Cappasity Brings 3D Technologies to the Spring Show at San Francisco Academy of Art University
San Francisco Academy of Art opened the doors to the 2019 iteration of its annual Spring Show, an exhibition of student work spanning the 40+ areas of art & design that the Academy offers in its program. This event is open not only for students to serve as inspiration, but more importantly, for industry leaders and recruiters. Cappasity was excited to showcase its 3D product imaging solution at the event.
“For many students, it’s the culmination of years of hard work by extremely talented graduate and undergraduate students,” Academy President Elisa Stephens said. “The experience every year is truly unforgettable.”
Having sensed an opportunity to familiarize its students with the technology of the future, SF Academy of Art University’s Fashion Merchandising and Marketing departments have integrated Cappasity’s solution into their curriculum. Cappasity selected 11 fashion school students from the FSH 460: Merchandising Industry Collaboration class to produce product imagery of a new line of clothing for Shop657, the school-run marketplace. SHOP657 is an innovative concept store that carries brands and products designed and produced by Academy of Art University alumni, students, and faculty. The retail brand is a curated collection of products made exclusively by fashion students and alumni.
“In the world of e-commerce I believe 3D product imaging is especially powerful with those products that conform to the body’s shape, have a unique shape on the body or a unique silhouette. With the detailed moving images, buyers will be able to quickly evaluate the product and purchase with more confidence. I see 3D product imaging as turning browsers into purchasers. There should be fewer (expensive) returns as well. At some point down the road I anticipate that online merchants will believe that they must use 3D product imaging in order to successfully compete with competitors who do so.” — Walter Malphrus, School of Fashion student.
With a carte blanche to use Cappasity platform and software for the store, the students tried their hand at creating and embedding 3D product images that allow for a full rotational view of different products in the new clothing collection. Modern Identity — Spring 2019 collection: was inspired by contemporary art and street fashion. Bold colors and geometrical shapes were used to interpret the idea of creative freedom: stand out, stand up and be heard. Every step of the process: shooting the item in motion, using the Cappasity Easy 3D Scan software to process the content, getting the desired result (a 3D View), and incorporating it into the website, went off without a hitch. What’s more, the collaboration of talent and technology has already borne fruit — the new clothing line has sold out.
“SHOP657 is an incredible opportunity for merchandising, marketing and product development students to work together,’’ Simon Ungless, Executive Director of the School of Fashion, said. “It is a role model for the innovative programs we undertake in the School of Fashion. Providing real world retail experience is an invaluable experience for students and faculty to cross-pollinate and collaborate throughout the entire University.”
The shop was launched on Shopify, and since Cappasity provides plugins for many ecommerce platforms, Shopify included, the integration process was made seamless. So what is a plugin and why is it needed? Plugin is a tool that allows store owners to automatically embed 3D images from the Cappasity platform into the online store. The plugin adds a thumbnail picture to the product card and synchronizes with the account by the SKU (stock keeping unit) number. Basically, it is enough to produce the content via Easy 3D Scan, add the correct SKU to your account on the Cappasity platform, then press one button and have your website showcase 3D images that are stored on the platform. This will create a brand-new user experience without putting an additional load on your website. The whole process couldn’t be easier!
“We are excited to have the Cappasity solution used for SHOP657, together we’ll be able to showcase the amazing collections produced by fashion students that live and breathe innovation just like we do,” said Kosta Popov, CEO at Cappasity. “The Spring Show was a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate what Cappasity is all about and share our passion for technology. We hope that in time we’ll see many student portfolios on our platform. What’s more, with our updated mobile application it’ll be possible to create interactive presentations and display them on an iPad.”
The Spring Show has been an annual event at the Academy since 1929, and is a pivotal event in the students’ education.
This isn’t the first time that the Cappasity 3D digitizing technology is utilized by an educational institution. Before that Cappasity and the New York Academy of Art announced their long-term partnership to showcase art pieces in 3D for everything from exhibitions to fundraising auctions. Cappasity and the Academy also collaborate on virtual and augmented reality tours of the Academy’s major exhibitions and galleries, allowing viewers all over the world to ‘virtually’ visit the Academy.
About Academy of Art University
Academy of Art University is the largest private university of art and design in the United States. Established in 1929, the Academy imposes a rigorous curriculum that requires the students to produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates a mastery of their field.
About the School of Fashion
Graduates have gone on to such companies as Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Alexander McQueen, Azzedine Alaïa, Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria Group, Blanc de Chine, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Corso Como 10, Chloë, Diane von Fürstenberg, Donna Karan, Gap, Kate Spade, Kiton, L.A.M.B., L’Ecole Lesage Paris–Atelier de Broderie, Liz Claiborne, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Martin Margiela, Martine Sitbon, Missoni, Nike, Nordstrom, The North Face, Old Navy, Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim, Pottery Barn, Ralph Lauren, Reebok, St. John, Tocca, Viktor & Rolf, and Williams-Sonoma.
About the Academy of Art University’s Concept Store, SHOP657
Run by the School of Fashion, SHOP657 carries brands and products designed and produced by AAU alumni, students, and faculty. The shop is a collaborative platform for students to experience the real world of commerce and also allows students and alumni the opportunity to launch and promote their fashion products. The physical store is located near downtown San Francisco.
About School of Fashion Executive Director
Simon Ungless, Executive Director of the School of Fashion, graduated from Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in 1992 and was awarded the prestigious M.A. Degree in Fashion with Distinction. He collaborated with Alexander McQueen on the first 10 collections shown in London and New York, and personally introduced Sarah Burton, Creative Director of Alexander McQueen, to the late designer. His work experience spans fashion design, textile design, forecasting, brand development, and marketing for such clients as Givenchy, Paul Smith, and Versace. School of Fashion: www.academyart.edu/academics/fashion.
About Cappasity
Founded in 2013, Cappasity is an easy, scalable platform for creating, embedding, and analyzing 3D and AR/VR content. The company successfully raised over $5M and launched its platform and 3D digitizing software. Cappasity brings an in-store browsing experience to online retail through interactive and photorealistic 3D images that can be easily embedded into websites, mobile apps, and AR/VR applications. The company’s clients report a more than 30 percent increase in conversion rate and fewer returns. For more information, please visit www.cappasity.com.
