Fans of “Despacito” hitmaker Daddy Yankee have an interactive new way to commemorate the Puerto Rican star’s reggaeton career, thanks to a new e-commerce customization shop.
Embodee, the product virtualization company, teamed up with the Latino artist to create an e-commerce store where fans can customize and purchase limited-edition Daddy Yankee hats. Available in two styles of twill or mesh, the hats reflect each individual’s unique expression and attitude through a range of colors, hashtags, logos and even Daddy Yankee’s autograph. Consumers use the tech firm’s 3D virtualization technology to view and edit their style selections in real time, affording decision confidence prior to checkout.
Though the collaboration marks Embodee’s initial foray into the high-octane music world, it’s not the first time the San Juan, Puerto Rico-based company has helped high-profile brands differentiate by developing distinctive, exclusive product. Custom men’s wear brand Knot Standard leveraged Embodee’s tech platform to debut a virtual studio in 2016 displaying virtualized pants, blazers and suits.
The 11-year-old company, which received a 2014 U.S. patent for its virtual try-on technology and one in 2017 for converting physical footwear samples into 3D virtualizations, has flexed its prowess in the shoe development world by helping Reebok and Adidas enable consumers to customize sneakers to their liking. Luxury platform MyTheresa similarly followed suit in 2017, working with Embodee to customize Gucci Ace DIY leather sneakers.
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In addition to the e-commerce destination, the customization shop is also featured in the 8,000-square-foot El Jefe Daddy Yankee Museum popup in San Juan that opened last month.
“As a leader in customization and visualization technology for brands, Embodee partnering with an artist like Daddy Yankee, who led a music revolution with his genre and has embraced individual expression, makes this a natural fit,” Wilitza Vázquez, Embodee’s director of business, said in a statement.
“The online store and in-museum experience allows Daddy Yankee’s fans to create a product that is unique to them,” Vázquez added. “Doing so enables them to express themselves and the impact his music has on their lives.”
Big-name brands are investing in customization to set themselves apart. Denim leader Levi’s is betting big on empowering consumers to finish denim to their liking, while Puma’s new flagship store on Fifth Ave. features a studio where consumers can personalize the brand’s casual and athletic apparel.
Some experiments with one-to-one personalized clothing haven’t panned out, however. Earlier this year, Japanese e-commerce retailer Zozo Inc. ditched its much-discussed Zozosuit, a full-body skintight suit designed to map the wearer’s measurements. The company had hoped to execute garments on demand based on each Zozosuit user’s specific morphology and whittle down the high return rates that plague e-commerce, especially in apparel.