Heritage elements and Artificial Intelligence as storytelling tools for virtual retail environments

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the metaverse has emerged as a groundbreaking platform for redefining fashion presentation, experience, and conceptualization. This paper investigates the interplay between fashion and Virtual Reality (VR) through specific use cases of virtual showrooms. Each case highlights the metaverse’s potential in fashion, from reproposing historical elements to expressing contemporary trends, showcasing technological innovations, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), and user engagement strategies. This analysis shows how such commercial spaces can be exploratory platforms for narrating a brand’s history and heritage elements, revealing VR’s potential to enhance user engagement with immersive 3D environments and dynamic narratives. The paper further investigates advancements in integrating heritage with e-commerce elements and using heritage and AI as storytelling tools, concentrating on four exemplary projects. This integration suggests a future of increasingly immersive, personalized, and interactive experiences, marking a new chapter in how fashion is conceived, presented, and experienced.