At New York Fashion Week in September 2012, adidas Y-3 revealed its Spring/Summer 2013 collection with an “Interactive Live Stream Experience” built by Acne Production. The online audience got four different runway views, could magnify one view without losing perspective of the show as a whole, and could pin each look to Pinterest.
Since 2010, I have noticed a steady increase in innovations at fashion shows around the world. This execution pushed that trend forward by treating the live stream itself as a designed product, not a passive camera feed.
The context. Y-3 at New York Fashion Week
The show marked the 10th anniversary of adidas’ partnership with Yohji Yamamoto. Athletes, celebrities, and fashion mavens gathered at St John’s Center, which was transformed by Dev Harlan’s 3D projections.
The experience. Four views, one zoomed, full context retained
Acne set up the live stream with four concurrent runway angles. The key interaction was control. Viewers could enlarge one view, but never lost the broader frame of the show. That balance made the stream feel curated and intentional, rather than fragmented.
Why Pinterest mattered in the flow
Pinning each look turned viewing into collecting. It captured intent at the moment of attention and let the audience take the show with them. One click turned a runway moment into a saved, shareable reference.
A few fast answers before you act
What was the adidas Y-3 Interactive Live Stream?
It was a multi-angle live stream for the Y-3 Spring/Summer 2013 runway that let viewers zoom one camera view while still keeping the full-show context, and pin looks to Pinterest.
What was the core interaction pattern?
Multi-view streaming with user-controlled emphasis. Viewers chose what to focus on without breaking the narrative of the show.
Why did “keep context” matter in live streaming?
If zoom removed context, viewers felt lost. Keeping the full show visible preserved rhythm and made the experience feel like one coherent event.
What is the practical lesson for digital show formats?
Design the stream like a product. Give the audience simple controls that match how they watch, and offer a frictionless way to save and share what they like.
