Future+ Fridays | Issue46

1. Highlights on Beauty and Fashion announcements at CES this week

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What's happening: Fashion and beauty innovations took center stage at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, showcasing groundbreaking innovations at the intersection of style with technology. Keeping up with this growing trend, this year's CES introduced dedicated categories for "Fashion Technology" and "Beauty Technology" under its Innovation Awards program.

Highlights:

• Revolve’s leadership team presented its AI-powered retail innovation that enhances customer shopping experiences by analysing consumer behavior to deliver personalised recommendations and streamline e-commerce.

• Coach’s CEO Todd Kahn debuted a sustainable line of products made from recycled leather materials, created in collaboration with Gen Phoenix. These items are priced similarly to the brand's existing up-cycled Coachtopia line and reinforce Coach’s commitment to sustainability.

• The Canadian company, Myant’ won an Innovation Award in Fashion Tech for its "Osmotex" jacket. This advanced garment uses built-in fiber technology with a "Textile Pump" to regulate humidity by analysing body temperature and perspiration levels.

• Charmelo won a Fashion Tech Award for the "Aura" sunglasses, the first glasses that can change colour in real-time through touch-sensitive technology, offering both customisation and style.

• MySize showcased an AI-driven virtual fitting solution that allows consumers to try on clothes virtually and recommends the best size, addressing fit and return issues in online shopping.

• The Japanese beauty, Shiseido won the Beauty Innovation Honoree Award for its ‘Skin Visualizer’ that accurately measures facial characteristics, skin condition to provide personalised beauty solutions without the need of removing makeup and with no physical contact.

• L’Oréal showcased l’Oréal Cell BioPrint, that provides personalised skin analysis in under 5 minutes, using advances proteomics, the study of how protein composition in the human body affect skin ageing.

• In terms of wellness showcased at CES, OMNIA AI health mirror which scans the heart, weight and metabolism was a clear favourite that stood out amongst press and attendees.

Why it matters: The increase presence of fashion, beauty, wellness/health into CES highlights the growing importance of technology in these industries. From sustainable materials to wearable tech and AI-driven solutions, brands and companies are addressing modern consumer demands for personalisation, convenience, longevity and eco-consciousness. With its spotlight on innovation, CES 2025 blurs the lines between fashion, beauty, and technology signalling a future where style, beauty and tech are merging more seamlessly than ever.

2. Launch of Omi, the AI wearable that wants to read your brain

What's happening: This week, Based Hardware launched the pre-order of Omi, an $89 wearable AI device that combines always-on listening and brain-interface technology, designed to help its user manage daily tasks and provide real-time assistance for all sorts of activities.

TLDR:

• Omi is an AI-powered wearable that can be worn as a forehead button or necklace with a battery lasting for up to three days.

• It uses always-on listening to deliver real-time summaries, meeting notes, and responses, while detecting user intent without wake words.

• Early brain-interface features allow limited intent recognition through brain-waves, with plans for more advanced thought-based interactions within two years.

• The device integrates with AI models from major platforms and offers over 250 compatible apps through an open-source ecosystem.

• Data from interactions can be stored locally or in the cloud, with a simple deletion option for user control over privacy.

• Users with technical expertise can build their own Omi using public schematics provided publicly by the company.

Why it matters: Physical AI wearables have often struggled to maintain momentum beyond their initial buzz, frequently failing to deliver enough value to justify widespread adoption. Omi’s success hinges on its ability to navigate the significant hurdles of shifting consumer habits and addressing privacy concerns tied to always-on technology. Its innovative forehead-mounted design further raises questions about user comfort and the willingness to adopt such a visible gadget into daily routines. The ultimate question remains: can Omi transform into an everyday statement?

3. Doji, the hyper-personalised virtual try-on app

What's happening: A new virtual try-on app, Doji, is gaining attention for its cutting-edge AI technology designed to improve the online shopping experience. By creating hyper-personalised 3D avatars, Doji helps consumers find the perfect fit before making a purchase.

TLDR:

• An estimated 85% of US apparel brands are planning to adopt virtual try-on technology to enhance online shopping.

• Doji leverages advanced AI to create a personalised AI likeness to its user allowing them to try on clothes virtually and find their ideal fit.

• The avatar base model is generated through a few selfie on an iphone/mobile phone.

• The app was co-founded by Jim Winkens, a former Google DeepMind researcher, and Dorian Dargan, who has worked at Meta, Apple, and YouNow.

• Currently, Doji is in private beta, accepting limited testers for its iOS app as it prepares to launch publicly in the near future.

