Zilliqa Group’s metaverse arm, MetaMinds, has partnered with Swiss luxury watchmaker Cyrus Watches Genève and premium cigar brand Patoro Cigars to deliver a groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) experience at the Luxury Innovation Summit. The annual event, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 1-2, will see MetaMinds showcasing its spatial web technology to an audience of luxury industry leaders.
This partnership comes as the luxury sector undergoes significant transformation, driven by the changing expectations of a younger, tech-savvy demographic. As traditional luxury markets face a slight downturn—Bain & Company’s latest report indicates a 1-3% decline in global luxury goods sales—brands are increasingly looking towards immersive experiences and digital integration to engage consumers.
MetaMinds, an entity within the blockchain-focused Zilliqa Group, positions itself at the forefront of this shift by helping luxury brands enter the so-called “experience economy.”
According to MetaMinds’ CEO and Co-founder Sandra Helou, luxury is evolving from a product-focused industry to one that emphasizes experiences, emotional connections, and personalization. “The luxury industry is facing a profound shift,” Helou stated. “MetaMinds aims to close this gap for luxury brands by leveraging bespoke virtual worlds and spatial web technologies to enhance customer experiences.”
This partnership with Cyrus Watches and Patoro Cigars reflects that vision. Attendees at the summit will have the opportunity to interact with digital twins of Cyrus’s timepieces, including customizable designs from their Klepcys Dice and Klepcys GMT Retrograde collections, as well as immersive experiences linked to Patoro’s cigars, such as the Gran Añejo Reserva and Patoro Brasil. The AR interface not only highlights the craftsmanship and artistry behind these luxury goods but also introduces a new layer of engagement, blending the physical and digital worlds in what MetaMinds terms “phygital” experiences.
The integration of AR for luxury products marks a growing trend where brands seek to extend their reach beyond high-net-worth individuals to younger generations, particularly Gen Z. The focus is on creating interactive, gamified content that allows users to personalize and share their experiences, potentially turning brand enthusiasts into brand advocates through user-generated content (UGC).
Cyrus Watches and Patoro Cigars Owner, Dr. Pablo Richard, emphasized that embracing spatial web technology is part of their broader vision of innovation in the luxury space. “Our vision is the conquest of innovation, and this is the first step in embracing spatial web technology that addresses the changing consumer behavior,” Richard said.
The Luxury Innovation Summit, now in its sixth year, attracts top executives from brands like LVMH, Kering, and Richemont, and has become a platform for exploring the future of the luxury industry. According to Deependra Pandey, CEO of Luxury Venture Group, the collaboration between MetaMinds and these luxury brands sets a new standard for experiential luxury marketing. “This year, we’re not just showcasing products, but crafting immersive, unforgettable experiences. It’s this fusion of physical and digital worlds that will shape the future of luxury,” Pandey remarked.
While the AR experiences will debut at the event, MetaMinds has announced that the wider public will be able to access them post-summit via its platform, giving luxury enthusiasts a chance to explore these digital assets even if they aren’t in attendance.
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