Louis Vuitton is breaking the internet with their stints using Augmented Reality. Here’s what they’ve done so far.

Words Mika Reyes
Featured photo courtesy of Faye Mcleod
May 21, 2024

Every swipe and click seems to herald a new era of innovation, the fashion industry is not merely keeping pace but setting the tempo. The illustrious house of Louis Vuitton, known for its impeccable craftsmanship and timeless elegance, has embarked on a journey that merges the tangible and the virtual, proving once again that fashion is ever evolving.

These digital innovations open up new avenues for e-commerce. Consumers can try on items virtually before making a purchase, reducing return rates and enhancing the shopping experience. It's a win-win situation: customers get to experiment with high fashion, and brands like Louis Vuitton continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Here’s a look at what they’ve done with Augmented Reality (AR) so far:

From Pixels to Couture

Louis Vuitton's foray into AR began with simple yet captivating prints. These prints, when scanned, would burst into dynamic 3D animations, enthralling the audience. This was merely a prelude to the brand's grander vision. Their collaboration with Bee3 Malaysia, which saw AR T-shirts becoming interactive pieces of art, laid the groundwork for more ambitious projects.

The brand's pièce de résistance was perhaps their 2019 collaboration with "League of Legends." Here, Louis Vuitton designed virtual outfits for the game's characters, blurring the lines between gaming and high fashion. It was a move that captivated gamers, yet also brought a new audience into the Louis Vuitton fold.

Techno-Couture

AR models strut in virtual Louis Vuitton collections, seamlessly blending with the real-world backdrop. If you happen to be in Milan for fashion week, you can lift your device, and the Piazza del Duomo transforms into a digital runway. This was not a scene from a sci-fi movie but a reality, thanks to Louis Vuitton's innovative use of Augmented Reality.

In a similar vein, the brand's partnership with Snapchat brought Virgil Abloh's final collection to life in a unique way. Fans could use Snapchat Lenses to try on Louis Vuitton's luxury products virtually, including sunglasses and shoes, giving them an intimate glimpse into the pinnacle of fashion without leaving their homes.

Painting the World with Yayoi Kusama

The latest feather in Louis Vuitton's tech-savvy cap is their collaboration with artist Yayoi Kusama. This project saw iconic landmarks worldwide—Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and more—adorned with Kusama's signature dots via Snap’s Landmark lenses. By simply opening Snapchat, users in select cities could see these landmarks transformed with a touch of Louis Vuitton’s flair.

Geoffrey Perez, Snap’s head of luxury, explained, “We wanted to make something on a huge scale that also has a huge meaning: painting the world’s biggest landmarks and monuments is also a statement.” This digital artistry bridged the online and offline worlds, proving that fashion knows no bounds—geographical or otherwise.

The Digital Future of Fashion

The implications of Louis Vuitton's ventures into AR are profound. Fashion schools are now incorporating virtual and three-dimensional design software into their curricula, preparing a new generation of designers who are as comfortable with coding as they are with couture. This integration of technology and fashion is not merely a trend but a transformation, paving the way for sustainable practices like virtual garments and AR filters, which minimize the need for physical samples and photoshoots.

As Louis Vuitton continues to redefine luxury through the lens of augmented reality, it's clear that the future of fashion is not just about wearing clothes but experiencing them in a myriad of new and exciting ways. The fusion of technology and fashion is not a fleeting trend but a lasting evolution that promises to keep the industry vibrant and innovative.

In the words of Virgil Abloh, whose legacy lives on through these digital innovations, fashion is about "making the impossible possible." And with AR, Louis Vuitton is doing just that—transforming dreams into reality, one pixel at a time.