Business of Fashion has spoken highly of the collaborative Soundwalks with Louis Vuitton within the framework of an article discussing the ways in which fashion brands can learn from Nike’s move towards integrating cutting-edge technology with their classic product line. “Integrated digital technology will become what people expect,” predicts Nike President Mark Parker, and BoF goes on to describe this aspect of the Louis Vuitton Soundwalks:
“In the fashion industry, Louis Vuitton made an interesting move into digital products, back in 2008, with Louis Vuitton Soundwalk, a unique experience that activated the brand’s heritage and dedication to ‘the art of travel.’ Designed to be played on Apple’s popular iPod and launched just before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Vuitton’s Soundwalk was a perfectly synchronised audio journey through the physical streets of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, narrated by three icons of Chinese cinema.”
The article concludes with the following observation about the direction it might be wise for luxury brands of the twenty-first century to take:
“In the market for luxury fashion, the dream is most important. But today’s affluent consumers live active and digitally-enabled lives. Increasingly, there is an important opportunity for forward-thinking luxury brands to leverage integrated digital technology to help their clients experience things, not just dream them.”
Interesting thoughts on making digital technology not only useful, but creative, enjoyable, and ultimately liberating.
