LVMH, luxury and innovation: the winning cocktail at Vivatech 2022
Once again, luxury shows us that tradition and innovation feed off each other.
Between 3D, AR, VR, Blockchain, NFT and Metaverse, this year at Vivatech 2022, the "LVMH flat", accompanied by its virtual avatar Livi, was at the centre of attention and ticked all the boxes of new technological and digital trends.
A look back at the LVMH flat at Vivatech 2022...
Tag Heuer and its NFT display
Thanks to the new technology developed by Tag Heuer, owners of NFT artworks will be able to display them directly on their wrists thanks to the visualization tool of the Connected Calibre E4 watch. A way to "augment" the customer experience.
Fendi and its immersive handcrafted experience via 3D sensors
Fendi showed at the show a wonderful example of the marriage between craftsmanship, heritage and technology. The Hand in Hand project celebrates local Italian craftsmanship through the creation of 20 limited edition Fendi Baguette bags handcrafted by a group of Italian artisans. Visitors to the show could try their hand at reproducing the precise and meticulous gestures of the artisans using non-contact 3D sensors.
LOEWE and the fitting of its new trainer collection via augmented reality
Although virtual fitting is not a real innovation in 2022, the technology used by LOEWE allows users to benefit from a fluid and frictionless experience thanks to the precision of the sensors in real time.
Make Up For Ever and BeautyTech to transform the customer experience
The Morpho Beauty project, combining AI and the expertise of the company's make-up artists, offers users a precise analysis of the face (contours, shape, skin texture, etc.) thanks to a series of questions and selfies in order to propose recommendations, techniques, and the best products for your beauty routine.
Bulgari and its Octo Finissimo Ultra, the world's thinnest watch with a QR code engraved on the barrel, paving the way for the Blockchain, NFT and the Metaverse
Apart from the technical prowess, it is also, without a doubt, the technological prowess that makes it one of the most remarkable innovations of the show. Once the QR code is scanned, the customer accesses an NFT linked to a certificate of authenticity on the Aura blockchain (born from the blockchain consortium co-founded by LVMH, Prada Group, Cartier and OTB Group to help fight against counterfeiting and promote transparency throughout the life cycle of a luxury product) and exclusive content (articles, videos, interviews on the watch's know-how and creation process). The icing on the cake is that one of the 10 customers of this watch will also be able to leave with a physical frame to display the NFT associated with the watch at home.
The House did not stop there and also presented its teaser of the new Metaverse concept by Bulgari: a Web 3.0 shopping experience in the middle of the monuments of Rome where the brand was created.
Guerlain and the perfect equation between Sustainability & NFT
Launched earlier this year, Guerlain is offering to purchase just over 1828 NFT Cryptobee as part of its Reaverse NFT project contributing to the renaturation of a piece of land in the Millière Valley nature reserve in France. Each Cryptobee is unique and linked to a specific piece of land via its geographical coordinates. An excellent example of the positive impact of Web 3.0 in the real world.
But let's not forget to mention other Houses that have distinguished themselves in "Tech for Good", such as Ruinart and the "chalk wrap", its new cardboard packaging, or Château Galoupet and its Galoupet Nomade 2021 rosé, a flat bottle made of recycled and ultra-light plastic.
Dior and its new 100% connected flagship
Continuing to optimise the customer experience has always been the sinews of war, especially in the luxury industry where expectations are increasingly high in a digital world.
Dior has succeeded in finding the balance between physical and digital by equipping its sales advisors with digital tools to accompany the customer throughout his or her journey in the shop: "3D customisation to find the product that perfectly meets the customer's desires, order preparation and easy pick-up, mobile digital payment solution and Duty-Free...".
Conclusion
In short, as these few examples from the LVMH Group's Houses show us, Luxury is not to be dissociated from Innovation: on the contrary, they are integral parts, so that brands with more than 8,000 years of history (aggregate of the ages of the Group's Houses) remain relevant and desirable for all generations. It is therefore in this new Web 3.0 environment that the customer experience of tomorrow is taking shape.
Nevertheless, in the early days of this new world, the various Luxury companies will have to find their own playing field while maintaining their identity, heritage and values. The issue of physical and digital balance will be just as important in a virtual and even more digitalized world, where the authenticity of the experience will be and remain the common value.
