Macy’s debuts ‘Mstylelab’ digital fashion platform

Dive Brief:

• Diving deeper into the metaverse, Macy’s has launched Mstylelab, an immersive digital fashion hub, the retailer announced Wednesday. The retailer built the space using the metaverse technology platform Journee. 
• In the online space, users can create a profile, design and personalize digital fabric, explore the virtual environment and browse the digital renderings of the retailer’s On 34th brand. They can also create a personalized digital T-shirt to match Mstylelab’s digital fabric, per the press release. 
• The company said it will introduce a Thanksgiving Day Parade experience within the space. It will also add other experiences and enter new partnerships in the future.

Dive Insight:

With Mstylelab, Macy’s is continuing its metaverse experiment and cultivating its Discord community. As it unveils new elements to the space, the retailer will first update members of its Discord channel.

“We are excited to launch Mstylelab, the next evolution of our Web3 digital strategy, creating a hub for style inspiration and discovery at the intersection of fashion and technology,” Dave Torres, vice president of interactive marketing at Macy’s, said in a statement. “As we grow and evolve the Mstylelab digital platform and community, new activations and experiences will be brought to life, creating immersive storytelling focused on fashion and style, in a fun and shoppable environment.”

Integrating On 34th into Mstylelab is part of the retailer’s effort to showcase its new private label in a surrealist recreation of New York. On 34th — a name which references its New York City flagship location — was introduced in July and has 250 unique styles priced between $18.50 to $300.

“On 34th was created with inspirational and modern design, informed by the voice of the customer, and built for real life,”  Erusha-Hilleque, Macy’s senior vice president of private brands, said in a statement at the time of the launch. 

Besides its Mstylelab experience, Macy’s has launched other metaverse experiences. To celebrate its Thanksgiving Day Parade last year, the retailer introduced a virtual version of the parade in the OnCyber metaverse. 

In June 2022, Macy’s offered Macy’s Fireworks NFTs as part of its Fourth of July celebration. Customers who registered to join the company’s Discord server were offered the tokens on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Retailers have been flocking to gaming platforms like Roblox to create online environments in search of profits from digital goods, promote their brands and access to younger customers. However, experts caution that the metaverse hype may decline over time.