Future+ Fridays | Issue17

1. Highlights from our week at Cannes Lions

We started off the week with a partnership with Partouche Multiverse and Joker Odyssey on their yacht, for an afternoon of talks curated by us and an opening party to kick things off.

Opening the event, Matthieu Lorrain, previously global creative head of AI and spatial at Google and now at DeepMind, gave a fascinating keynote on the future of content being “Liquid”. He discussed 5 main themes on how AI would allow us to personalise content, using time, space, interaction, art direction and storytelling.  

Next up, a panel discussing Innovation in marketing and the future of fandom moderated expertly by Noelle Reno with Sarah Dale, Global head of partnerships and entertainment at Binance, Katie Hudson, Global head of Innovation at Publicis, and Ward de Kruiff, Global head of Web3 and metaverse at EPAM. It was an insightful discussion with many case studies shared to bring context to the conversation, including tokenized memberships and recently launched Hugo Boss XP loyalty platform (EPAM) GenAI avatars and influencers (Publicis) and Cristiano Ronaldo’s 4th NFT collection for his fans (Binance). 

Our partners for the week, MANTRA chain and its founder, John Patrick Mullin was also in conversation with Rajiv Nandwani, head of business development at Binance, discussing RWAs (Real world assets) and also the real reason why blockchain is an essential component to democratise access to liquidity and investments. 

Later in the week, we also hosted a lunch at the Mondrian on La Croisette for our partners EPAM and MANTRA and invited 25 of incredible thought leaders together from companies like a16z, Kering, Aura Blockchain Consortium, Rankin, Adobe, Karta and more.

Highlights over the week, included Ted x Culture3 at Mastercard villa, chats with Deepak Chopra and bumping into Karlie Kloss to geek out about everything code, culture and community.

2. Chanel becomes first beauty brand to light up the Las Vegas Sphere

What’s happening: Chanel has used the world’s largest spherical building, the Sphere in Las Vegas, to promote its latest fragrance, a limited edition of Chanel No. 5.

TLDR:

• Chanel is the first beauty brand to use the Sphere, with previous companies including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Disney.

• The campaign was live for a month and ended yesterday on the 20th of June.

• The Sphere was first opened in September 2023. It can host around 20,000 people inside and features a 16K resolution LED screen made of 1.2 million puck LED lights.

Why It matters: The Sphere offers brands an unprecedented platform for visual storytelling, allowing them to create incredible and unforgettable experiences. By being the first beauty brand to utilise this innovative platform, Chanel reinforces its status as a luxury leader.

3. Rabanne and Dazed launched Rabanne Arts Factory in Art Basel

What’s happening: During Art Basel, Rabanne launched the Rabanne Arts Factory in collaboration with Dazed to support the next generation of emerging digital artists. This comes along with other digital art initiatives launched during Art Basel as mentioned in our previous newsletter here.

TLDR:

• The initiative kicked off with a competition, offering the winner a chance to showcase their work at Art Basel Miami in December and receive mentorship, visibility, image creation, and financial support from Rabanne.

• A jury of international fashion and art experts selected six finalists in Basel, with the winner to be announced in the fall.

• This initiative is part of Rabanne's rebranding efforts to connect with younger consumers and embrace digital art.

• Rabanne's project aligns with other similar initiatives by fashion brands such as the Farfetch’s Dream Assembly and Adidas' digital artist residency.

Why it matters: Rabanne's new initiative highlights the brand's commitment to cultural engagement and its strategic rebranding to appeal to younger audiences. By investing in digital art and creative talent, Rabanne aims to stay at the forefront of artistic and technological evolution. This move reflects a broader trend in the fashion industry, where brands are increasingly integrating digital art into their strategies to resonate with modern consumers.

4. Alessandro Michele’s first collection for Valentino

What’s happening: Alessandro Michele, the former creative director of Gucci, was appointed as Valentino's creative director last March. In an unexpected early reveal, he showcased his first collection for the brand's Cruise 2025, surprising everyone who anticipated a debut at September Fashion Week.

TLDR: 

• The Cruise 2025 collection, titled "Avant les débuts", features 171 silhouettes and 93 images of shoes, bags, and accessories.

• Designed in just two months, Michele took inspiration from Valentino Garavani's style and went through the house archives to recreate one collection aiming at representing all the decades together.

• The collection keeps Michele's signature with its extravaganza and adorned designs, as well as a bright mix of colours and patterns.

• Overall, the reviews were positive with buyers responding enthusiastically, showing the commercial potential, while editors had mixed reviews, noting too much similarity to Michele's work at Gucci, indicating a challenging balancing act between innovation and brand differentiation.

Why it matters: Transitioning to a new creative director is always challenging for a fashion house, as the designer's vision can significantly impact the brand's direction. Alessandro Michele's appointment brings a fresh perspective to Valentino, and his debut collection has already made a positive impression. Michele's success at Gucci, where he revitalised the brand and strengthened its market position, suggests promising potential for Valentino. His ability to blend his unique style with Valentino's heritage indicates a dynamic future for the brand. We are looking forward to seeing how Michele will shape Valentino's identity in the coming years.

5. Snapchat enhances AR with New GenAI Technology

What's Happening: Last Tuesday, Snapchat unveiled its latest GenAI technology within a new version of its AR studio, which will be released in the coming months.

TLDR:

• Snapchat's GenAI technology is set to introduce more realistic AR filters, becoming available in the coming months.

• The new AR studio will empower developers and creators to create advanced AR features using GenAI tools and also include an AI assistant for support.

• Creators and developers will be able to generate images via text prompts for use in the filters, simplifying the process for newcomers and cutting the time in filter development.

• Snapchat's strategic priorities include AR innovation, revenue growth, and community expansion. Currently, over 350,000 developers use Lens Studio, and 70% of new users engage with AI on their first day.

• AI is already part of Snapchat, with an AI chatbot that was launched last year.

Why It Matters: Snapchat's continuous innovation in AR technology keeps it at the forefront of social media experiences, enhancing user engagement and creativity. The introduction of GenAI tools and an updated AR studio empowers both experienced developers and newcomers to create unique and captivating content quickly. However, the question is, will there also be a point where more people can create their own AR filters without buying developer-made lenses at all?