This week’s Site of Note was pointed out by our very own Scott Gray, who found it on one of his many Web surfing endeavors. Although not a typical candidate for a Site of Note, the Uniqlo 2009 Collection site struck me with its creative innovation and I thought it was worth putting it in the Quirky spotlight (and it also gave me an excuse to spend time coveting over some seriously awesome clothes).
The entire site is built in Flash, which makes it pretty bandwidth heavy and not too friendly to the South African audience who lack (big time) in this department. However, the site, originating in Tokyo, predominantly targets Asian consumers, which is why building it in Flash was actually a great opportunity to maximise its potential.
Interactive Catalogue
The site is, in essence, an interactive catalogue of the Uniqlo 2009 clothing collection. This fashion label is cutting-edge, very hip and super trendy, which is why this site fits in so well with their image. You arrive on the site and get a front row seat to a fashion show of models sporting all the hippest gear as they strut their stuff on an elevated runway that seems to be suspended in space. The quality is phenomenal, as though you were watching Fashion TV (but these models seem to have more clothes on, which is not a bad thing in the case of Uniqlo).
Up Close and Personal
What I really enjoyed was the fact you get to see the models on the runway from various angles, including close ups, frontal view and the distant view of the entire cross-shaped catwalk. It’s a dymanic fashion show that gives you an all round view of the clothes, so you know how the fabrics fall and can see their textures and fine details (not to mention some gorgeous models).
Adding to the interactive elements, while watching these fashionistas, if you happen to spot an outfit that tickles your fancy, you can merely click on the model sporting that outfit. You’ll then have that one particular model you chose on the catwalk displaying the outfit you took a liking to, so you can really get a close up look – and if you are interested in just one item of clothing – there is a side menu with the detailed names of every item that you can hover over to see their image.
Simple Navigation
The simple menu on the top left lets you choose whether you want to see the women’s collection or the men’s collection. Each model on the catwalk has a number assigned to them and you are able to see static images of the outfits if you click on the “Style Index”.
From here, you can click on the model or their number and you’ll also get to see them sporting that particular choice of outfit. At any point in time, you are able to click anywhere on the screen to go back and start the whole process again.
The site is simple in design but the interactive element makes every visiting user’s experience unique – as they explore the sight and find exactly what they are looking for. The site is about exhibiting the fashion and it does very well, offering just pure fashion bliss. By clicking on the bottom right hand “Uniqlo World”, you can select the country relevant to you and be directed to the actual Uniqlo site, where they have embedded the video of the 2009 Collection, ultimately linking between the two.
This site gave me some insight into the new age of fashion cataloguing and the opportunities made available by the Internet. I hope to see more fashion houses breaking the mould and producing interactive and personal sites like Uniqlo’s 2009 Collection. Cause these clothes don’t lie… In fact, they rock the pants off anything I’ve seen for a while!
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