Virtual Fashion – What is it?

Shenlei Winkler (aka: Shenlei Flashart in SL] has an excellent post titled, “Avatar Apparel vs. the Real Apparel Industry,” clarifying the differences between what FRI [Fashion Research Institute]  terms, virtual fashion that is designed specifically for virtual worlds and gaming and the “1.7 trillion USD apparel industry.”

Actually it’s even becoming even more confusing then Shenlei mentions because the global apparel industry is now transitioning over to multi dimensional product development applications like Optitex [in the video below & see previous posts] that will empower the industry to develop in virtual 3D digital format [using virtual avatars] from square one.

So the term “virtual fashion” can refer to fashion developed specifically for end use in the the virtual world or fashion that is developed “virtually” via a multi dimensional application or “in the virtual world” for the real world global apparel industry. To add to the confusion  I  have developed a totally in world Introduction to Virtual Fashion online college course that prepares real world students of fashion to think, create, develop and work together and communicate in a virtual world setting. Register for College Level Intro to Virtual Fashion in SL [fall 08'] I believe that an application like Second Life provides fashion education programs with the tools to teach students a specialized (fashion) conceptual skill set from working in a 3D virtual reality environment that is free and open access for all fashion programs. Gaining these introductory virtual skills will begin to prepare students for emerging employer expectations relating to 3D conceptualization.

Some real life fashion designers like Nyla from the House of Nyla design and create one of a kind real world fashions and replicate them for virtual sales in a virtual world like Second Life.

 

House Of Nyla

 

And then there are the real life fashion designers like KOZMARA that create real world fashions using a multi dimensional product development application like Optitex that enables virtual development of a real world garment that can be easily manufactured.

What Shenlei is developing with IBM is real world apparel production design and development in a virtual world setting – this is really quite exciting and it takes a bit just to wrap your brain around it but once you do it leads to endless possibilities!

Shenlei goes on to describe how virtual fashion for end use in a virtual world is often developed in a 3D application like Photoshop or Illustrator and is never actually manufactured so the designer does not have to conform to a variety of size, trend, quality, production and time constraints.

She continues with a comparison of funds generated by the gaming industries and the global apparel industries. In her post, she eloquently details the four years of dedicated highly focused multi-faceted cross training involved in preparation to become a fashion designer in today’s global fashion industry.

All of these real world production details that a fashion design student must gain an understanding of are not required for a virtual fashion designer that designs specifically for the virtual gaming worlds. As Shenlei states, “the realities of manufacturability and wearer’s comfort are not even a consideration.”

Her blog post explains that the FRI research is not about fashion designing for the virtual world but working “in” and using virtual worlds to develop real world apparel for manufacture. FRI is,”focused on helping the apparel industry to cut its time to market, slash its development costs, reduce its carbon footprint, and enhance its profitability and revenue opportunities.”  FRI is, “using virtual worlds to insulate designers from technology and to enable them to focus on design.”
 

The real world apparel industry product development research that FRI is conducting is exceptionally exciting and has the potential to have a transformational impact on the global apparel industry. Anyone involved in the real world apparel industry is welcome to visit the Fashion Research Institute [FRI] in SL.  The FRI has made available new resident avatar kits in the welcome area of the FRI corporate sim complex in Second Life tm Shengri La. Here is a link to Shenlei’s post titled “Beautiful People….”

© 2008 All Rights Reserved.

Shengri La Events in SL: Prim & Proper Finale & Butterflys

Prim & Propers final sale is going on now and will be ending June 21st. The proceeds for the sale will go to Relay For Life. Here is a link to Shenlei’s post, titled, Prim & Proper Final Sale to Benefit Relay For Life.” I visited a few days ago and it was very busy with avatars looking for Shenlei’s exquisite fashions.

Shenlei’s blog has loads of images from a “great large-scale immersive 3D event in virtual worlds in the Fashion Research Institute’s Shengri La sims in Second Life. “The post is titled,” OpenSim Supporters from IBM and Microsoft Rave On in Shengri La.”

