How luxury brands went beyond metaverse hype with immersive tech

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.