Snap continues to take the try-before-you-buy retail philosophy into the realm of augmented reality (AR) with an innovative collaboration with Pangaia.

Virtual Try-On enables Snapchatters to model the brand’s Grape Leather Sneaker range without setting foot in a shop by swiping to cycle through available colors to see which style suits best before making a purchase.

The entire process is conducted in-app to minimize purchase friction, while engaging with a target gen Z and millennial audience who are in the market for unisex trainers made from Vegea, a waste product from the wine industry comprising discarded grape skins, stalks and seeds.

In a statement, the Pangaia Collective said: “As a brand driven by innovation and technology, we are proud to work with the Snap team to leverage Snapchat’s AR technology and invite its community to experience Grape Leather Sneakers through their phones.”

Launching in the UK later this week, the partnership is the latest to capitalize on an exploding market for AR e-commerce amid a study by Foresight Factory indicating that 56% were encouraged to buy after embracing AR shopping.

Brands from PepsiCo to O2 are counting on this fact, introducing a range of immersive experiences to win over fickle consumers.

This article is about: World, Augmented Reality, Snapchat, Ecommerce, Fashion, Vegan, Digital Transformation, Brand

Snapchat is an image messaging and multimedia mobile application created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, former students at Stanford University, and developed by Snap Inc. 

Choose from a series of great email briefings, whether that’s daily news, weekly recaps or deep dives into media or creative.

Join hundreds of thousands of marketers in signing up for The Drum’s email briefings. Let our editors talk you through stories we know you’ll love.

© Carnyx Group Ltd 2022 | The Drum is a Registered Trademark and property of Carnyx Group Limited. All rights reserved.