If you missed the Rave on Shengri La – don’t worry you still have a chance to participate in the Midsummer’s Day Ode Butterfly Hunts in Shengri La, Saturday June 21st. You will have to hunt down the butterfys to locate Random Calliope’s Ode jewelry set. This jewelry is famous and has many collectors. Not all the butterflys have the jewelry – if they do the butterfly catcher receives it so it may take the catching of several butterflys before you hit the Ode jewelry jackpot. The butterfly hunters will have five sims of paradise to hunt butterflys on. You right mouse click on the fluttering butterflys to try to catch them… good luck!

On June 21, Shenlei Winkler [aka Shenlei Flashart] from the Fashion Research Institute,  will be hosting an Ode hunt in the morning in honor of Midsummer’s Eve.

© 2008 All Rights Reserved.

Register for College Level Intro to Virtual Fashion in SL [fall 08']

I will be accepting students for my first totally in-world Introduction to Virtual Fashion in Second Life class. Students can register for credit or non-credit. I have been teaching fashion in Second Life for three semesters now st Buffalo State College as a Web enhanced course. I am working over the summer to develop this special course so it can be taught totally online on ANGEL and inworld in Second Life.

This course will require very basic level one introductory Photoshop and Illustrator skills.

Here is a link to my OpenCourseWare Level One Photoshop functions

Here is a link to my OpenCourseWare Level One Illustrator functions

Course Name: FTT495: Intro to Virtual Fashion in Second Life

Semester: fall 2008
Credit Hours: 3  credits 
Catalog no.: 3347
Location of class Buffalo State Island in Second Life and ANGEL online course

Days: TR 7PM-10PM EST on BSC island in SL 
Instructor’s Name: Elaine Polvinen aka Finn1 FLintlock
e-mail: polvinem@buffalostate.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Learn the basics of the 3D world of Second Life. Learn how to navigate, communicate with others and create fashion related projects. Introductory multi-disciplinary skills for 3D virtual fashion design, brand development, presentation and fashion show production. Research projects focusing on incorporating 2D into 3D conceptualization in Second Life.

Prerequisites: Basic introductory skills with Photoshop and Illustrator. You are required to already have established an Avatar in Second Life and to have worked through orientation island. Second Life is a free application that must be downloaded and installed on your computer. Download Second Life HERE. Information about hardware requirements for Second Life can be located on the download page. Any version of Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop will work for this class.

OBJECTIVES:

At the completion of the Virtual Fashion CAD Project student will demonstrate introductory:

• 3D virtual organizational skills.
• 3D virtual creative Thinking skills
• 3D virtual visual Communication skills
• 3D virtual multi-tasking skills.
• 3D virtual creative Problem solving skills
• 3D virtual collaborative skills
• 3D virtual technology skills.
• 3D virtual presentation skills
• 3D virtual Market trend research skills
• Flexibility to link existing and learn new concepts.
• Skills for working and strategizing completion of various assignments in a multiple 3D virtual reality settings.
• Skills for 3D virtual fashion garment development.
• Skills for 3D virtual fashion garment presentation and product packaging.
• Development of a 3D virtual fashion collection.
• 3D virtual fashion show production videos
• Web 2.0 skills

If you are interested in registering for this online college credit course FTT495 (3347) - please contact Buffalo State College Admissions

Here is a link to student fashion collections and shows from a spring 2007 SL project.

________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a link to another online course offering this fall ’08 Register for Online Adobe Pattern Development for Industry

© 2008 All Rights Reserved.

OptiTex #6: What Else and Why?

There are several more videos I will share with you in this final post of this OptiTex Outside of the Box Technology Series.

The integrated collaboration and development goals of the OptiTex product have resulted in a unique multidimensional  product development tool for the Fashion industry that is leading many to ask is it real or is it virtual?

