Fashion and digital brands to premiere first ever VR live-streaming event for Fashion Week
We Are Handsome will stream its fashion show in VR
Australian fashion label We Are Handsome is aiming to make a Mercedes Australian Fashion Week first by live-streaming its show tomorrow in 360 degree virtual reality.
With interest in VR as a marketing tool continuing to gather pace following the consumer release of a range of VR devices, from Google’s Cardboard to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, event organisers have been early adopters hoping it can bring new audiences.
The Sydney show is being created by Visual Domain and supported by Melbourne-based technology retailer +61, and will be available for the public to view via a specially created site tomorrow at 10:00am.
+61 is hoping the fashion brand’s live-stream will drive interest in VR, while We Are Handsome wants to use the opportunity to reach the broader market.
Experiments with live VR streams are becoming increasingly popular, with the NBA streaming a game earlier this year and major music promoters and artists also using the emerging medium.
This week, VR pioneer Oculus revealed it has more than one million users of its Gear VR equipment, developed in partnership with Samsung.
https://youtu.be/qLSxA4knON0
Nicolas Tessier, general manager and co-founder of +61, said the show provided a good opportunity to demonstrate how VR can bring an audience closer to an event than traditional broadcast.
“The live stream is about people, it’s about the moment and it’s about technology,” Tessier said. “We’re trying to bring that magical moment to our customers and the best part is, anyone around the world can experience it too.”
Jeremy Somers, founder and designer of We Are Handsome, said sharing his show through broadcast had always been important to the brand, but VR will take it to a new level.
“Video has always been important for showcasing our shows and collections, and with this new technology we’re so excited to give a full, immersive experience to our customers and fans,” he said.
“For the first time ever, you’ll feel like you’re actually on the runway.”
However, Daniel Goldstein, director of Visual Domain, admitted brands are still struggling to understand how to use VR.
“Three-sixty VR is an exciting new technology but brands haven’t quite figured out yet how to best utilise it; when done well, it can create a truly unique experience for their audience and customers,” Goldstein said.
The show will live stream from 10:00am on Thursday May 19.
You may find the links to the 360VR experience on http://www.plussixone.com.au
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