Supreme

Over the weekend, Supreme released a hologram of the late rap icon, to promote their upcoming new spring/summer collection launch.

The Tupac hologram, which was first depicted at the 2012 Coachella music festival, had been digitally altered to show Tupac wearing Supreme box logo boxers. The Instagram post arrived just days before the collection was revealed in its entirety.

The spring/summer collection is set to be obtainable by the public from February 20^th, with stock available within stores in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and San Francisco.

The collection will be made available globally to online customers from February 27^th.

Here are some of the stand-out pieces from Supreme’s SS20 collection:

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Article written by Studio BLUP ‘Futurewears’ writer Symeon Oshea

As we venture into what a brand new decade has to offer, it is merely a matter of time before technology and luxury fashion begin to blend seamlessly.

2017 marked the year when augmented reality took centre stage in retail. As the landscape of retail continues to change, brands are facing increasing pressure to either stand out or step away.

Every innovative luxury brand is investing a lot of capital in digital branding now, more than ever. The expansion of our digital ecosystem and the rate at which we are exploring ways to integrate it into our lives indicates that we are nearing a technology-centric network of interconnected perspectives.

A BRIEF HISTORY

The dawn of digital fashion has been marked by revolutionary industry giants. In 2003, Uniqlo released HEATTECH, a collaboration with Toray, the global textile maker. In 2019, Electronic Art’s Maxis and Moschino teamed up for both an in-game collaboration and a limited release of physical goods that were available online and in-store.

Last year, Kering’s Gucci decided to tap into the modding community of the hugely successful Sims franchise, by creating digital in-game content centred around the fashion house. This year, Gucci is back to flaunt its innovative digital presence by partnering with AR fashion platform Wanna to create a virtual watch and shoe fittings. A digital pair of shoes will only set you back £945 on the Gucci app. These items will be sold as accessory packs on augmented reality games like Roblox, with the fashion house making it worth your while to get your digital hands on exclusive virtual sneaker drops like The Gucci Virtual 25.

This is part of a push from parent company Kering to remain at the forefront of virtual reality and digital goods. A trend we hope to see other luxury fashion brands push further.

THE FUTURE OF AUGMENTED REALITY

As the retail environment continues to adapt to changing conditions, many brands are being forced back to the drawing board to rethink a unique digital approach. With more brands in the market now than ever before, standing out from the crowd is the top priority.

Ivy Park x Adidas is a prime example of how digitally conscious the average consumer is becoming. From the exclusive drops, integration into the Adidas app and the digital team at Parkwood who understands their audience and how to reach them. Ivy Park has unknowingly set the standard for marketing to a new kind of consumer. Their “digital-first” product cycle makes exclusivity their biggest advantage by providing shoppers with fit photos (via prominent public figures) and timed shopping to ensure that every region has an equal opportunity to purchase

The new digital-first mindset allows brands the flexibility to offer consumers a higher level of interactivity and customization than ever before. This is becoming more prominent within high fashion as many are racing to implement the latest in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, digital mapping, and UI/UX design.

Yeezy Supply, when it debuted online, featured a shopping experience parallel to none. Customers can choose an outfit they would like to view and then put it on a 3D model walking across the screen. If shoppers would like to learn more about the model, they can click and get a backstory for each muse. Making the experience even more unique, the screen is clean and wordless, apart from the model and garments.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

As we continue to look towards the future of fashion, the line between traditional commerce and e-commerce is becoming increasingly blurry. More fashion labels will begin to adopt tokenised digital goods and create digital experiences with AR/VR technology to provide a new level of immersion for consumers. The future of digital fashion is immensely exciting with the gaming industry insight, it allows the opportunity to expand into a new digital ecosystem.

Article written by Symeon Oshea [@symeonoshea]

Want to write for theblup.com please contact talent@studioblup.com

Article written by Studio BLUP ‘Futurewears’ writer Symeon Oshea

As part of its sustainability commitment, German sports and footwear giant Adidas has pledged to only use recycled polyester, in all products. This is part of an ongoing effort to make the business more environmentally friendly, with the goal for it to be fully implemented by 2024.

Adidas also rolled out the Stan Smith Mylo™ this year. A new concept where the shoe is completely produced from nature. Mycelium to be exact. Yes, you read that right. Mycelium is the root system of a mushroom, composed of a dense mass of fine, thread-like tissue, which allows for it to be used like fabric or leather. The collaboration between Adidas and biotechnology powerhouse, Bolt Threads, made it possible to ‘grow’ the new line of Stan Smith’s.

Los Angeles-based Ultracor, is revolutionising the eco-luxury activewear market. Launched by female entrepreneur, Asha Kai, her designs are made to order, in the U.S. and in-house, to ensure no overproduction.

Ultracor stands out in the crowd due to its major investment in a vertical fashion. With a waterless and no inventory or waste model, the brand can boast a reduction of its carbon footprint by 95%. Featuring patent-pending ‘Compression 360’ performance technology with ‘best-fit’ engineering to sculpt and support each body. Each couture-inspired piece is sustainably produced in a spectrum of saturated monochromes and alluring, timeless prints.

‘Vertical Fashion’ is when a designer or fashion label decides to go without middlemen or wholesalers. This maximises the quality of goods, as the consumer can provide direct feedback on the process. Vertical means controlling each step of the process; designing, producing and selling the goods independently.

In Louisville, USA, Kenmark Eyewear is becoming a leader in crafting and distributing original optical eyewear and sunglasses.

Paradigm, their independent collection, boasts a continued partnership with the National Forest Foundation. This includes a collaboration on the ’50 Million for Our Forests’ tree-planting campaign, aiming to plant 50 million trees across the country. For every dollar Paradigm receives, they will plant one tree. By participating, Paradigm hopes to help reduce our collective carbon footprint and protect the forests for future generations.

Soorty, Pakistan’s largest vertically integrated denim company, has launched the Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative (SOCI), a new drive towards creating an organic cotton revolution. For their latest project they’ve partnered with the pioneers of organic cotton farming in Pakistan: WWF-Pakistan, and the Department of Agriculture Extension, Provence of Balochistan, along with support and input from the Laudes Foundation. The SOCI aims to stimulate a more sustainable economy and provide a foundation for ethical work environments and conditions.

Yet another unique implementation of reducing the carbon footprint of the overall industry. Apparel and textiles amounts to a large part of the environmental issues we face. It’s a breath of fresh air to see new companies pop up taking initiative, and legacy brands starting to take responsibility for the part they’ve played in the situation we’ve currently in.

Article written by Symeon Oshea [@symeonoshea]

Want to write for theblup.com please contact talent@studioblup.com