Future+ Fridays | Issue38

1. Drest takes fashion gaming to a new level with immersive luxury experiences

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What's happening: The fashion styling game Drest, first launched in 2019, has relaunched with a fresh look and new features, allowing players to style virtual models in branded clothing and accessories from over 250 top designers. Players can choose from a wide range of body types and ethnicities, create looks for exclusive events like the Fashion Awards, and interact more closely with high-end fashion brands in a gamified setting.

TLDR:

• The relaunch includes expanded brand partnerships, adding labels like Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Alaïa, and Fendi, along with founder-led names like Jacquemus and JW Anderson.

• Players can participate in virtual events, like styling models for The Fashion Awards by Pandora, held at the Royal Albert Hall, with in-game partners like Versace and Leica.

• The game adds interactive, editorial storylines, allowing players to follow and create around themes tied to fashion industry insiders, runway shows, and major events.

• Gamers earn rewards, level up their styling skills, and can share their creations both inside and outside the app, merging gameplay with cultural trends.

• Next year, Drest plans to add events that support social causes and expand challenges featuring well-known fashion figures, designers, and stylists, bringing real-world relevance and purpose to the game.

Why it matters: The revamped game blurs the line between gaming and fashion, making high-end style more accessible and engaging for a tech-savvy audience. As fashion brands strive to captivate younger, digital-native consumers, Drest serves as a creative, educational platform that deepens brand connections. This relaunch reflects a shift toward experiential, community-centred gaming where users not only learn styling but also participate in real-time fashion culture, elevating virtual interaction with tangible brand value.

2. Daydream debuts: The AI shopping platform aiming to revolutionise product discovery

What’s happening: At BoF Voices this week, Daydream, the AI-powered shopping platform we featured back in June when it raised $50 million, made its first public appearance, showcasing its innovative approach to transforming e-commerce search and discovery.

TLDR:

• Daydream is an AI-driven shopping platform where users can find fashion items using text or image-based prompts, with personalised recommendations.

• Shoppers can search with prompts like “1920s-themed outfits” and receive tailored options, while a profile-building feature called the “Style Passport” customises results over time. The more the user uses the platform, the more accurate the results become.

• Founder Bornstein envisions a “ChatGPT for shopping,” focusing on making product discovery more engaging and intuitive.

• Daydream is among a few AI startups prioritising consumer-facing solutions, while many others focus on backend applications.

• The start-up’s business model is earning commission on sales, with over 2,000 brands already on board such as Gucci, Net-a-Porter and H&M already.

Why it matters: Research of items with online shopping as proven to be tricky for many shoppers. The new start-up Daydream represents a significant opportunity for brands to enhance product visibility and drive sales through AI-powered personalisation. By allowing consumers to search using natural language or image-based prompts and refining recommendations over time with the "Style Passport," brands can connect with shoppers more effectively, increasing the likelihood of product discovery and purchase. This approach elevates the customer experience and provides brands with valuable insights into consumer preferences. As AI continues to reshape retail—aligned with predictions from the BoF State of Fashion 2025 report—platforms like Daydream position brands at the forefront of e-commerce evolution, helping them stay competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.

3. VOGUE: Inventing the Runway – A journey through Fashion’s most iconic shows

What's happening: Vogue has launched a new immersive exhibition in London called VOGUE: Inventing the Runway, showcasing the evolution of the fashion runway from intimate couture events to modern-day cultural spectacles.

TLDR:

• VOGUE: Inventing the Runway explores the history and significance of fashion runway shows, located at Lightroom in London, home for spectacular immersive shows and close to the iconic Central Saint Martins fashion school which was home to many UK fashion designers.

• Narrated by the Australian actress, Cate Blanchett, the exhibition draws from Vogue’s archives and industry insights.

• The exhibition features strong work from legendary fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Alexander McQueen, and more, understanding how fashion has become an ultimate statement of a designer’s vision.

• The experience includes themed chapters with animations and soundscapes to capture iconic runway moments.

• The shows are also a crucial part of history, as they reflect societal shifts across culture, politics, technology, and the arts.

