"COACH" x Virtual Human "imma" - AI Styling Experience Launches in Harajuku
2025/05/16 14:41 (Updated 2025/06/03 12:05)
Noriaki Yagi
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Collaboration with Aww: Realizing real-time dialogue with NVIDIA Omniverse
Aww Inc. has launched a new AI-powered in-store experience featuring the virtual human "imma" at the experiential concept store “COACH Play @ Cat Street” in Harajuku, operated by the global fashion brand COACH, starting from April 24, 2025.
This is the brand's first introduction of an AI interactive experience, and is a pioneering attempt in the retail field.
This project was realized in collaboration with Aww Inc., a Japanese virtual human company, and is part of COACH's immersive retail strategy.
In this store, where customers can experience the brand's worldview and craftsmanship, "imma" naturally converses with customers and suggests the best fashion style for each individual.
The technical foundation of this experience is supported by NVIDIA's AI platform "Omniverse." In particular, facial animation technology using NVIDIA ACE (part of AI Enterprise) and "Audio2Face-3D" enables imma to communicate with human-like expressions and speech.
The combination of real-time 3D rendering and natural language processing enables highly individualized interactions rather than pre-defined phrases.
Sandeep Seth, Chief Growth Officer and President of Tapestry International at COACH, said, "We are honored to collaborate with Aww and welcome imma as COACH's first styling assistant. This embodies our philosophy of reinventing the fashion experience through innovation and playfulness, and is a reflection of the brand's attitude of seeking new points of contact with customers."
An experiential store that combines the spirit of New York with the cultural diversity of Harajuku, Tokyo
This initiative goes beyond simply introducing AI, and places a new "digital ambassador" between the brand and the customer. Through dialogue with imma, the aim is to have Coach's brand messages of "courage" and "self-expression" penetrate more deeply.
"COACH PLAY@CAT STREET" is an experiential store that combines the spirit of New York with the cultural diversity of Harajuku, Tokyo. The store features a variety of themed spaces, including "Coach Create," where you can create custom items with artisans, and an exhibition area for "Coachtopia," a new brand that pursues circular design.
This new retail experience using AI and virtual humans will have a major impact on the way brand communication will be conducted in the future. This project, which combines technology and storytelling, has the potential to redefine the value of experience in the fashion industry.
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MAGAZINE
Iolite Vol.15
September 2025 issueReleased on 2025/07/30
Interview Iolite FACE vol.15 Avery Chin, co-founder and CEO of Aptos Labs
PHOTO & INTERVIEW Tester
Special feature: "How to master workplace relationships! Using MBTI", "Riding the waves of the 'first year of AI agents'!", "Is Bitcoin the savior of companies? The forefront of treasury strategies", "Management strategies learned from villains"
Crypto Journey: "The intersection of Web 3.0 and social contribution" Interview with Gracie Chen, CEO of Bitget
Series: "Expert perspectives on interpreting the fluctuating cryptocurrency market" Virtual NISHI
Series: Tech and Future Toshinao Sasaki, etc.