Dior Debut Their 'D-Player' Sneakers Through A Snapchat Filter

London Fashion Week may have returned to the physical schedule, accompanied by New York, Milan and Paris. Still, fashion's ventures into the digital sphere continue to thrive, whether accelerated by the pandemic or not, every day we seem to be stepping closer to the Metaverse - a place that isn't purely digital nor physical but a hybrid of the two, most recently realised through the Dior D-Player sneaker, thought up by artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Designed by Chiuri for A/W 21, the D-Player sneakers offer a new take on the classic basketball high-tops. Stamped with the traditional Christian Dior Paris signature, the hybrid design is adorned with quilted nylon and features a flexible, lightweight sole. Available in block colours black, white, blue and red, the trainers represent Dior's move towards a more inclusive clientele, wishing to make themselves attractive to both old and young, new and dedicated customers alike. What's helped Chiuri the most in bringing in a wider range of clientele, is her decision in choosing to debut the trainers in augmented reality through the popular social app Snapchat. The new filter makes it possible to try them on virtually - in all versions and sizes - while also being bought directly through the app. Fancy trying the shoes on? You can do so here.

Chiuri's decision to blend the digital and physical universes with the hopes of selling a product is the latest in a series of moves from various luxury fashion houses that see the industry becoming all the more digital day by day, week by week. Only yesterday did Balenciaga reveal they were uniting with award-winning gaming platform Fortnite to dress the characters in full Balenciaga looks while earlier this week, the Institute of Digital Fashion announced that they created an augmented reality, able to be explored through an Instagram filter, which showcased Richard Quinn's partnership with the notable Whisky company, Royal Salute.

One thing's for sure: physical shows may be back but fashion's obsession with augmented reality only seems to be getting stronger and stronger. Who knows where this will lead us next?