LONDON – Dr. Barbara Sturm is looking to harness the potential of virtual reality to offer an immersive, holistic anti-inflammatory skin care experience, “Pause,” in partnership with Xydrobe.
Starting from Nov. 17, customers will be able to book appointments starting from 129 pounds at Xydrobe’s Mayfair flagship at 11 Carlos Place, which is a stone’s throw from Sturm’s Mount Street location. The experience was first teased last month during Frieze London.
Billed as a journey about “rejuvenation, relaxation, and a rediscovery of your inner peace,” the 50-minute virtual-meet-physical experience includes meditation and breathing exercises within a virtually created natural environment, as well as full-body red light therapy for anti-inflammatory treatment.
Following the treatment, which also comes with herbal-infused teas and anti-inflammatory delicacies, customers can take home two products from Dr. Barbara Sturm’s supplement collection, which aims to help with a range of wellness concerns, such as sun protection, hair growth, sleeping and fasting.
Nell Lloyd Malcolm, chief executive officer at Xydrobe, a company born during the pandemic that aimed to add a layer of film industry-quality visual effects within the luxury space, believes this experience will be “a game-changing piece of escapism from the everyday stresses that affect us all.”
“We approached Dr. Barbara Sturm because we recognized the strength of creating a ticketed experience that immerses our guests on every level into the anti-inflammatory message that underpins everything within her unshakable and pioneering brand,” added Malcolm.
A rendering of the Dr. Barbara Sturm immersive skincare experience with Xydrobe
Courtesy of Xydrobe
The company made headlines in 2021 for auctioning a hyper-realistic digital copy of the JW Anderson patchwork cardigan made famous by Harry Styles. At the time, Xydrobe positioned itself as an NFT auction platform selling “perfect 3D copies of already existing, world-renowned luxury collectibles.”
But as the world comes out of the pandemic, Xydrobe now brings its technical capacity into real life and becomes a host, commissioner, and producer of “immersive experiences for unforgettable memories, allowing brands to convey the intangible through the use of our groundbreaking multi-sensory technology.”
Following the opening of its Mayfair location opposite the Connaught Hotel, which hosted Manolo Blahnik’s immersive exhibition “The Craft Room” last month, Xydrobe is looking to expand into other major global territories from 2024.
