With every passing week and month, it seems that many a fashion brand is finding itself in a conversation with its luxury digital marketing consultancy about the merits of embracing new technological solutions like augmented reality (AR). And on that subject, a new poll has shown just how urgent a priority this could soon be for brands in this category. 

The survey in question was carried out by Vogue Business in collaboration with Snap Inc., the social media giant behind Snapchat. Some 1,151 luxury consumers in the UK were polled, between the ages of 18 and 65, during March and April 2023. 

An especially eye-catching finding from the study was that 72% of respondents believed it was important for brands to provide AR solutions as part of their shopping experiences. Indeed, many of those questioned already anticipated that they would make heightened use of AR over the coming one to three years during their shopping. 

‍High-end brands’ target shoppers are showing an increasing appetite for AR shopping experiences

As part of the research, participants were given the chance to take their pick from a wishlist of AR experiences that they would be most interested in fashion brands and retailers making available to them. 

Topping the list was styling and wardrobe consultations, while the chance to explore a runway collection took second position. The surveyed customers also showed interest in the use of AR to access care and repair tutorials and AR-driven experiences, as well as brand storytelling.

 And at least some high-end brands are seizing upon their target consumers’ desire for AR-enhanced experiences. Among them is Dior, which is working on the creation of a catalogue of virtual products that shoppers will be able to view using Snapchat, with AR technology allowing them to try on complete looks. 

Another example – as cited by Vogue Business – is the AR time-travel experience that Cartier has set up, giving users a means of transporting themselves to the Paris of 1917, the date that saw the release of the iconic brand’s Tank watch. 

A further thing that both AR and virtual reality (VR) technology can enable brands to do, is allow their target audiences access to behind-the-scenes activities, such as fashion shows. And intriguingly, Vogue Business reported that three quarters (75%) of respondents were aware of AR and VR runways, despite brands not having adopted this format as widely as such a high level of awareness might suggest. 

The polled consumers were also quizzed on the reasons why they found virtual try-on a useful feature. In response, 67% cited “being able to try on products in the comfort of my home”, while 63% said that “being able to try on as many products as I like” was a benefit. This is without even considering how useful the technology could be for enabling customers to overcome potential barriers like accessibility, which could be very much a boon for shoppers with disabilities. 

‍We are rapidly entering an AR and VR era for luxury brands – but is your firm embracing it? 

With the above study findings indicating that consumers of luxury brands are not only largely becoming more aware of AR and VR solutions, but are also recognising the benefits that such tech could have for them, it might be time for your own brand to start getting proactive. 

In order to do that, your brand might be well-advised to establish a partnership with the strategic and digital experts of a luxury digital marketing consultancy that you can trust. To learn more about why that consultancy could be Skywire London, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our London-based, but globally minded team.