Meet the LVMH prize finalist pioneering phygital fashion

Buzzwords like non-fungible token (NFT) and Web3 may have fallen off the radar this year, but that hasn’t stopped a wave of new talent from charting digital fashion’s path. Next to join the band? LVMH Prize finalist Julie Paskal, founder of eponymous brand Paskal. In partnership with virtual fashion platform Syky, the Ukrainian designer is fusing two current overarching trends – phygital technology and bag charms – in her latest project. Elsewhere this week, Valentino Beauty has teamed up with augmented reality (AR)) startup Ffface.me on a tech-driven pop-up, located in one of New York City’s top cultural hotspots, while Lacoste has launched its own Bitmoji store in partnership with Snapchat. Paskal joins forces with Syky artistic director Nicola Formichetti What happened: Luxury fashion platform Syky has unveiled the latest release from its Syky Drops series, curated by Artistic Director Nicola Formichetti, on October 3. The limited-edition Butterflower collection by Ukrainian brand Paskal features handcrafted debossed leather key cases in black, baby blue, and pastel pink. Each piece is stamped with the message “Love Is the Key” and comes with a unique Syky-branded butterfly motif, made from recycled materials. This marks Paskal’s digital debut, with every key case purchase including a digital version of the item. The verdict: Founded by LVMH Prize finalist Julie Paskal in 2013, Paskal has become a fixture in the fashion world, with collections presented at stockists globally, including Dover Street Market, Nordstrom, Browns, Neiman Marcus, and Net-a-Porter China. Like Formichetti (former artistic director of Diesel and stylist to Lady Gaga), Paskal’s industry credentials will no doubt play a role in encouraging consumers to splash out on the product, leveraging phygital fashion’s reputation across the sharply critical high-fashion set. As for this drop, the product taps into Gen Z’s current obsession with bag and key charms – albeit with a cutting-edge twist. Valentino Beauty AR NYC pop-up attracts 8,000 visitors What happened: AR startup Ffface.me partnered with communication agency Mazarine and Valentino’s beauty arm to deliver a tech-driven, immersive experience at Valentino’s Spike Me Pop-Up in New York City from October 4 to 5. Central to the event was an AR photo booth, where guests could virtually try on Valentino’s new Spike Valentino Buttery Matte Lip Color collection, before receiving a printed photo of their personalized look. The verdict: Augmented reality-driven activations are making their mark in the Out of Home (OOH) advertising arena, in a time when uncanny, surrealist campaigns are winning over the Internet. This pop-up, however, is less about driving social media buzz, and more focused on delivering a personalized experience to its IRL visitors. According to the company, over 1,500 photo booth activations were recorded during the two-day event, attracting significant attention from around 8,000 attendees. Ffface.me has been the facilitator behind a raft of AR-enabled experiences to arrive from luxury brands this past year, including Ralph Lauren, Boss, and Porsche. Notably, the company has found particular success among beauty players such as Makeup by Mario, alongside Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and, now, Valentino’s beauty divisions. Lacoste launches Bitmoji fashion store with Snapchat What happened: Lacoste has launched its first Bitmoji fashion store on Snapchat, in collaboration with Snapchat and DressX. The Fall/Winter 2024 collection, designed by Pelagia Kolotouros, brings Lacoste's iconic tennis-inspired style to digital avatars. This move marks the brand's initial step into the gaming world, offering users a new way to express their personal style digitally. The verdict: Lacoste’s launch of a Bitmoji fashion store on Snapchat signals a strategic expansion into the digital and gaming spaces – a natural progression for brands seeking to engage with younger, tech-savvy audiences. By partnering with DressX and embracing digital avatars, the label is positioning itself at the fore of the intensifying virtual fashion movement, where self-expression in the metaverse is becoming as important as it is in the physical world. The collaboration could also boost the brand's relevance among both Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, aligning Lacoste with the growing trend of fashion's integration into gaming platforms.

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Meet the LVMH prize finalist pioneering phygital fashion