A graphic from Louis Vuitton’s Digital Show Experience conceived in partnership with Epic Games … [+]
Following the announcement of Louis Vuitton’s digital Treasure Trunk nonfungible tokens, its LVMH Group parent has unveiled two groundbreaking strategic partnerships—with Epic Games (creator of Fortnite and Unreal Engine) and with Apple.
First LVMH maison to deploy the technology via this official partnership is Louis Vuitton. The innovation, dubbed the Digital Show Experience premiered this morning in the LVMH Dream Box pavilion at the Viva Technology show in Paris —presented to a select group of press by LVMH Group IT Director Franck Le Moal.
This six-minute interactive and immersive experience conceived using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 technology is a digital recreation of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall ‘23 fashion show with 3D versions of products worn by avatars.
“It enables users to discover the show from within and actually walk around the set, normally you’re just looking in from the outside,” said Carole Fuchs LVMH Director of Leather Goods and Modeling, Including Digital Design.
The Louis Vuitton Digital Show Experience was created by an internal team working ‘start-up style’ in collaboration with key partners Z-emotion and Mondlicht Studios.
During Viva Tech, visitors will have the chance to road test the technology, via analogue video game consuls decked out in Vuitton’s signature monogram canvas.
A graphic from Louis Vuitton’s Digital Show Experience conceived in partnership with Epic Games … [+]
“We have always been committed to innovations with the potential to bring our customers new experiences. Interactive games, which have developed into a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, are a perfect example,” Toni Belloni, LVMH Group Managing Director said in a statement.
“The partnership with Epic Games will accelerate our expertise in 3D tools and ecosystems, from the creation of new collections to ad campaigns and to our Maisons’ websites,” he added.
“We will also engage more effectively with young generations who are very much at ease with these codes and uses.”
Going forward, Epic’s 3D creation tools (including Unreal Engine, Reality Capture, Twinmotion, and MetaHuman technology) will be deployed to offer further immersive experiences such as virtual fitting rooms and fashions shows, 360 product carousels, augmented reality and digital twin creation with a goal to unlock significant growth opportunities.
Several LVMH Maisons have already adopted solutions from Epic Games. During Viva Technology in 2022, Bulgari unveiled a metaverse experience inspired by ancient Rome developed using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5, and Livi, the group’s virtual ambassador and face of the LVMH Innovation Awards likewise developed via Unreal Engine and MetaHuman technology, Epic’s framework for creating realistic digital humans.
Second major announcement of the morning was LVMH’s roll out of Apple Tap to Pay on iPhone. It will begin later this year with select LVMH Group stores in the US including Sephora, Christian Dior Couture, Celine, Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton.
LVMH Group client advisors will be able to accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets anywhere in a store simply by using their iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app with no need of additional hardware regardless of purchase amount.
“Our stores are the prime showcase for the excellence of the products we create, and we do everything possible to guarantee that the customer experience is absolutely impeccable, from the moment people walk in the door to payment for a purchase,” said Le Moal.
“The introduction of Tap to Pay will contribute to offering our customers a purchase experience that is fluid, transparent and protected. This solution also reflects the growing demand among our customers for contactless payment and digital wallet transactions.”
Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology uses the built-in features of iPhone to keep the customers’ data private and secure. When a payment is processed, Apple doesn’t store card numbers on the device or on Apple servers.
Currently, all the group’s customer advisors are equipped with a dedicated clienteling app allowing them to access the product catalog as well as various CRM tools, and offer customers tailor-made support in their buying journey. The introduction of Tap to Pay on iPhone by LVMH is the next step in the Group’s clienteling strategy.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniehirschmiller/2023/06/14/viva-tech-why-lvmh-has-partnered-with-epic-games-and-apple/