 The OptiTex cloth rendering and animation engines are exceptional. I will share two more videos [posted below] to demonstrate that in this final post of the series.

 In a past post I mentioned that companies and/or brand could use the OptiTex multidimensional application to develop their own set of sizing standards either by inputting body scans of the fit models or using a plug-in for standardized industry dress forms.

 

Companies and/or Brands can also globally centralize the fabric/material testing and  input the individual cloth properties such as bend, stretch, shear, damping, shrinkage, weight, thickness for the OptiTex fashion product developers.

3D Chalk/Vector Tool

Another upcoming development in a future version will be the OptiTex 3D Chalk Tool [see video above]. It is another example of expanding communication options by working simultaneously in a multidimensional 2D>3D environment. It enables the user to sketch notes anywhere on the 3D image. More important to me then the 3D Chalk tool is the vector Pen Tool. This handy little Pen Tool enables the user to position the 3D image in any rotational view so that a technical vector flat sketch can easily and quickly be drawn over the 3D fashion product. This is an exceptional technical spec tool. The user can very quickly develop front, back and side technical specs from the 3D rotational views. This feature will be available in Version 11.

Why?

This brings us to the end of the most recent OptiTex series. You may be wondering why I have focused so much on the OptiTex product?  Quite honestly I an a fashion/textile technology addict for the past 21 years. I started out transferring all my traditional, aesthetic and technical skills over to 2D technology in 1987 and have been retooling ever since. I love all aspects of Fashion Technology and the OptiTex product is the first product I have come across over the years that truly integrates all the separate aspects (on an equally high quality level) of fashion technology ( first 2D and more recently 3D) that I have been working on for the last 21 years like garment pattern development, marker making, technical specs, texture mapping, print,  weave and knit surface CAD design, [and more recently] 3D fashion product development, simulation and animation.

Yes, there are many other excellent high quality widly used industry flat pattern development and marker making applications like Gerber, Lectra, Assyst, PAD and 3D applications like Maya and 3D Studio MAX.  Quite honestly some of the most widely known fashion applications in the industry have only recently realized the critical necessity of integrating 3D technology into existing 2D applications and the highly significant impact the resulting quick response, cost effectiveness, global fitting standardization, pre-marketing and marketing uses this multidimensional application will provide for the fashion industry. In house development on some integrated 2D/3D integrated systems has been uneven. Not all companies embrace external partnerships and collaborations like OptiTex has with established leaders in industry.

I can tell you from many years of first hand experience in fashion education with struggling to integrate different technology applications that there is nothing like a turn-key integrated equally high quality multi-application system for all aspects of fashion product development. It is an exceptional educational tool for visually teaching students how their 2D flat-pattern designs will look on a 3D form.

I wanted to share the results of my years of hands on experience and research with you. If I run across another similar high quality integrated system I will share the results of my new research with you…
 

OptiTex#1: Outside of the Box Technology

When it comes to rendering, cloth simulation and animation OptiTex is a company that places a high value on developing strategic partnerships and/or linkages with the leaders in the rendering and animation industry.

One such company is Mental Images. According to their Website Mental Images:

“- is the recognized international leader in providing rendering and 3D modeling technology to the entertainment, computer-aided design, scientific visualization, architecture, and other industries that require sophisticated images.”

Mental Images is the company OptiTex worked linked with to develop their Cloth Simulation to “breathe” life into the fabric. Watch the Dancing Dress video below…

New technology linkages are taking place and developing every day that result in new products and services that were unimaginable just a short time ago. User response is inspiring more new technological partnerships and linkages. Users are also the driving force of the mass customization and personalization trend. Technology is advancing and changing so fast today that it is literally an impossible company mission to try to develop all technological advances in-house. Thinking and linking “outside the box” really is a requirement for new technology based products and services today.

