Ahluwalia’s latest collection is blurring the boundaries between the physical and the digital, converging the worlds of technology and fashion. Connected by EON’s Product Cloud Platform — a software for creating, connecting, and capitalizing on Digital ID technology, powered by Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure. Ahluwalia’s latest project with Microsoft for the Symphony Unlocked, will feature unique Digital IDs that customers can scan using their smartphones to find out detailed information about each garment. The technology offers customers greater insight into the inspiration behind the collection, how each garment was made and guidance on how to take care of their clothes First seen on the catwalk at London Fashion Week in February 2023, the high-tech smart garments will be available to buy from July 2023 from Ahluwalia.World.
“We want people to connect with the story of each item of clothing we create and become a part of its journey,” says Priya Ahluwalia, Designer and Founder of Ahluwalia, “We create clothes that are meant to be cherished and stand the test of time. Each piece tells a unique story that draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of art, literature, music, and culture. With the help of EON and Microsoft we’re now able to share that story with the world. Being environmentally and socially conscious is something that is very important to us, we want people to engage with the history of each garment, how it was made, where it has come from and, when they’re finished enjoying the piece, to be able to give it a new life.”
Each item in the collection features a unique Digital ID, which details and displays its story across the elements of the products lifecycle from the fiber used to the design story. Connected by EON’s Product Cloud platform, powered by Microsoft Azure, each garment has a QR code printed on the care label, enabling customers to scan to reveal rich product information, the unique design story behind each piece, each garment’s composition, and sustainability certificates, as well as following its journey through the supply chain to sale.
“With Digital ID technology, the story doesn’t end at checkout. Brands can forge deeper relationships with their customers and deliver greater transparency, service and customer value,” says Natasha Franck, Founder and CEO at EON, “Digital IDs give customers access to a world of rich information at their fingertips. You can trace where an item has been, how it was made, and find out how to give it a second or third life once you’re finished with it. This technology will be critical to unlock a truly circular economy.”
The brand’s mission is to create, innovate, and design while also driving social and environmental change, with designs that often incorporate elements from Priya Ahluwalia’s dual Nigerian-Indian heritage and her London roots. The brand first partnered with Microsoft in 2021 for the award-winning Circulate Project, which saw the creation of a new AI powered digital platform that invited customers to contribute their preloved garments to be reused as part of future Ahluwalia collections.
EON and Microsoft have a longstanding relationship. With the EON Product Cloud, built on Microsoft Azure, EON has quickly become widely recognised as the leader in Digital ID technology for the retail industry and powers product digitization for numerous fashion brands, from luxury to high street retailers. EON and Microsoft share a joint commitment to scale circular business models, collaborating with brands such as Ahluwalia to provide the technological solutions necessary to support the circular economy.
“Every garment in Ahluwalia’s new Symphony AW23 collection comes with digital identifiers made possible by Microsoft Azure technology,” says Maruschka Loubser, Director of Global Brand Marketing Partnerships at Microsoft, “At Microsoft, we’ve always been committed to empowering people and organisations through our technology. Within fashion, we have a focus on using our technology to enable innovation, creativity, and sustainability, which is how our initial collaboration with Ahluwalia came about back in 2021 with the Circulate Project. This time, we’re excited to bring two amazing Microsoft partners together, in Ahluwalia and EON, as we explore new ways to inspire new digital transformation innovations in the fashion space.”
Microsoft, Ahluwalia and EON have released a short film explaining their collaboration and giving people a deeper look at how Digital ID technology works through the SYMPHONY Unlocked collection.
Full video available to watch here:
Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, which powers EON, features more than 200 products and cloud services, designed to help customers to bring new innovations to life. To find out more about Microsoft Azure, visit: www.azure.microsoft.com. To find out more about EON’s platform, visit: www.eon.xyz.
To find out more about Ahluwalia Symphony Unlocked, visit: unlocked.microsoft.com/ahluwalia-eon.
