Two luxury fashion brands have recently transported me to Italy—by enchanted and virtual means. Thoughtfully applying Spatial Computing and Artificial intelligence (AI), Gucci and Brunello Cucinelli are redefining how emerging technology blends with brand heritage. Each brand has created a uniquely immersive and experiential story world, which invites customers to discover and interact with their craftsmanship and philosophy. These experiences are bold uses of novel computing and artfully demonstrate both human ingenuity and technological innovation as well as provide a glimpse into the future of luxury e-commerce.

Brunello Cucinelli’s new AI-powered website emphasizes a harmonious blend of artificial and human intelligence, a reflection of Cucinelli’s belief of enhancing, rather than replacing, the human experience (an important theme throughout my book ‘Augmented Human’). The website has no menu—instead, visitors are invited to scroll through delightful immersive drawings of Solomeo, the Umbrian village that has become Cucinelli’s lifelong project. The company’s bespoke tool, Solomei AI, answers questions about the brand, generating related information and narratives. For now, the AI experience is separate from the brand’s main website and e-commerce; however, the team anticipates crossover between the AI tool and e-commerce within a year, where the AI can provide ideas on outfit combinations and create product listing pages.

Gucci, in contrast, is harnessing the power of Spatial Computing with its recent Apple Vision Pro app update offering a rare opportunity to visit the brand archives in Florence and craft a Bamboo bag with a hands-on virtual experience. When the experience initially launched, the first chapter presented a pioneering format of interactive documentary meets product reveal, a distinct approach from other fashion brands on Vision Pro.

Micael Barilaro, Gucci VP of Brand Innovation Ventures, explains, ‘By prioritizing curated experiences over conventional e-commerce paradigms, we are trying to redefine the boundaries of storytelling and brand interaction’. For now, Gucci’s Spatial Computing app has no link to e-commerce; the focus is on leveraging Vision Pro’s capabilities to create an interactive, educational experience where users can engage with Gucci’s heritage in a highly visual and immersive way. I envision the app will evolve over time as an extension of e-commerce including digital showrooms with live client advisors and virtual try-on experiences.

By weaving technology into their narratives, Gucci and Brunello Cucinelli honour the soul of their craftsmanship while embracing the future, proving that the fusion of human creativity and technological advancement can lead to extraordinary experiences.