Judging by the partnerships and/or collaborations and/or linkages already developed by OptiTex – this is a company that continually reaches out to create mutually beneficial relationships with other companies in a multitude of other areas.

Enter DAZ... in May of 2007 OptiTex bridged the 3D animation and rendering worlds with the fashion product development world by partnering with DAZ to develop a 3D dynamic clothing solution which will be included as part of the version 2.0 release of DAZ|Studio, the free 3D art software.

 For those of you that are not familiar with DAZ, they are a “developer of professional quality 3D models and software.” The DAZ application is free to download – the user pays for the content as it is needed – it’s a great concept. Here is the DAZ download page

Here is a link to the press release announcing their collaboration. DAZ also offers premier 3D software programs such as Bryce 5 (a 3D environment package), and Mimic Pro (a 3D lip-sync program)

Another “thinking outside of the box” partnership you may have heard of is the integration of the OptiTex multi dimensional product development application into the Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style show on Bravo. Here is a link to the Tim Gunn Guide to Style video.

Brides.com uses the OptiTex application as a pre-marketing  custom fit tool for their customers. Potential customers can select a body type and try on several bodices and skirts to get a visual feeling for what the garment style will look on their body type “before” they order.

An outstanding example of creative integration of OptiTex and mass customization and personalization marketing technology is the Nike custom shoe Designer and team uniform builder. Here is a link to the Nike Women’s Shoe Designer -and don’t forget the Nike Team Uniform Builder.

Just look over the OptiTex partial client list and you will see clients from the aeronautics, upholstery, automotive, industrial fabrics, and apparel industry as well as a growing list of educational institutions.

 A creative collaboration has recently been announced bewteen OptiTex and  international fashion designer Kozomara  [link to press release 08.02.2008 Kozomara and OptiTex Spark Creative Partnership]

One of the most recent new product successes that is the result of an innovative new product partnership is the Bernina MyLabel. This new product has the potential to transform the home sewing market. I will detail it more in a future post in this series.

This post is the first in a series that focuses on new technology developments currently taking place at OptiTex.

Other OptiTex Posts:

• OptiTex/Siemens#3: FIT Technology Bernina MyLabel 
• OptiTex#2: FIT Technology 
• It’s a Reality: OptiTex Enables Total Integration 2D>3D>2D Fashion Product Development

China: Virtual Red Star Rising

I don’t know if you are aware of the various virtual world activities that have been taking place in China in the last several years… if your not – you should be because there is one gargantuan virtual project that has the potential to “rock” the status quo of western economies and transform product development, sourcing, distribution and retailing on a global scale.

Chinese Second Life Competitors

There is an excellent review and detailed comparison of the two primary Chinese Second Life competitors, Hipihi and Novoking in the Masters of the Media blog post dated 10/24/07 by Pieter-Paul Walraven  titled,  Virtual Worlds in Modern China.

Novoking allows users to integrate popular 3D graphics software like Maya and 3DMax. Hipihi as lots of features and a fast learning curve compared to Second Life. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Chinese government regulates virtual worlds.

The Paul Walraven post has multiple links to additional sources for both Hipihi and Novoking.

Linden Lab entered into an agreement with RTMAsia recently to have RTMAsia act as direct representatives for Linden Lab in China, responsible for the development of business partnerships, management of business operations and liaison with media and industry bodies.

VIRTUAL RED STAR RISING: CRD

The Beijing Cyber Recreation District is the one gargantuan virtual project that has the potential to “rock” the status quo of western economies. There have been posts about this project since the beginning of 2007. This virtual mega project currently underway in Beijing incorporates partnerships between private industry and the Chinese government. I guess government “partnerships” are the way the Chinese government will solve the virtual regulation issue.

The Beijing Cyber Recreation District is the “online counterpart” to Beijing’s China Recreation District (CRD), a real-world mega-project that will boast entertainment and shopping; the center is set to open in time for the 2008 Olympics, according to the AP, the Beijing Cyber Recreation District with support from the Chinese government is currently undertaking the worlds largest (80 square kilometer complex) virtual world development. As of 11/26/07, over 200 game and multi-media content producers were currently working on site in western Beijing.

