How to create the perfect immersive fashion week virtual experience

Fashion Week is coming, and I would like to offer my services to support your brand with some experiential marketing ideas and opportunities.  I am a fashion illustrator who’s worked in the New York fashion industry for 11 years, offering vibrant fashion illustrations with an attention to detail, fit, fabric, and texture.  In this article I’ll share 4 unique ways I can help you make your next experiential virtual event a success.

Crafting an unforgettable branded virtual experience

Our present shift from the physical into the virtual space has opened up endless possibilities, and is allowing brands to extend their reach further than ever before. While this has been a time of limitations, it’s also been a catalyst for transformation, creativity, and development in business-to-consumer marketing.

Fashion Week is known for its exclusivity, but as virtual presentations and live streams continue to take the place of runway shows, brands have opened their doors, so to speak, to invite their customers into their world. As social media became a lifeline for many during quarantine, brands re-positioned themselves to incite a deeper level of conversation and engagement, and a forged new type of growth.

“Fashion Week has never been accessible to this many people before, in this manner. International Digital Fashion Week is an inclusive and diverse way to share the art of fashion with a massive audience.” -Allee Feuerman, Source: Fashionweekonline.com

Gucci Resort ‘21 - Illustrated by Deanna Kei

Earlier during the pandemic, designers saw success from their engaging virtual fashion week presentations (also see Is Fashion Illustration the future of Fashion Week in a post covid world? ), but as the industry continues to be troubled, many are taking an even more intimate approach to client outreach.

By now the consumer is used to some degree of virtual reality, though most are still craving the return to physical experiences. However, we should no longer be thinking in terms of ‘online sales vs in person sales’, but instead focused on finding the perfect balance. Tapping into that potential, the creative agency The Gathery has been delivering hybrid virtual event experiences right to consumer’s doors. They are putting storytelling in the forefront of each experience that they engineer. Founder Luigi Tadini shared inspiring insights during his interview with CFDA.com, and I’ve referenced some quotes from their interview below.

“Instead of leaning into the virtual, we re-imagined these experiences into story-led boxes, allowing our guests to touch, see, feel and discover new collections or shows through their senses at home. By designing these ‘experiences delivered’ in eye-catching and clever ways, we prompted recipients to share their discoveries through their own networks expanding the brand’s stories to even wider audiences.” - Luigi Tadini, The Gathery, Source: CFDA.com

Complimenting a virtual event or presentation with a physical branded presence helps bridge the distance between the consumer and the brand, and ultimately deepens that relationship.

“That said, we still believe that the virtual component should always be an extension of an experience and not the core of the experience itself. ”- Luigi Tadini, The Gathery, Source: CFDA.com

Balmain Fall ‘20 - Illustrated by Deanna Kei

Quarantine culture has brought self awareness and development to the forefront. Consumers have more time to decide which values are important to them, and to discover which brands align with those values. They’re looking for more meaningful and personalized experiences that allow them to express and enrich themselves. They are spending with intention and want to feel connected to the brands they are supporting.

Virtual live illustrations for Pearfisher zoom event - Deanna Kei

Virtual live illustrations for Pearfisher zoom event - Deanna Kei

I recently illustrated live as part of an experiential virtual event held by Pearlfisher. They had sent a gorgeous assortment of flowers to each attendee for them to work with at home during the virtual workshop and party. After the event they followed up by sending each guest their personal illustration which they had watched me bring to life during the night. Pearlfisher had taken their event beyond zoom and embellished it with little accents to make it more memorable for everyone who participated.

Click here to learn how I’ll work with you to create virtual or live illustrations for your event

Experiential marketing is nothing new, nor is the concept of giving attendees swag bags at a runway show. So how does that translate to a virtual fashion show?: with a highly branded gift box highlighting your collection for your attendees to experience and enjoy from their homes.

Here are 4 unique ideas to include in the perfect experience box to accompany your virtual launch or runway show.

1. Event invitations or influencer thank you cards

An exclusive thank you card, invitation or print featuring a fashion illustration of a look from the collection and a personalized note. *To request your own collection illustrations, or card designs contact me at deannakei@gmail.com

Branded thank you card - Deanna Kei

2. Collection paper dolls

An illustrated paper doll set featuring different items from the collection for consumers to mix and match. This will keep your items fresh on your client’s minds, allow them to play the part of a stylist, and experience your collection in a unique way from their home. *To request your own custom paper dolls for your collection contact me at deannakei@gmail.com

Custom paper doll set for private client, Tabs fold back - Deanna Kei

3. Collection coloring page

A coloring page featuring a look from your collection. Bring your collection into your client’s leisure time with this fun, relaxing activity. Encourage them to post their finished coloring page on social media with your brand hashtag. *To request your own custom coloring pages for your collection contact me at deannakei@gmail.com

