More Innovation as Topshop team up with Google for an interactive fashion experience

18th February 2013

Last weekend Topshop collaborated with Google to deliver a series of interactive events, based around their fashion show on Sunday for London Fashion Week. People who logged in were able to see a live stream of every aspect of the show from the backstage make-up to the arriving celebrities plus all the catwalk action, shot from exhilarating, fly-on-the-wall angles, including groundbreaking ‘model-mounted’ micro-HD cameras.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

The idea behind the concept was to create a ‘real-life’ interactive experience for the viewer by re-imagining the future of the fashion show into a universally accessible experience

Topshop owner Sir Philip Green explains:

“We have always prided ourselves on being first to market with the latest trends and product innovation. It speaks huge volumes about the power of Topshop that we are partnering with the world’s largest digital company, Google, to bring the excitement and energy of our brand to customers all over the world.”

The event was the first ever fashion show to use real-time ‘runway cameras’, mounted onto models for a fully immersive experience. It was broadcast on YouTube, a subsidiary of Google and also featured live streaming red carpet action as celebrities arrived at the event.

Viewers also had the chance to interact live with the show – so that it wasn’t just a simple passive viewing opportunity. Interactive elements included a ‘Be the Buyer’ app where viewers could try their hand at being a fashionista – by selecting their favourite pieces from each collection as if they were a real-life fashion buyer. Topshop also installed a Google+ photobooth at their flagship UK store on London’s Oxford Street to coincide with the event. Shoppers could use the booth to try on different outfits and then take and upload photos of their choices to be streamed live on an interactive digital ‘window’ at the fashion show.

Google+ were delighted to be participating in such a technologically innovative and interactively immersive event. Marvin Chow, global marketing director describes their involvement:

“Topshop has done an amazing job of creating an unprecedented experience through a number of Google technologies to connect fans with the highly coveted models, designers and influencers behind popular culture and fashion.”