• The technology promises to reduce e-commerce challenges, including fit-related returns, while providing a more immersive and confident shopping experience.

• Other players in the virtual try-on space, such as DeepGears and Zyler, have already demonstrated tangible benefits, including a 25% reduction in return rates and higher customer engagement.

Why it matters: Online shopping has long faced with one of its biggest challenges: managing high return rates and helping customers find the right fit. While many startups have attempted to tackle this issue, few have achieved lasting success. Doji offers a fresh solution with its hyper-personalised try-on technology. With users able to create digital avatars that mirror their exact measurements, Doji is trying to boost consumer confidence in purchasing decisions and delivers a more accurate, immersive shopping experience. By reducing returns, it also strives to promote a more sustainable environment for e-commerce.

4. Gucci launched new immersive window concept ‘Endless Narratives

What's happening: Gucci has launched ‘Endless Narratives’, a new window display concept that blends heritage and innovation to create immersive retail experiences in boutiques worldwide.

TLDR:

• Endless Narratives is an evolving window display that connects Gucci's collections with cultural touch-points, offering a reflective visual dialogue between the brand’s history and heritage.

• The concept uses mirrored bookcases that expand the visual space and reflect the diverse books, miniature statues, and Gucci archival replicas.

• The display immerses viewers in a journey through time, linking the past, present, and future through carefully curated objects.

• Italian artist Luca Pignatelli has collaborated with Gucci, contributing 80 limited-edition artworks using sugar-lift and collage techniques. These works enhance the display's narrative and add an artistic dimension rooted in timeless and cultural memory.

• The concept blends merchandising with artistic and cultural storytelling, aiming to reaffirm Gucci’s role as both a heritage and innovative brand during a time of financial challenges.

• Endless Narratives will be featured globally in Gucci stores, with objects and collections evolving throughout the year to provide a fresh experience at each location.

• Gucci has also partnered with the Tate for a year-long collaboration on the exhibition Electric Dreams: Art and Technology Before the Internet, which explores the optimism and anxieties surrounding digital art. While paradoxical compared to Pignatelli’s hands-on approach, both partnership demonstrate Gucci’s commitment to appreciating both tradition and innovation.

Why it matters: Gucci's display transforms store windows into cultural and artistic experiences, redefining retail in the luxury market. This approach appeals to consumers seeking storytelling, heritage, and creativity. Many luxury brands, like Louis Vuitton with its latest collaboration Takashi Murakami, blend art, culture, and innovation into their spaces to stay relevant. Gucci’s initiative stands out by balancing tradition and modernity, using collaborations and experiential retail to reinforce its identity as a forward-thinking leader amid financial challenges.

5. Dolce & Gabbana unveils new exhibition in Paris’ Grand Palais

What's happening: After Milan, the retrospective exhibition Du Coeur à la Main: Dolce & Gabbana has opened at the Grand Palais in Paris, showcasing decades of the fashion house's work and celebrating Italian culture, starting today (January 10th) to March 31st.

TLDR:

• Du Coeur à la Main: Dolce & Gabbana (From the Heart to the Hands) is a traveling retrospective that highlights Dolce & Gabbana rich history and connection to Italian culture.

• The exhibition, which began in Milan where it was sold out, features 200 one-of-a-king pieces from legendary shows including Alta Moda (Haute Couture), Alta Sartoria, and Alta Gioielleria (jewellery), showcasing the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the designs.

• Each room has a theme exploring diverse inspirations, from the mosaics of Sicilian cathedrals to the Scala opera and film to folk traditions.

• One of the standout room is the recreated Milan atelier, where visitors can observe artisans at work, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of craftsmanship.

• The exhibition is a symbol of cultural diplomacy, as the French Grand Palais welcomes an Italian fashion house, demonstrating a spirit of mutual respect between these global fashion capitals, especially after Chanel committed millions of euros to the renovation of the venue.

• After Paris, the exhibition will travel to seven more undisclosed locations worldwide, with a potential Middle Eastern stop hinted at by the designers.

Why it matters: Dolce & Gabbana’s From the Heart to the Hands demonstrate a growing trend in fashion: turning archives into immersive exhibitions. These events allow broader audiences to experience couture and luxury beyond the pictures of runway shows. With its attention to craftsmanship and storytelling, the exhibition shows the enduring cultural and emotional depth of the brand while sharing a spirit of collaboration between fashion capitals. For fashion and culture lovers, it’s a must-see moment in Paris.