According to an article in the Virtual World News 11/26/07 titled, “China’s Grand Virtual Worlds Plan – A First Hand Look.”

“The CRD’s goal is to create a virtual economy providing infrastructure and platforms through which any business – not just those based in China – can come in world and sell their real-world products and services.  While a concerted effort will be placed on bringing Chinese businesses and consumers in world, the effort is worldwide and open to businesses and consumers from any country.  The entire project is expected to launch in June 2008.”

Here is a link to an article from Gigaom titled, “Chinese Government Gets Into Virtual World Business,” by Wagner James Au, 11/27/07 that has more information on the project.

An article in Computer Weekly titled, “China uses virtual worlds to transform business,” by John Riley, posted 11/02/07 states that the CRP project currently underway in Beijing plans:

“- to use virtual worlds to supply customized goods to consumers across the globe. So far 200 manufacturers have ­located to the physical CRP site, ready to receive orders from virtual world customers when the project formally opens next summer, prior to the Beijing Olympic Games.”

Clothing manufacturers will be the first group to offer the service. On 11/14/07 it was announced that the CRD signed Berkam Group, one of the world’s largest clothing makers and the first entrant into the Virtual Economic Zone.  The CRD is committed to developing an open, secure and accessible environment that can easily handle currency conversions. Wow this is really a big deal that can totally transform product design, development, sourcing and supply chain.
The article the goes on to say:

“Swedish companies are leading the way in collaboration. Paynova is providing international online payment services, and MindArk, which produces the Entropia Universe virtual world, is helping provide a virtual world infrastructure. CRP is also working with MasterCard, Visa and the China Everbright Bank to build a financial platform, and with suppliers including IBM.”

Gemma Simpson in her article titled, “China’s virtual plans are out of this world,” 06/06/07 in silocon.com states:

“An estimated 10,000 jobs will be created in China on the back of this deal, with staff working from home inside the Entropia Universe.”

According to an AP article in MSNBC, 10/15/07 titled “China plans virtual world for commerce,” the Beijing CRD will evolve into a “far bigger” version of e-bay.

In fact, the CRD founders state that this virtual world project “will help the manufacturing superpower evolve into an e-commerce juggernaut.” Whew, that is a scary concept because a “juggernaut” is a force that is unstoppable and will crush everything in it’s path. Read that last sentence defining a “juggernaut” over – slowly – several times.

A primary goal of the project is to promote just-in-time manufacturing and to get rid of the middleman by providing “direct links between tens of thousands of Chinese manufacturers and millions of individual customers around the world. “

In the AP article in Linexinsider by Rachel Konrad posted 10/27/07 titled, “China’s Virtual World Plans,” Chi Tau Robert Lai, chief scientist of the virtual world states that the ambitious Beijing CRD virtual world project,” in addition to connecting factories with people outside China, the project will allow businesses outside China to tap the nation’s burgeoning middle class.”

The Victor Keegan article I posted earlier from the Guardian  titled, “Virtual China looks for real benefits,” expresses concerns about what will be left for the western world to do to generate $$$ if this Chinese virtual world directly connects  manufacturers to the consumer and eliminates the middle man.  Right now the western worlds are benefiting financially from huge wholesale and retail markups on Chinese manufactured goods. I have to be honest – from the individual point of view as a consumer and from the perspective of an entrepreneur this is exciting news but what effect will this have on the overall western economies? I guess we will all have to adjust to the transformational changes this project has the potential to trigger. There are some cynics out there regarding the feasibility of success with attaining the CRD goals but I have absolutely no doubt at all that the Chinese will succeed in all of the goals (including Interoperability, secure virtual ID and open access) they have set out for this virtual mega-world project.  One thing I do know is that the US economists and pundits either are in a state of denial or they have absolutely no understanding about the transformational impact this virtual project can have on the current world status quo. They also consistently underestimate China’s strategic long-term focus – they are deluding themselves.

