During its most recent Innovation Award ceremony and show, Viva Tech, LVMH, the luxury conglomerate behind Louis Vuitton, revealed two new partnerships -- one with Epic Games to transform its creative pipeline and another with Apple to integrate the "Tap to Pay" system in U.S. stores.
The announcements come on the heels of Louis Vuitton's recently revealed VIA Treasure Trunk, which represents the first time the Maison has offered any of its luxury trunks in a digital or NFT form. The show also included metaverse experiences and awards for those building tools that utilize artificial intelligence (AI).
At @VivaTech, LVMH and Epic Games announce partnership to transform the Group’s creative pipeline and bring customers new types of immersive products and discovery experiences.
Learn More: https://t.co/f7phMjbhbI#LVMH #MetaHuman #VivaTech @UnrealEngine pic.twitter.com/UIUe4efVZL
— LVMH (@LVMH) June 14, 2023
Through its partnership with Epic Games, known for its Fortnite title and Unreal Engine platform, LVMH hopes to bring customers exciting new experiences including virtual fitting rooms, fashion shows, 360 product carousels, augmented reality (AR), product digital twins, and more.
LVMH shared that, to achieve these goals, it would utilize Epic's suite of cutting-edge 3D creation tools, including Unreal Engine, Reality Capture, Twinmotion, and MetaHuman, to accelerate its growth in the digital space.
"We have always been committed to innovations with the potential to bring our customers new experiences. Interactive games, which have developed into a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, are a perfect example. The partnership with Epic Games will accelerate our expertise in 3D tools and ecosystems, from the creation of new collections to ad campaigns and to our Maisons’ websites," shared Toni Belloni, LVMH Group Managing Director.
Bill Clifford, VP of Unreal Engine at Epic Games, also shared his excitement about the partnership, emphasizing the transformative potential of Epic's suite of advanced creator tools. Clifford stated, "With this partnership, we will work with LVMH's designers to transform physical and digital product creation using Epic's suite of advanced creator tools. We are excited to accelerate the Group's adoption of Unreal Engine, Reality Capture, Twinmotion, and MetaHuman technology and help LVMH's global brands engage with customers through immersive digital experiences."
Other highlights of the Viva Tech show included the announced plans to integrate Apple's "Tap to Pay" into physical retail stores, starting with those in the U.S. -- which the Maison expressed will create "an exciting new in-store experience."
Additionally, LVMH held a variety of award ceremonies, including those for the AI sector, with Gonzague de Pirey, LVMH Group Omnichannel & Data Officer stating that "Data and AI figure at the heart of all the solutions from the startups we recognized today."
The group also revealed new metaverse experiences through a virtual world called "The Journey," which prompts visitors to select from a variety of portals. Once a portal is selected, visitors are introduced to a variety of interactive elements, some containing AI artwork, information on design, videos that introduce creative teams, and more.
Whether through its blockchain consortium platform Aura or the launch of the VIA Treasure Trunk NFT, LVMH has shown that it is committed to an elevated and continued pursuit of the digital space.
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