Westfield Play-I Installation

Play-I Installation: Merging Fashion, Art, and AI at Westfield

In October 2024, the renowned Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City became the stage for a groundbreaking interactive art installation—Play-I. An incarnation of Generative Instructions, Play-I offered a truly unique and immersive experience that fused AI, fashion, and art in an unprecedented way. The installation was part of the larger Stylecade event and was curated by the talented Anaïs Gallagher, with technology and design contributions from Wezside Creative Tech Studio, based in South Africa.

An Interactive Fashion Art Encounter

Play-I turned the traditional shopping experience into something far more engaging. Visitors to Westfield were invited to engage with AI-generated fashion art instructions. These instructions, created through a fine-tuned generative AI system, were transformed into physical, printed artworks through an Arduino-powered thermal printer, adding a tactile element to the immersive experience. The result was a fusion of art, fashion, and technology that captivated visitors and sparked new conversations about the future of retail.VC

As shoppers wandered through the event, they interacted with the installation by selecting various fashion prompts. These prompts, generated by a custom AI model, would then be printed out on demand, creating a personalized fashion artwork for each visitor. It was more than just a display; it was an experience where the visitor played a role in creating their own unique piece of fashion-inspired art.

The AI-Driven Revolution

At the heart of Play-I was the generative AI that powered the installation. Wezside Creative Tech Studio was responsible for the tech design and development, working to fine-tune a powerful AI model capable of producing bespoke, AI-driven fashion art instructions. With curation from Anaïs Gallagher, the AI-generated content resonated deeply with visitors, offering them a chance to engage with the cutting-edge possibilities of AI in a fun, accessible way.

The fine-tuned generative instructions created by the AI combined the futuristic potential of artificial intelligence with the dynamic world of fashion, giving a glimpse into how AI could shape the future of creative expression. Each printed instruction allowed visitors to connect with fashion in a new light—transforming what would normally be a passive shopping experience into an interactive journey of discovery and creation.

An Installation that Resonated with Shoppers

The installation’s relevance was reinforced by Westfield’s "How We Shop" report, which revealed that 76% of Brits are looking for immersive, playful experiences when they shop. In fact, over half of Londoners are particularly drawn to AI and gamification in the retail space. Play-I not only tapped into this trend, but it also gave shoppers something entirely unexpected—an opportunity to co-create with AI and explore fashion in a new, artistic form.

This innovative approach marked a significant departure from the typical retail experience. Rather than simply purchasing items, visitors to the Play-I installation were invited to participate in the process of artistic creation, merging the worlds of consumerism and creativity in ways that few have experienced before.

Technology

The technical backbone of Play-I was crafted by Wezside Creative Tech Studio. Based in South Africa, Wezside was responsible for designing and developing the entire tech infrastructure that powered the installation. The team harnessed the potential of generative AI, coupled with custom-built hardware, to create a seamless and engaging experience for visitors.

One of the standout features of Play-I was its use of an Arduino-powered thermal printer, which brought the AI-generated fashion instructions to life in real-time. This integration of hardware and AI in a public-facing installation highlighted the innovative potential of combining different technologies to create something fresh and exciting.

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