The Chinese Virtual world, “now under construction, will have all the infrastructure (server farms, communication links, electricity, banking links, logistics etc) needed to make this the world’s one-stop shop for consumers and producers.”

The Keegan article goes on to state that the current planning is for 150 million avatars and 7 million on at any one time but planning is underway for “billions of avatars” that will eventually be supported. Seven million avatars on at one time totally blows away the current Second Life capacity of about 40,000 at any one time.

According to the CDR.GOV.CN site on a 11/08/07 posting

“The fast growth of the virtual world industry drives lots of governments in the world thinking that to own the key technologies of virtual world will be the quickest way to become the winner of international economy in the future. ‘China Virtual Economy District’ has provided an idea of a brand-new business model of virtual world industry to help traditional enterprises become virtual enterprises easily.”

The implications and impact of this Chinese virtual world currently under development will have on western economies cannot be overstated, The ultimate goal is to repeat in the virtual world what China has already accomplished in manufacturing!

reBang has an excellent post on this subject titled, When Retail Goes Virtual.

The next Virtual Worlds Conference will be April 3-4, 2008 in NYC.

Virtual Worlds Management Industry Forecast 2008

Fashion + Virtual + Technology

I received an excellent link about virtual technology and the fashion industry from JeanRicard Broek this evening. It’s called Tech and fashion just off the runway, posted by Candace Lombardi, 12/04/07.

One of the links was all about the meeting at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston this past Tuesday. The event was hosted by Moda e Technologia.There were some big players there including Linden Labs and MVM.

The talk there was about the fashion industries virtually developing worlds that focus on the themes and lifestyles that they try to develop with their fashion collections and brands.

The hope is that infusing fashion into the virtual worlds will pull in shoppers that otherwise would not even think to venture into the virtual worlds. I respectfully suggest that they focus primarely on the tweens that are already addicted to the various proprietary virtual worlds. The only way you will get the masses to shop in a virtual world on a mass market level is through the Web Browser – get busy developers…..Linden Lab? IBM? MetaPlace? MVM? Free the Avatars for all of us!

Boy oh boy do I agree with the quote from Dennis Valle, director of media interaction at Dolce & Gabbana, who said that “the move to digital is a big jump that will require teaching a whole industry a new vocabulary and explanation of context.”

Hey Dennis – the move to digital was 20 years ago – the move now is to 3D virtual reality - I believe that is what you were referring to. The move to virtual is now rapidly converging from all directions and if you think it’s going to be a big job to teach the industry how would you like to try to change the monolithic educational system to respond to today’s fast changing virtual technology advances?

I loved the question that the audience asked of Louise Guay from MVM, they must have delighted her.

The other article in CNET News titled, ” CAD software is the new black
By Candace Lombardi, 12/07/07

Now this is an area (CAD for textiles & apparel) I definitely have expertise in because I have been researching, teaching, retooling and developing coursework in this area for about 20 years now. In fact, the title of my M.F.A. thesis was “CAD Applications for textiles,” (are you ready?) in 1989!

Actually the article was quite through with mentioning the major CAD players except for the BIG exclusion of OptiTex – the top of the line unparalled 3D product development application and of course SymmetryWorks and ClicDesign plug ins for Adobe. Here is a link to my previous post on Optitex: It’s a Reality: Optitex Enables Total Integration 2D>3D>2D Fashion Product Development

Do you believe this?

Lectra and Gerber are very, very big players but their 3D applications are late comers and are behind the application development and upgrading of OptiTex.  Did you see the promotional Gerber 3D virtual images above with the ragged white pixels  around the virtual figures? I don’t even believe that one. They both have loads of other fashion/textile/product development related software though.

I don’t get it?

