Virtual Showrooms
Marcus Washington Jr.
The fashion industry has been slow with integrating technology and has yet to make a drastic leap into the digital age. With a rise of innovations contributing to global commerce, we begin to have more ways of accessing payments as well as distributing them but there seems to be a lack of alternative visual innovations that not only provide the access of garments from anywhere but also the ability to gain a better understanding of the a brand’s aesthetic. There is only so much you can do with a physical space, so what happens when you create this method of endless possibilities through virtual space? This virtual experience takes the user on a tour of three different brands that incorporate graphic design into their garments in one way or another. The garments from each designer, as well as the graphic elements, are extracted and used to create a space that resonates with the brand and becomes the key factor in designing the showroom. Overall, the user experiences a world that seems close to our own but with hints of fictitious elements that help provide a sense that they are no longer in the physical world. This use of technology becomes a bridge for the designer, manufacturer, buyer, and even the consumer. These virtual showrooms open doors to many new potential opportunities for the future of fashion. This method could be used to substitute for our current way of shopping online, or make it easier for buyers to understand the brand’s direction and increase interest which could increase sells, or, lastly, provide strong communication between parties involved with the designer, including manufacturers.