intelligence.
But this week, it’s making waves again as Cult Gaia, the LA-based lifestyle label and influencer favorite, launches a new Web3 community membership for its followers.
Syky is also next in line to join the Vision Pro wave with an experience that brings up-and-coming independent designers into the homes of tech-savvy fashion fans. With headsets becoming more popular during the Web3 rejig period, could this gadget help Syky expand its user base?
Polo Ralph Lauren’s new Snap filter brings the brand’s iconic patch to life. Image: Snap
What happened: Polo Ralph Lauren, a popular subsidiary brand of Ralph Lauren, partnered with AR leader Snap and creative digital studio Beyond.Studio to develop new interactive filters based on the label’s patches. An accessory that harkens back to the early days of Ralph Lauren, the new AR filters bring the Americana-themed emblem to life.
Bottom line: This project is part of a larger initiative that is shining a spotlight on the iconic visual element of the Polo Ralph Lauren patch. This latest effort is a central aesthetic element of the brand’s overall identity, and aims to introduce the badge to a younger generation through a digital transformation.
But cutting through the noise can be a tough task in an era when snap filters have become commonplace for brands. In Polo Ralph Lauren’s case, the filters leverage an existing campaign and bring it into the virtual world, but they lack the immersiveness and creativity needed to grab attention.
Syky’s Vision Pro app immerses viewers in the rich world of independent designers. Image: Syky
What happened: Digital fashion house and incubator Syky has launched a new app for Apple Vision Pro headsets, an experience that allows users to explore new garments and collections from Syky’s growing roster of designers.
The first creative to debut on the app is from ANREALAGE, the Japanese brand behind designer Kunihiko Morinaga. Inspired by the label’s Spring/Summer 2021 “Home” collection and gowns worn by Beyoncé on her Renaissance tour, the experience includes a custom digital version of the Pyramid Dress, which can be viewed up close in a 3D view, and viewers can click on floating spheres around it to watch short films featuring the designer and his work.
Bottom line: Syky’s entry into Vision Pro represents a landmark moment for Web3-native brands as they look to take this mainstream. So far, the gadget has been chock-full of big-name luxury names, from Gucci to Alo Yoga to Balenciaga, but Syky wants to carve its own path within the headset while also competing with some strong rivals.
To that end, the brand is focusing more on storytelling elements than e-commerce, a strategy that an increasing number of brands are adopting. Over time, the new app will empower audiences to discover more about fashion’s new wave of creatives through digital portals, virtual versions of designer ateliers, fashion presentations and other curated experiences.
Cult Gaia has launched a new membership community powered by Web3. Image: Cult Gaia
What happened: Cult Gaia, an LA lifestyle brand known for its “It bags” and strong influencer community reach, has launched a new Web3 membership program in partnership with community rewards platform Try Your Best.
To celebrate the launch, 25,000 collectibles will be available for purchase by fans of the brand. Acting as a pass, the digital collectibles unlock exclusive access to content, challenges, events and rewards.
Bottom line: This latest move from Cult Gaia aligns well with the brand’s ambitions to establish a cult following within the overall fashion zeitgeist. It also brings it one step closer to introducing mainstream consumers to the virtual world. Having a Web3-native program endorsed by their favorite content creators is likely to stimulate demand and increase appeal.
The indie label joins several brands that have adopted Web3 membership communities to deepen customer relationships and increase consumer retention, though in a field as nascent as Web3, it remains to be seen whether these platforms will work in the long term.