I must say I downloaded and explored the (Lectra) Kaledo 3D Trend application (pictured above) several months ago and for the love of me I could not figure out why someone would want to do 3D virtual trend presentation in a proprietary application (that they pay $$ for) when they could do exactly the same thing and much more (trend presentation and product development) in Second Life (which is free) and actually present it to your clients in a virtual setting similar to the product lifecycle management solution that the Fashion Research Institute is developing with IBM.

The article concludes with the Lectra Americas President David Rode stating that “he’s very interested to see how fashion executives respond to the idea of designing for avatars and extending their visions into the virtual space.”  Quite frankly, so am I. Good luck David getting the fashion executives to wrap their 2D minds around that virtual vision, you should journal that research project.  You will have your work cut out for you as I am sure some of them are still struggling with the digital transformation that took place 20 years ago. I hear from various industry sources that the need to continually upgrade hardware/software just to keep pace with the rapid advances currently taking place in the industry is not always welcomed or understood…in this country at least.  I think you may have more luck with the product lifecycle solution or the 3D virtual Web Browser that will surely come soon…. FREE THE AVATARS!
 
Thank you JeanRicard.

Giorgio Armani in Sl: Virtual Brand Extension?

This weekend I decided to check out the Armani site that I heard had opened in Second Life. I reviewed many of the opening announcements that are available by searching “Armani in Second Life.” Many of these announcements contained similar content but did not include a SL location.  After reading how Armani wanted to integrate RL with Sl I concluded that perhaps I could locate the SL Armani site by visiting the RL Emporia Armani site. I thought that perhaps Armani had a section devoted to the virtual site in SL similar to what the House of Nyla has. I was wrong – there was nothing at all I could locate on the RL Armani site about what and where the “virtual Armani” was all about. I thought this was really a strange “disconnect” considering all the splashy opening announcements I had easily located.

After digging a little deeper with my searches I finally found the Armani SL location on the map. I was kind of surprised to see only one large box-like structure and nothing else on the map and there were only 4 avatars on the entire island. (Note: I made several visits back since then and no other avatars were there.)

How do you locate the Armani store in SL to check it out for yourselves? You can use the SEARCH tool and type “Armani” under “PLACES.” On the map it is the “ARMANI via Manzoni” region. [138,79,26] Here is the  direct teleport SURL.

I teleported over and was again surprised to see what looked like a replica of a RL store in the middle of nothing else really. A section of road with no cars leading to what looks like a subway entrance leading to nowhere but a black room and a big parking lot that made absolutely no sense to me. I am sure this all makes perfect sense in RL.

I did locate a big screen that I was hoping would inform me about how the store was set up but it did not work and there were no signs around to inform a visitor about anything on the island or how the store concept was set up. I could not locate any informational area.

The store itself has lots of display windows but when I tried to “Touch” the doors nothing happened. It was not until much more exploration that I discovered by accident that the doors were actually set at “phantom” so I could just walk though. I flew up towards another avatar on the island and asked about the store – he seemed very disappointed in the building as well as the overall quality of the virtual merchandise.

That is when I was determined to locate an entrance and tried to simply walk through one of the doors and was pleasantly surprised that I could enter that way but I wondered how may others before me just gave up.

Here are my Flickr images from the visit.  Here is a general Flickr link to some other Armani SL images. Here is a Flickr image of Mr Armani’s profile in SL.

The inside of the store was kind of odd – it was obviously set up as a replica of RL – something that is not really acclimated to SL. The successful fashion boutiques’ I have visited in SL are set up differently then a RL store to merchandise in a virtual environment – this obviously was not. I did locate multiple rooms stocked with fashion merchandise but could not find anything at all that was available either to purchase or complimentary, hence my perception that this was another “disconnect” and an ”odd” setup.

