A new trend emerged from fashion week and it didn’t have anything to do with clothing. Leading fashion designers and retailers relied on virtual reality content to heighten the overall experience of their clothing lines.
A large number of designers partnered with Intel to have their fashion shows featured in 360-degree videos. The videos were featured in an app available on Samsung Gear VR. The video gave everyday fans of New York Fashion Week a front seat to fashion shows. Designers Rebecca Minkoff and Sherri Hill also produced their show in 360-degree video, partnering with Zeekit and 360RIZE respectively.
In Greenlight Insights’ 2016 Virtual Reality Consumer Adoption Report, 71 percent of more than 1,200 consumers said they though brands that used VR experiences were forward-thinking and modern. This exemplifies the atmosphere of New York Fashion Week as designers are displaying what they think consumers will wear for that future season. Virtual reality marketing efforts echo the attitude that designers want to exemplify - modern and forward-thinking. Retailers also must stand out from the rest in branding when consumers decide to buy different clothing items, even as simple as a white shirt. Virtual reality is this season’s answer to emerging from the crowd as “in.”