Fashion coloring page - Deanna Kei

4. Animated collection recap

An eye catching animation that showcases the pieces from your collection. Follow up after your event with a .gif that brings your collection back in front of your audience’s eyes. Animations are captivating and shareable content, and a great way to encourage engagement and boost your brand’s algorithm on social media. *To request your own collection animation contact me at deannakei@gmail.com

Fashion Week Animation - Deanna Kei

The perfect experience box will give your clients and influencers something they can touch and enjoy in their own space, and even share with their friends on social media. It will engage them and make them feel appreciated and more aligned to the brand and the collection you’re showing. Communicating your collection through illustrations will introduce your line to your customers in a way that photography can not, and will invite them to visualize themselves in the world you’ve created. My branded illustrations are a highly customized, cost effective approach to storytelling with a fast turn around. Contact me at deannakei@gmail.com to discuss your vision.

Have you been a part of any immersive virtual events this year? Share in the comments below.

Deanna Kei is a fashion and beauty illustrator, dedicated to creating engaging visual content for brands in the form of vibrant fashion illustrations with an attention to detail, fit, fabric, and texture. For all inquiries please contact deannakei@gmail.com

New York Fashion Week S20 RTW - Trend Review Part 1

Have you been keeping up?

The NYFW Spring20 shows are in full swing! This year’s fashion week calendar is looking a bit different than usual as more designers are straying from the regular schedule, but the energy in NY around this time each year is still unmatched!

We’re barely halfway through, but the trends flying off the runway are so fresh that I’m popping in early with a quick trend report to get your appetite wet.

Future Vision: Looking at Spring 2020

At a quick glance:

The usual spring neutrals are making a reappearance. Denim is especially strong again for this 2020 season. Boxy tops, long skirts, wrap overs and belted waists are just some of the patterns to be found in many of the shows.

Now on to the sketches! (Pay attention to the bold trend words below!)

Mara Hoffman and Nells Nelson - Spring 2020 NYFW - Sketch by DeannaKei

Sketch Above:

Mara Hoffman

Mara Hoffman’s Spring Line had me thinking ‘Vacation in the tropics’. She used a beautiful parrot print and many warm colors—but the outfit I pulled out to sketch is this sage safari dress with a utility vibe. (Do you have a parka in your closet right now that sort of looks like this?—I think most of us do). I want to note the sleeves here. It’s a sleeve shape I’ve also seen in many of the other designers shows. I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of it too now.

Nells Nelson

Nells Nelson showed some clean cut, gorgeous long wrap skirts. I loved the d-ring sashed belt here— and of course, the cargo pockets.

Alexander Wang and Red Valentino - Spring 2020 NYFW - Sketch by DeannaKei

Sketch above:

Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang is always on the top of my list. His collection took two different directions. I tried to sketch a piece from each so you can get the gist of it. Wearing fringe and denim, his models came down the runway with long dark braids. There was definitely a western vibe. He also showed a lot of leather and suede. This black look above is a studded mock wrap skirt paired with a masterfully draped cowl neck top. Many of the looks, the above two included (though it may be hard to tell in the sketch), were topped off by multiple layers of belts around the waist.

Red Valentino

My favorite piece from the Red Valentino line was this beautifully seamed dress. Doesn’t it look like it would fit like a dream? Tonal denim blues are pieced in to create the A line shape. The bodice has a multi-seamed bow panel, which ties back into the more obvious bows sashed across the waists of other items in the collection. The thin strapped black dress next to it has a sheer over layer and oversized bow belting the waist.

Tadashi Shoji- Spring 2020 NYFW - Sketch by DeannaKei

Sketch Above:

Tadashi Shoji

Tadashi Shoji showed a beautiful spring gown collection in iced pastel tones of pinks, blues and greens. The floral embellishments and tonal sheer layers carried the very essence of spring down the runway as the models walked in them. His pastel gown collection was mixed with some darker looks and also included beautiful satin brocades. Many of his looks had cuts and shapes reminiscent of the kimono. This inverted black and wine colored look has a high low wrap skirt with a contrast liner. (The sleeve shape here matches up with the Mara Hoffman dress above, doesn’t it?)

A zoomed view on my favorite Tadashi Shoji Look

Do you have a favorite look from the Designers shown above? —a trend you’re already in love with? Sound off in the comments below!!

Deanna Kei is a NY based Fashion and Beauty Illustrator. She works with brands to create unique and engaging content featuring their products and collections. To commission illustrations for your brand please write to deannakei@gmail.com