Why it matters: This exhibition offers an immersive look into the cultural impact of fashion shows, illustrating how they’ve evolved from exclusive gatherings into powerful statements that reflect and influence society at large. By diving into the archives and showcasing work from fashion’s most renowned creatives, Inventing the Runway provides both a historical and contemporary perspective on how runway shows have shaped fashion and global culture over the past century. For anyone interested in how fashion intertwines with broader cultural narratives, this exhibition is a must-see.

4. Sniffing out fakes: how AI-powered scent tech is battling the $450B counterfeit market

What's happening: Osmo, a Massachusetts-based AI startup, is tackling the $450 billion counterfeit sneaker market with a unique AI technology that identifies fake goods by analysing scent profiles, promising a new layer of protection for brands and consumers.

TLDR:

• Founded in 2022 by a former Google researcher, the start-up, Osmo uses AI-driven scent recognition to identify fake goods, focusing on sneakers and luxury bags.

• Osmo’s sensors analyse subtle scent markers tied to specific materials, adhesives, and factory chemicals unique to authentic products, which are often undetectable by human senses.

• In pilot tests in collaboration with a secondhand sneaker platform, Osmo’s technology achieved over 95% accuracy in distinguishing 10 authentic sneakers from 10 counterfeit ones.

• The way it works it the tech leverages a “scent map” created from over 5,000 unique aromatic molecules, developed with insights from master perfumers, to catalog distinct odour profiles for materials.

• Currently, Osmo specialises in certifying sneakers and bags, as their natural materials like leather and suede have distinct scents, unlike synthetic substitutes often used in counterfeits.

• The future seems challenging, indeed, scaling up the technology is complex; Osmo needs multiple pairs (up to 50) of each item for AI training, making rare or limited-edition items harder to authenticate. Additionally, the tool requires ongoing maintenance and scientific oversight for precise scent detection.

Why it matters: Osmo’s scent-based AI could become a game-changer in the fight against counterfeiting, which drains billions from brands and creates trust issues in resale markets. By adding a scientific method for authentication that can’t be easily duplicated, Osmo’s approach could significantly reduce the spread of fakes in the luxury goods and sneaker markets. Counterfeiting goods are becoming more and more sophisticated and Osmo’s technology is providing a promising, scalable way to stay ahead, potentially reshaping verification practices in retail and giving trust for both brands and consumers.

5. McDonald’s and Doodles bring digital art and collectibles to 13,500 U.S. locations

What's happening: McDonald’s and NFT brand Doodles announced a collaboration, introducing limited-edition cups that feature Doodles’ popular NFT artwork and offer access to digital collectibles, exclusive merchandise, and an immersive experience aimed at crypto fans, starting November 18th in the US.

TLDR:

• McDonald has teamed up with Doodles for an NFT-themed campaign called "GM Spread Joy," celebrating crypto culture in the U.S.

• Custom cups at 13,500 U.S. locations showcase hand-drawn Doodles artwork and include a "pack-ripping" feature for exclusive digital and physical content.

• Participants can unlock items like digital avatars, music videos, and Doodles-themed apparel.

• Doodles also launches an avatar creation app on Ethereum's layer-2 for customised digital items.

• This collaboration is McDonald's biggest move in Web3, building on past NFT experiments such as McRib NFT that celebrated the McRib 40th Anniversary.

• Outside the U.S., McDonald’s has promoted NFTs in other ways, such as its ‘My Happy Place’ metaverse experience, in Singapore for Grimace NFTs holder.

Why it matters: McDonald’s is betting big on digital collectibles to connect with the Web3 community, showcasing the growing role of NFTs in brand marketing. This partnership with Doodles signals McDonald's intent to tap into emerging digital spaces to create unique, interactive experiences, aiming to engage a younger, tech-savvy audience. The campaign is also a nod to Crypto Twitter culture, reinforcing how mainstream brands are increasingly embracing Web3 culture and blockchain innovation in their marketing strategies. As McDonald’s pioneers this approach in the fast-food industry, it raises the potential for other major brands to dive into Web3 spaces, blending digital and physical brand experiences.