At this point I decided to ask the avatar outside in the courtyard to assist me with locating the fashion products he  stated earlier he saw inside. It took him a bit of time to locate them again. He teleported me over to see a wall with about 10 products. [ Note: the exact location of the display is 86, 121, 26] Each dual image display had a SL product and a RL product that linked to the Emporia Armani Web page. After checking the links for the Rl products I discovered that very few links actually opened a comparable product page on the Emporia Armani Website and the same [Product] Red eyewear page links to many of the 10 fashion products.

 The two visitors I met there were very disappointed in the overall quality and I must say the presentation did seem kind of unprofessional. A visitor does expect the highest standards from an established RL fashion brand but it was painfully obvious that the RL brand was totally out of their element here and did not consider it important to establish stratigic partnerships with SL professionals that have successfully developed and marketed fashion products and brands in SL.

This effort in Sl by Armani seems disconnected from any knowledge or experience of what a virtual world like SL can offer. A virtual world is not simply a mirror of the RL brand.  A virtual world can serve as a “brand extension” for a successful RL brand.

After my visit I dug deeper for other reactions to the Armani store in SL. I discovered that the results were not pleasant to many that visited as this article in the SL Insider titled, “Armani Screws Up,” Posted Oct 18th 2007 2:30AM by Tateru Nino will tell you. The post titled “Ophelia’s Gaze: Iris explores (and deplores) Armani’s official site in Second Life,” on Monday, October 15, 2007 in New World Notes was particularly critical – but rightly so. The RL Armani brand is of the highest caliber – so the expectations for virtual brand extension naturally are equally high. Check out all the comments on Second Style Fashionista Blog entry by Grazia Horwitz titled,” Measuring With Different Standards?” posted October 17, 2007.

After my visit was over I did locate a YouTube video titled “Giorgio Armani Second Life Interview with Style.com” of Mr. Armani walking through the site – that’s when I discovered that walking through the entrance doors was the proper way to enter. I thought it was strange that the YouTube had no audio only text. Wouldn’t it have been better to have real audio? Here is the link to Style.com announcement of the Armani store in Sl.

Mr. Armani would have been well served to locate the top fashion professionals in SL to partner with him to develop virtual versions of his RL brand in SL. The first task on their list (there is still time to do this right) should be to make all the displayed products in SL into virtual fashions and not just empty prims. As a visitor to the store in SL, I totally did not get that at all? What’s the point?

SL prices for all products should be reasonable with all profits going to a charity Mr. Armani supports. Armani T-shirts should be offered as a [Product] Red item for a donated amount the user selects.

I noticed that other then the Armani store, the rest of the island is deserted. The RL Emporia Armani has a special section for the [Product] Red items to help fight AIDS in Africa. Isn’t it a logical step to integrate charitable causes in SL as well? Mr. Armani could easily start building a community for his SL venture by welcoming charitable causes he supports to establish a presence around the Armani store in SL.

SL is a “community” and all communities need involvement, dedication and patience to build. Charitable causes in addition to the [Product] Red Fight AIDS in Africa cause like maybe Fashion Fights Poverty and Aid to Artisans and perhaps fashion educational institutions from Italy can help to build the community and the virtual brand extension. It would not hurt to establish a MySpace and Facebook presence also to promote the communities. Everything needs to be connected with multi-directional informational channels to the RL Emporia Armani. Consideration should be given to removing the doors and roof (on the 2nd floor courtyard) in the Sl Armani Emporium – to make it more inviting for avatars, after all this is a virtual world not the real world. Oh and if you are going to expand your Website to include online services (as was mentioned in some of the articles announcing this venture into SL) – add something like the MVM  personal dressing room option for your users to try the garments on before they order.

In short – virtual partners, information, charity, education community and linking will lead to successful brand extension in SL. Please don’t give up Mr. Armani – it took a lot of courage to initiate a presence in the virtual world, you are to be commended for taking that step. You are a real pioneer. Your staff should learn from their initial missteps and work to understand and develop your virtual community to expand your brand and your charitable causes.