Apple Vision Pro in Beauty, Fashion and Gaming: Balenciaga, SYKY, e,lf

Elf Beauty, Balenciaga, and now SYKY and Anrealage have all released interactive and immersive experiences for the Apple Vision Pro. With shopping convenience and gamification already integrated or loading, the implications for beauty and fashion retail are huge.

SYKY: Behind the scenes Architectural studio

The latest platform to launch a fashion app on Apple Vision Pro is Alice Delahunt’s SYKY Collective, via a show by Japanese brand Anrealage.

Anrealage founder Kunihiko Morinaga created a version of his color-changing Pyramid Dress using photochromic fabric technology (materials that change color when exposed to ultraviolet light) and a specially designed piece worn by Beyoncé on her Renaissance tour. Users can move around the dress and explore interaction points to learn more about the design and fabrics, an idea that particularly appeals to Morinaga, who always starts in 3D before moving on to the physical design process.

According to SYKY, this will result in further experiences with fashion houses, including digital extensions of ateliers, presentations or “new retail environments where custom-designed garments can be explored.”

“At SYKY, we believe that the fashion industry is entering a period of extraordinary change as realities converge and digital fashion experiences merge with the physical world,” says Alice Delahunt, CEO and Founder of SYKY.

Balenciaga: Extending the Runway with Gamification Loading

A week earlier, Balenciaga launched the first phase of its own Apple Vision Pro experience developed in partnership with AR
Arweave
creative studio Atomic Digital Design. It focuses on Balenciaga’s Spring ’25 show in Shanghai in May through a collection of drone shots, stereoscopic shots (different views corresponding to the right and left eyes), and an interactive lookbook function and access to content from previous collections.

Going forward, the statement said, Balenciaga “will continue to explore the possibilities of its technology through future content updates and new features that will provide unique ways to interact with the brand.”

The brand’s recent activity may prove instructive, especially when it comes to gaming. The latest iteration of the Balenciaga Music Series is a collaboration with French composer and musician BFRND, who has created original soundtracks for every Balenciaga presentation since 2017. The series consists of a four-hour original playlist, a video game, and a limited-edition physical merchandise item with an all-access pass embedded via a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip.

The pixelated game is set across Balenciaga’s runway shows. While the first three levels are accessible to anyone via a dedicated mini-site, WeChat, or touchscreens at Balenciaga’s Paris Montaigne and Shanghai IAPM flagship stores, the fourth, bonus level is only accessible via the aforementioned NFC chips—that is, to paying customers.

elf Beauty: Social Gaming & Shopping

The beauty sector has been ahead of the curve. In early 2024, elf Beauty released its own Apple Vision Pro app. Created by virtual store platform Obsess, it features guided meditations, stretching exercises, and an interactive “Paint by Numbers” game. And, most importantly, the ability to shop with Apple Pay.

According to Obsess CEO and founder Neha Singh, it offers users “a whole new way to engage with the brand” and “paving the way for a new era of spatial shopping and immersive beauty storytelling.”

For the record, elf recently became the first beauty brand to test out real-world commerce on Roblox, powered by Walmart. Players can purchase items like hoodies, lipsticks, and sunscreen through a virtual kiosk as part of the immersive elf UP! experience. Those who make a purchase also receive a “virtual twin” of their product, available for use on the gaming platform.

“Testing commerce on Roblox is the next step in our journey to combine beauty with immersive platforms,” says Kory Marchisotto, CMO of elf Beauty.