LVMH partners with Epic Games to offer virtual experiences to customers

French luxury goods conglomerate Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) has partnered with Epic Games Inc., the creator of Fortnite, in order to bring virtual experiences to customers announced the company on Wednesday.

LVMH, the holding company for 75 distinguished brands, made the announcement at the Viva Technology show in Paris, according to the press release.

This strategic partnership will empower LVMH and its Maisons to further utilize Epic’s 3D creation tools to offer experiences like virtual fitting rooms and fashions shows, 360 product carousels, augmented reality, creation of digital twins and more, added LVMH.

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The brand also debuted a six-minute interactive and immersive experience conceived using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 technology, for a digital recreation of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall ’23 fashion show with 3D versions of products worn by avatars.

LVMH Group Managing Director Toni Belloni added, “We have always been committed to innovations with the potential to bring our customers new experiences. Interactive games, which have developed into a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, are a perfect example,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.

Epic’s tools would also help the company “engage more effectively with young generations who are very much at ease with these codes and uses,” he added.

“With this partnership, we will work with LVMH’s designers to transform physical and digital product creation using Epic’s suite of advanced creator tools. We are excited to accelerate the Group’s adoption of Unreal Engine, Reality Capture, Twinmotion and MetaHuman technology, and help LVMH’s global brands engage with customers through immersive digital experiences,” added Bill Clifford, VP, Unreal Engine at Epic Games.

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Several LVMH brands have already adopted solutions from Epic Games.

In 2022, Bulgari unveiled a metaverse experience, called “Virtual Rome”, using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5. LVMH also created its first virtual ambassador named Livi through Unreal Engine and MetaHuman technology.

LVMH also announced that it will begin accepting Apple Pay later this year beginning with select LVMH Group stores in the US including Sephora, Christian Dior Couture, Celine, Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton, reported Forbes.

LVMH Group IT Director Franck Le Moal added, “The introduction of Tap to Pay will contribute to offering our customers a purchase experience that is fluid, transparent and protected. This solution also reflects the growing demand among our customers for contactless payment and digital wallet transactions,” he was quoted as saying by Forbes.

Epic’s Fortnite has evolved from a popular multiplayer video game into an online space where people socialise and popular musicians host virtual concerts.

Two years ago, Epic partnered with Ferrari to bring a highly realistic version of a Ferrari 296 GTB to Fortnite, allowing players to experience the car in their respective virtual worlds.

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Epic along with rival Roblox, have both been building out their versions of the metaverse in recent years. Brands have been circling the metaverse in recent years in order to stake their claims in spaces where a younger audience and customer base interacts.

Roblox too is a magnet for high-end fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, which debuted its first digital fashion line on the site in 2021.

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