A phygital approach to the customer Ralph Lauren’s project with House 888 is part of the brand’s broader reflection on the experiential possibilities offered by Web3
The 888 House creation for The RL 888 Handbag launch
Entering the 888 House through the RL logo where the brand’s pieces are exposed, one notices how the style mirrors that of Ralph Lauren. Creating this environment, the fashion house explains, required CGI technology that «provides a tapestry of 3D modeling, dynamic lighting and gravity-defying physics, for an interactive shopping experience».
All visitable rooms feature quotes from the designer, clothing as well as furniture pieces inspired by this hybridization of desert nature and design. The clothes as well as the different models of the RL 888 Handbag intersect with each other and with these naturalistic elements that range from arid logs to waterfalls and up to rocks.
The work with House 888 fits within a broader reflection of the brand with respect to the experiential possibilities that Web3 now provides to the fashion world. Another aspect that Ralph Lauren continues to experiment with is the possibility of a phygital approach to its customer, offering different meeting spaces that range from the real to the virtual.
«Every component of the House 888 experience», the brand reiterates, «has been rendered, echoing the craftsmanship of the physical bags and garments and highlighting the juxtaposition between the expression of the Ralph Lauren brand and the technology».
CGI development: from cinema special effects to fashion
The CGI technology falls into the category of visual effects used for on-screen images – from film products to video games. Cinema has long used it to create new worlds, think cartoon worlds, by developing a three-dimensional reality.
Examples include Toy Story and Frozen, as well as the addition of fictional elements such as the dinosaurs that interact with actors in Jurassic Park. CGI has enabled an evolution in this area by allowing this cutting-edge technique to be added to 2D processing and drawings.
Fashion and digital: CGI, AI, Web3 and more application
The CGI that fashion has appropriated, as well as other technologies, allows through software to create real images, but it is not the only medium employed in the imagination of worlds, objects and creatures. Artificial Intelligence has been another ally of the fashion system, capable of creative mimicry of human thought and references.
Although there is a gap in thinking between the usefulness of these technologies and the possibility of replacing some relevant professionalism in the field, the use of those is growing. It should be noted, however, that products are often being hatched and reworked by the same creatives who previously used less cutting-edge mediums or by a new wave of designers, photographers, and artists.
Web3 and the Metaverse then represent another set of opportunities for the fashion world. From magazines to the first Metaverse Fashion Week held in 2022, avatars and digital identities along with NFT collections. Demand for luxury goods in the metaverse could reach $50 Billion USD by 2030, states a report from KPMG.
CGI tech in fashion: beyond the human limits
Creating virtual realities with CGI technology requires a considerable team and equipment also. From natural, to human, to environments everything can be translated or invented through the use of this technology. CGI opens the door to further forms of experiences already tried and tested in fashion such as performances side-by-side with digital.
It also lays the groundwork for developing other means of communication or display such as the use of VR or AR, useful for expanding the audience and making democratic presentations or fashion shows. Another key element that this technology goes to increase is the fashion designer’s ability to branch out beyond the physical limits of the real and feasibility of a product.
For some years now, brands, in particular luxury ones, have focused on a customer centric approach to develop their sales and communication strategies. Over time, the buying action has been translated into an experience capable of engaging the customer.
Processing becomes in the virtual area an existing but less cumbersome step than the designer’s creative thinking. CGI has given rise to the production in the virtual clothing field. As sustainable as the practice may be compared to the clothing manufacturing, without considering the energy expenditure that these products have, the functionality of virtual clothing remains doubtful.
Ralph Lauren’s customer centric approach: the phygital evolution
With the advent of digital, the physical store was joined by the brands’ online offerings in a combination termed phygital. Ralph Lauren adopted this approach more than two decades ago. Internet-accessible fashion was just one of the milestones in the evolution of the customer experience implemented by the brand.
This was followed by the introduction of the idea of experiential retail, which led to the creation of purpose-built contents. Among those that could be enjoyed by visiting Ralph Lauren stores, for example, were film productions. This practice of combining physical, digital, and experience has long surpassed the original idea of the store as a place used for purchasing and as the unique touch point with the customers.
RL888: New York City’s Architecture is the inspiration for the Made in Italy Handbag
The inspiration in the creation of the new RL 888 Handbag’s design is to be found in the New York City architecture of lofty and imposing details, capable of appearing blunt or sharp depending on the reference. The handbag is associated with the figure of a woman with a solid style.
The manufacture of the new RL 888 Handbag was entrusted to the Italian know-how of artisans on leather goods, based in Florence in the case of the latest Ralph Lauren product. The models are distinguished by the assortment of fabrics that range from exotic to box calf skins.
The austerity of the models is imparted by the workmanship of the leather. The thirty-six pieces that make up the bag are selected from the roll and, pristine, are hand-cut.
The texture of the final product thus appears smooth, but the leather lends a solid structure. Square, geometric shapes are echoed in every detail of the bag, including the RL logo that stands out in the center concealing a minimal clasp. In bright palladium, brass or champagne colors, the maison’s symbol serves as a raised push lock closure.
RL 888 Handbag: Outside of Time
The launch of The RL 888 was accompanied by an inspirational shoot that also became a film starring Anna Ewers and Fei Fei Sun. A woman finds in her accessory a connection with nature and herself. The tale is narrated far beyond the shots through the film entitled Outside of Time, directed by Diana Kunst and shot by Robert Elswit.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of luxury lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, footwear & accessories, home, fragrances and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren has sought to inspire the dream of a better life through authenticity and timeless style.
Photography Isaac Calpe, styling Emanuele Carrera
Photography: Isaac Calpe
Styling: Emanuele Carrera
Makeup and hair: Artist Regina Khanipova
Photography assistant: Louie Cobo
Laboratory: Bienbien
Model: Ajayi Temitope at two management Barcelona
Chiara Narciso
