Phygital fashion from Amsterdam: Beyond.Studio launches hoodies with digital and physical elements
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Tech studio Beyond, which specialises in virtual fashion [experiences], has launched phygital fashion items – three hoodies with physical and digital elements.
"Working with fashion and luxury brands has inspired us to design and produce our first capsule collection," wrote Beyond.Studio founder and creative director David Robustelli on Linkedin. "A fully virtual approach that harnesses the benefits and possibilities of digital design, augmented reality (AR) and immersive technologies.”
Immersive technologies refer to technologies that immerse users in a digital or simulated environment.
Beyond is an Amsterdam-based tech studio specialising "in creating AR, 3D and Web3 solutions for fashion brands". For example, they create AR, NFTs and wearables in metaverse worlds such as Decentraland, Sandbox and Roblox. Burberry, Tommy Jeans, Valentino, Vogue, Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Dior are among the agency's clients.
Beyond.Studio also recently collaborated on the Asos pop-up shop that temporarily opened in London at the end of November, where both physical and digital clothes could be tried on and purchased by customers. Visitors of the brick-and-mortar shop could use their mobile phones to 'unlock' a virtual catwalk, where avatars styled by Asos appeared. This had been developed by Beyond.Studio in collaboration with Snap Inc and Asos.
The capsule collection consists of three hoodies. The company completely digitally designed and edited the garments. "By working with fashion design software, immersive technologies and customised 3D avatars, we have been able to fully optimise our designs without waste (normally, designed garments are sampled, i.e. actually produced, so fashion brands can review, improve and adjust the designs they have come up with where necessary. The sample garments are tried on, literally put on, to see how they sit, fall and fit, ed.).
Further details of this can be found in the background article: This is how a fashion brand’s collection is created
"We could look at and improve the fit and fabric without the need for a physical garment," Beyond.Studio stressed in a press release.
The physical hoodies will feature an NFC [Near Field Communication] chip and QR code, which will offer a virtual experience. Upon activation, the chip will be linked to Snapchat Lens, adding digital elements (AR) to the actual hoodie.
The first physical version of the Tech Hoodie was released as a limited edition piece last week. Robustelli said: "One hundred jumpers for press, influencers and fashion tech enthusiasts." The next two jumpers will go on sale in the second quarter of 2024, says the founder. The price has yet to be determined.
The virtual version of the hoodie has been optimised as a virtual try-on (VTO) in real time by Snapchat and also serves as digital marketing material. Campaign images are currently circulating in which the virtual hoodie jerseys can be seen in various locations worldwide, such as the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum and London's Tower Bridge, for example. "These immersive videos were created with 3D motion tracking, not AR," Robustelli clarified about the images on Linkedin.