Luxury brand Burberry opens up digital theaters as from today
Today, fashion brand Burberry is launching its Spring 2011 collection. These events are typically attended by the happy few: opinion leaders, celebrities and rich people in general. Burberry wants to extent their efforts to a broader audience and will broadcast the shows at their flagship stores. At 4pm this afternoon, the fashion show will be live-streamed on 3 by 3 metre high def screens in 25 flagship stores around the world.
The connected audience will not only be able to watch the show, they also get access to learn all details about the clothing. It goes even further: people in the stores have the possibility to buy these new pieces. Delivery is guaranteed within 7 weeks.
Burberry Creative Director Christopher Bailey told The Telegraph ‘We are now as much a media-content company as we are a design company, because it’s all part of the overall experience. So it’s a big deal. It’s changing the whole system of buying, and the whole cycle of production. Basically you can buy every bag that goes down the runway and every coat and all the make-up as well.’
This point of view may be a little over the top. I don’t really see Burberry as a media-content company. The idea is great, but it’s a first experiment, not a company philosophy. Although, making a statement like that could open up the eyes of the competition to move towards a more social fashion world.