Projects
How Apple Vision Pro Will Transform Future Shopping Experiences Challenges in Spatial Design in "THE SPATIAL STORE" (Part 2)
Apple's "Apple Vision Pro" is gradually bringing the kind of future we've seen in science fiction movies into reality. There is now an ambitious project underway trying to fundamentally reinvent the fashion shopping experience using this new device.
Continuing from part one, we spoke with the project team that supported spatial design and the production and development of 3D product models, delving into the allure of a future shopping experience that has been thoughtfully designed for real user enjoyment, as well as the behind-the-scenes story.
.jpg?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
PROFILE
Jun Ban
At ZOZO, Inc., Jun Ban has led development as a technical lead specializing in iOS for the ZOZOTOWN iOS app. He then joined the Skeuomorphic Engineering team at ZOZO NEXT, working on bringing tangible, real-world textures into software, focusing on developing visionOS apps.
PROFILE
Mie Kwon
After gaining experience in advertising and web production at a production company, Kwon became responsible for fashion app design at VASILY, Inc Following company mergers and splits, she transferred to ZOZO NEXT. She oversees all in-house design for the company, including CI, UX/UI design for apps and web, spatial UI design in XR domains such as Vision Pro, and every aspect of internal design across projects and products.
PROFILE
Yuki Ikegami
After gaining experience in planning and pattern-making for an apparel brand, Yuki Ikegami joined ZOZO Technologies, Inc. (now ZOZO NEXT) in 2020. She serves as both project manager and 3D data creator for projects in XR/AI, working with digital fashion and XR domains.
Concept: "THE SPATIAL STORE"—Experience the Brand Throughout the Entire Space
To start, tell us about the concept you aimed for with this app.
Ikegami: The concept we aimed for is perfectly summed up in the phrase "THE SPATIAL STORE." As the name suggests, it’s an entirely new type of shop that exists in a virtual space. We pursued expressions only possible without physical limitations, creating special backgrounds that embody the brand’s worldview and opening scenes that allow users to feel the brand’s concept. We designed the entire space to provide a unique experience value with Vision Pro—something only possible here.Kwon: It’s hard to express the design concept in just a word, but while communicating the brand’s identity, we always aimed for an ideal where users genuinely enjoy the act of shopping itself using Vision Pro. In our previous project, the focus was on experiencing one product up-close, but this time, with more interactive functions, we wanted to create an experience where users could participate more actively.
Specifically, what kind of experience can users expect?
.png?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
Ikegami: The key feature this time is "styling": users can freely combine the brand’s items to create and enjoy their own favorite looks. Items you can mix appear on the right, while example stylings created by shop staff are displayed on the left, and in the center space, you can view 3D stylings from various angles. The big difference is that shoppers can now enjoy not just picking items, but also the creative process of putting together their own stylings.
From Reality to the Extraordinary—Designing the User Journey to Capture Hearts
In your design process, what did you especially focus on to draw users into a new world?
Kwon: For some, just putting on the Vision Pro can feel a bit stressful. That’s why we especially valued the user journey—the transition—so that once a user enters, they can smoothly and seamlessly immerse themselves into a world that feels completely different from reality. We paid close attention to how to guide users smoothly and engagingly from the real world into the app’s unique environment.Did your experience on the previous project influence your design process this time?
Kwon: Absolutely, that prior experience was huge. Last time, we set things up so the user could experience moving from one virtual area to another, like going from the current floor to a lower level, and we received excellent feedback. That confirmed for us just how important it is to surprise users and grab their interest right from the start, which is why we put extra effort into the onboarding experience at app launch this time as well. Without such immersive touches, it’s hard for people to deeply engage with a virtual world after leaving the real one behind.Were there any particular considerations in the overall spatial design?
