Crate & Barrel Launches Its First Virtual Store, An Immersive Re-Creation Of Its New NYC Flagship, Powered By Obsess

New Virtual Flatiron Store Features Whimsical Animations and Personalization Tools that Let Customers Customize Their Own Sofa Set and Build Their Own Bouquet

New York, NY /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Crate & Barrel announced today that it has launched its first immersive virtual store in partnership with experiential e-commerce platform Obsess. The fully shoppable virtual environment takes the form of Crate & Barrel's new flagship in New York City's Flatiron neighborhood, which opens today at 881 Broadway, and features engaging animations and interactive personalization tools that let customers visualize their own sofa and living room set and build their own bouquet using the brand's selection of vases and botanicals.

The virtual store is among the largest fully 3D-rendered spaces that Obsess has created to date, offering more than 450 products and eight interactive room environments, including separate dining, kitchen, living room, botanical shop and Crate & Kids areas.

"Our virtual store in partnership with Obsess is a first-of-its-kind for us as a brand, and we're looking forward to helping our online global customers envision and experience our new physical flagship in NYC," said Sebastian Brauer, Senior VP of Product Design, Visual and Head of Web 3.0 Crate & Barrel. "We want to help our customers dream up their perfect space wherever they are, and this interactive tour allows them to find everything from tableware to furniture, lighting, décor and more."

Visitors to the virtual store will be immersed in a photorealistic, 360-degree re-creation of Crate & Barrel's new flagship store at 881 Broadway, a circa-1868 building once known as the Palace of Trade. The space features preserved neoclassical columns and an original volcanic ash tile wall that pays homage to the energy and dynamics of the city's present and future.

"We're thrilled to partner with Crate & Barrel on this launch and give its online customers, and especially those not based in New York City, an immersive way to discover and shop for products offered in the brand's new flagship store," said Neha Singh, Founder and CEO of Obsess. "The virtual store is designed to inspire customers to create their own dream spaces. Every element and product in the environment is available for purchase, giving online customers a very sensory-rich, lifelike shopping experience."

At the virtual store's Design Desk, customers will find free design and trade services with Crate & Barrel's design experts to bring their vision to life through collaborative conversations and technology. Customers can easily schedule a free appointment in-store, virtually, or in their home to get industry-leading service as they explore walls of swatches, light fixtures, tableware, botanicals and more.

The Flatiron store will open to the public on November 16 at 881 Broadway. To experience the virtual store, please visit https://virtualstore.crateandbarrel.com/flagship/.

About Obsess
Obsess is the leading experiential e-commerce platform that enables brands and retailers to create immersive, branded, discovery-driven 3D virtual stores on their websites. The company has launched over 300 immersive experiences for brands and retailers across the fashion, beauty, luxury, home, retail, CPG, grocery and media verticals. Obsess's mission is to create the next-generation online shopping interface that transforms the traditional e-commerce thumbnail grid into a 3D, interactive, social and highly engaging experience. The company is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices across the U.S. and Europe. For more information, please visit ObsessAR.com or email contact@obsessAR.com.

About Crate & Barrel Holdings, Inc.
Global specialty retailer Crate & Barrel Holdings Inc. curates inspiration for the modern home, connecting the creative work of artisans and designers to people and places around the world. Known for high-quality products, exclusive designs and timeless style since 1962, Crate & Barrel Holdings Inc. includes lifestyle brands Crate & Barrel, CB2, Crate & Kids, and Hudson Grace. Today, the company is a member of the Otto Group and operates over 100 Crate & Barrel, CB2 and Hudson Grace stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, with franchise locations in nine countries. More than 200 million customers visit the Company's stores and websites each year. To learn more, visit www.crateandbarrel.com.