LSN : News : 21 : 07 : 25

How luxury brands went beyond metaverse hype with immersive tech

Balenciaga Winter 2024 Show Set at Les Invalides in Paris, France

Global - From Balenciaga to L’Oréal, luxury brands are turning to immersive technologies to prototype shows, reimagine retail and bring storytelling to life in richer, more interactive ways.

In The Untold – the second chapter in The Future Laboratory and Together Group’s New Codes of Luxury: Immersive Technologies for Transformation report – we explore how luxury brands are moving beyond metaverse hype to embrace immersive technologies as practical and creative tools.

Elie Saab, for instance, utilises spatial design platforms to bring its creative vision to life before any construction begins. Creative studios such as OBO are working with fashion houses to stage immersive previews of runway shows and events, while AI tools like the Dazed Archive are making decades of culture instantly searchable and creatively inspiring.

In retail, brands from Lululemon to Valentino are experimenting with AR, VR and digital twins to extend in-store experiences and personalise service. Meanwhile, platforms including Roblox and Fortnite are becoming launchpads for branded content and storytelling worlds beyond marketing stunts.

More than a spectacle, immersive tech is becoming core to how brands ideate, test and emotionally connect across campaigns, stores and entertainment to keep luxury agile and culturally relevant.

New Codes of Luxury: Immersive Technologies for Transformation is accessible to view via an interactive website.

Camper and Issey Miyake fuse sculptural design with everyday wear

Issey Miyake x Camper, Global

Global – Spanish footwear brand Camper has partnered with Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake to launch Peu Form, a sculptural reinterpretation of the classic Peu silhouette. Designed by Issey Miyake’s creative director Satoshi Kondo, the shoes embrace the brand’s philosophy of ‘a single piece of cloth’ and transform Italian leather into flexible, crumpled forms that adapt to the foot like a second skin.

Slip-on and ankle boot options are available in black, white, Klein blue and signature Camper red, combining comfort, function and minimalistic design. The collaboration blurs the line between utility and artistry and elevates a functional everyday item into a soft architectural object. The shoes are also foldable and packable.

The project confirms the findings of our Collaboration Culture report, which highlights how brands must co-create with visionary talents and respond to fast-evolving micro-aesthetics. Peu Form feels co-authored rather than imposed and shows both entities participating in a design dialogue. This positions Camper and Issey Miyake as collaborators in culture rather than arbiters of it.

Strategic opportunity

Camper and Issey Miyake reimagined an everyday product as an art object without compromising usability. Consider how design, tactility and emotion can transform functional items into aspirational, collectible products

Coca-Cola launches Real Thing Records with identity-led design

Global – Coca-Cola has entered the music scene with the launch of Real Thing Records, a label created in collaboration with Universal Music Group and brought to life by design agency Explorers Club Studio.

The label aims to spotlight emerging global talent while building a bridge between artists and fans through bold design.

Rooted in Coca-Cola’s iconic brand language, the identity reimagines its signature Arden Square red box into the Arden Portal – a storytelling device symbolising connectivity.

The visual system combines generative motion, a 3D logo cube reminiscent of ‘on air’ signs and lo-fi photography capturing the raw energy of nightlife and live music, shot at London’s House of Koko.

‘We set out to create an identity for the future of music, entertainment and fandom,’ says Explorers Club co-founder Aaron Skipper, highlighting the collaborative effort to blend legacy design with next-gen culture.

For more insights on the future of the music industry, visit our Pop Culture & Media sector.

Coca-Cola's Real Thing Records, Global

Strategic opportunity

Elevate brand recognition by turning familiar design elements into bold, flexible assets for cross-sector storytelling

Stat: Americans are prioritising inner health over looks

Sanctum, Global

US – According to a July 2025 study by supplements and vitamins specialist Metagenics, 77% of Americans now say they prioritise feeling good overlooking good. Though it is surprising to see internal wellbeing taking precedence over surface-level appearance, LS:N Global predicted this behaviour in Longevity Lifestyles, our macrotrend report examining how consumers are increasingly motivated by the promise of a longer, and better-quality life.

The research of 2,000 Americans shows that three in four people are prioritising feeling good on the inside. To achieve this they are focusing on sleep (50%), eating nourishing meals (49%) and moving their bodies in ways that feel good (44%). Interestingly, 31% of respondents said they regularly take a probiotic or supplement to support internal health, while 57% of those who don’t said they are open to considering it. Given gut health is no longer a niche area of interest, 53% of those surveyed said they were confident they could explain how gut health affects the rest of the body without needing to look it up.

‘Ultimately, people are redefining what health means in 2025,’ said Gulam Khan, vice president of marketing, North America at Metagenics. ‘It’s no longer about chasing perfection, but about genuinely feeling better for today and into the future. Whether it’s setting boundaries, taking a walk or supporting your gut with a probiotic, people are realising that lasting wellness starts from the inside out.’

Strategic opportunity

Consider how to shift focus from aesthetics to how your products or services make consumers feel. For instance, how can you inject ‘feel-good’ into your offer with calming textures, mood-enhancing ingredients or gut-friendly recipes?