.png?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
Kwon: In recent physical stores, warm designs incorporating wood materials are common, but we were concerned that expressing wood grain in virtual spaces might look a little cheap. That’s why, this time, we intentionally unified the whole virtual space around a monotone color scheme, creating a futuristic yet calm and neutral vibe. Additionally, we considered even the smallest UI elements—like operation buttons—not just as functional pieces but as key design features of the space. We poured extra effort into the details to make them look a bit more upscale than standard ones.
You Glance Back & See a Sofa? The Designers' Playful Touch Is Embedded in the Space
.png?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
(Products are displayed all around the user, and a sofa appears if you turn around. You feel as if you're enjoying shopping from a special seat.)
We heard this app contains elements of the creators’ playful side?
Kwon: That's right! To be honest, we've hidden subtle playful touches here and there. While the styling process is fun by itself, that alone could feel a bit suffocating. Vision Pro is not exactly a lightweight device, so we made a conscious effort to leave a little “breathing room” so the experience is enjoyable even during long sessions. For instance, if you happen to glance over your shoulder during the experience, you’ll see a sofa quietly placed—not for anyone in particular. This came from our playful idea: “What if we put an object only people who look back would notice?”Ikegami: The background-switching feature is also a playful touch, right?
Kwon: Exactly. We offer several background images, and selecting a nature background plays effects like the sound of birds chirping. While this was added to help users imagine contexts where the products might be used, I hope the space does more than just allow efficient browsing—I'd love for people to be pleasantly surprised, thinking “Whoa!” upon experiencing it.
The Key to Success: A Development Process Where "Everyone Runs Side by Side"
It seems the project management was a bit different from the last time, right?
Ikegami: Yes. Last time, we explained the concept to the development team and then had to wait until implementation made some progress. That approach meant we constantly worried, “What if the final product doesn’t match our intentions?” and only checked everything at the very end. This time, though, planning, design, and development all worked in close collaboration, and whatever features were implemented, the whole team checked them right away and gave feedback in that cycle. Thanks to this, we truly advanced the project step by step—with everyone running together alongside each other.Ban: When an app gets to be over 3GB in size like this, building and distributing each version takes enormous time—sometimes developers spend most of their day just on those tasks. To improve development efficiency, each person built the app themselves and installed it directly on their own Vision Pro. As a result, everyone could focus properly on their actual development work, and overall productivity took a big leap forward.
The Fun Born Out of "The Delicious Tension Between Real & Virtual"
.png?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
Finally, what do you most want users to feel after trying this app?
Kwon: I believe this app presents a new option—a happy medium between shopping online and shopping in a physical store. In this app, you can see 3D models with an ultra-realistic, lifelike feel as if they're really there. If users can sense the excitement that comes from "the delicious tension between real and virtual," it would make me very happy.Ban: Since this is a shopping experience app, our biggest hope is that people will look over the products, and—if they find something they like—actually go through with a purchase.
With EC, there’s that added joy of receiving something you ordered at home after—the fun comes twice. So if users buy something in this experience and, when it arrives, recall, “Oh, that's what I got from that shopping experience,” and remember how much fun it was, that would be the best outcome.
This new kind of shopping experience is born out of the creators’ passion, their hopes for the future of shopping, and just a little bit of playful spirit. Please try out the “THE SPATIAL STORE” the creators are crafting—it’s much more than just a place to buy things.
Event Overview:
ZOZO NEXT "THE SPATIAL STORE" Experience the Future of Shopping with meanswhile
Dates: July 25 (Fri.), 2025 – July 30 (Wed.), 2025
- July 25 (Fri.): 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM (last admission at 7:00 PM)
- July 26 (Sat.) – July 29 (Tue.): 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM (last admission at 7:00 PM)
- July 30 (Wed.): 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:00 PM)
Venue: (tefu) lounge Shimokitazawa (2-21-22 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 155-0031)
Registration page URL: https://zozonext.com/project/the-spatial-store
How was the article?
Share
Related Articles
.jpg?w=600&fm=webp&dpr=2)
