On the cover of Vogue Singapore’s October ‘Voices’ issue, you’ll find a circular chip embedded at the bottom of the page. It is small—approximately the size of a coin—yet the possibilities it opens up are immense. In this instance, simply hovering your smartphone over the chip unlocks an immersive soundscape that encapsulates the spirit of the issue, adding a whole new layer to the reading experience.
The technology that enables this is an NFC-enabled Continuity™ Chip from Spatial Labs. Founded by Iddris Sandu in 2019, Spatial Labs develops innovative hardware that takes us into the future of digital experiences, opening new doors to ways in which we can bridge the physical and digital.
Having worked on digital content for the likes of Rihanna and Beyoncé before founding the company—which is now backed by Jay-Z’s venture capital firm Marcy Venture Partners—Sandu has a deep understanding of how technology can both impact and build upon culture. “When I looked back at all the different people I had worked with, I felt that there was a need for a company that connects culture and technology. I was doing a lot of that on an individual level, but it made sense to get a team together to do it on a larger scale.”
Thus, Spatial Labs was born, and with it, a groundbreaking piece of technology: the NFC-enabled Continuity™ Chip. Much of its power lies in its versatility. Vogue Singapore’s interactive cover is but one of the potential ways it can be used. Not only can the chip be embedded into any physical product, it can also be used alongside Continuity™ Studio, an online platform that allows brands to create unique digital experiences and push new forms of media to their audience without having to manage individual chip life cycles.
“Ultimately, what makes the platform most exciting is that it gives brands free rein to create curated experiences rather than just the ones that we’ve thought of”
Sandu elaborates: “The Continuity™ platform’s analytics feature allows brands to see who is tapping on their products, where they’re located and the types of devices they’re using to access these services. They can even trigger specific benefits according to location. Ultimately, what makes the platform most exciting is that it gives brands free rein to create curated experiences rather than just the ones that we’ve thought of.”
This, he believes, is going to revolutionise the way people interact with physical purchases, especially in fashion.
Comparing it to another trailblazing technological service, he explains: “Our chip technology is the biggest thing since Shazam, the music identification service. We’re allowing people to collect and store metadata into everyday products the same way that Shazam allows you to access and learn about new forms of music just by recording five seconds of it. Our chip technology introduces that in the fashion world: the ability to tap on any garment and see where it was manufactured, what materials it is made out of and even other similar types of clothing, without having to sift through all the redundant details around it.”
There’s nobody better, then, to share their expertise on how digital wearables are impacting fashion industry than Sandu. In town for ‘Next in Vogue‘ from 17 to 19 November, he will be delving into the future of fashion and technology in the panel ‘New Ways Forward: How emerging technologies influence the fashion landscape’. To give guests a tangible glimpse of the technology’s impact, Spatial Labs will also be hosting an interactive-demo display in Vogue closet to showcase the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the beauty industry.
Inviting guests to explore the AI functionalities of products from leading beauty brands in order to find what best complements their current beauty regime, the showcase is a chance to experience the future to come as emerging technology and new digital experiences become part of our everyday.
Discover the full line-up for ‘Next in Vogue’ here.
