New York, NY (October 9, 2015) – Beginning with its November issue, Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) InStyle premieres InStyle Virtual, a virtual reality experience granting consumers unparalleled insider access to fashion shoots and exclusive events. Produced in partnership with Jaunt, the company pioneering cinematic virtual reality, the series debuts with Drew Barrymore’s cover shoot, marking the first time a national fashion media brand has created a virtual reality experience with a cover shoot. InStyle is the first Time Inc. brand to offer consumers an experience with this technology.

 

“InStyle’s brand DNA has always focused on giving our readers exclusive access to the red carpet, the runway and our favorite Hollywood moments. With InStyle Virtual, we are elevating that access to a new dimension and are offering our readers the chance to virtually experience the moments that captivate 23 million women each month,” said Ariel Foxman, Editorial Director, InStyle and StyleWatch.

 

InStyle Virtual premieres with a three-minute tour of a cover shoot starring record-holding, eight-time InStyle cover girl Drew Barrymore. Captured with Jaunt’s proprietary 360-degree, stereoscopic cameras and advanced 3D sound-field microphones, the content fully immerses viewers in the scene with complete freedom to look in any direction—as if they were actually there.

 

During the 360-degree virtual reality tour, viewers are able to see Fashion Director Melissa Rubini style Barrymore in Stella McCartney, as well as feel that they are standing in Barrymore’s shoes as she poses for photographer Jan Welters. Barrymore, who wears Valentino on the cover, also speaks directly to the viewer and reveals some of her favorite makeup tips.

 

“Virtual reality is enabling a new age of exploration. For the first time, anyone in the world can travel to New York City in an instant, stand on the set of a celebrity photo shoot and glimpse the magic behind the scenes,” said Jens Christensen, cofounder and CEO of Jaunt. “InStyle Virtual is a perfect example of brands, creatives and technologists coming together to engage audiences in entirely new ways.”

 

To experience InStyle Virtual, consumers simply download the JauntVR app on their smartphones and use a VR viewer. The app and viewer are available at a variety of price points, starting at $5. InStyle is also distributing free, branded cardboard viewers to select subscribers along with the November issue, and starting today, consumers can go to InStyle Virtual to sign up for a chance to receive a limited edition red viewer.

 

InStyle Virtual will continue to unveil new experiences throughout the coming months, including a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural InStyle Awards at the Getty Center on Monday, October 26. The InStyle Awards celebrate the fashion media brand’s new annual list, titled “Hollywood’s 50 Best Dressed,” which spotlights the actors, actresses and artists whose style defines the red carpet, as well as the image makers behind the scenes. The 14-page list feature, edited by Fashion News Director Eric Wilson, honors the symbiotic relationship between the runway and the red carpet, along with the power that fashion has in creating a brand image.

 

With this new franchise, InStyle, the foremost media brand to sit squarely at the nexus of Hollywood and the fashion industry, further cements its status as the leading authority on how fashion and Hollywood influence each other and how that influence resonates with women worldwide.

 

Join the conversation on social media with #InStyleVirtual and #InStyleAwards, and visit www.instyle.com/InStyleVirtual and www.instyle.com/InStyleAwards for updates.

 

 

 About InStyle 

Time Inc.’s InStyle is the world’s foremost luxury fashion media brand. Its portfolio comprises the flagship magazine; 16 international editions; special issues; digital properties; red carpet events; and brand extensions including apparel and footwear collections, salons and books. Across a highly engaged audience of 24 million, InStyle inspires and informs, delivering the knowledge and confidence to make the everyday fabulous.

 

 About Time Inc. 

Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world’s leading media companies, with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide digital properties that attract more than 140 million visitors each month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple, Southern Living, Entertainment Weekly, Travel + Leisure, Cooking Light, Fortune and Food & Wine, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom, such as Decanter, Horse & Hound and Wallpaper*. Time Inc. is home to celebrated franchises and events, including the Fortune 500, Time 100, People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the Essence Festival and the biennial Fortune Global Forum. Hundreds of thousands of people attend our events every year. We have been extending the power of our brands through various investments and acquisitions, including the formation of Sports Illustrated Play, a new company devoted to youth and amateur sports, and the acquisition of inVNT, a company that specializes in live media. We also provide content marketing, targeted local print and digital advertising programs, branded book publishing and marketing and support services, including subscription sales services for magazines and other products, retail distribution and marketing services and customer service and fulfillment services, for ourselves and third-party clients, including other magazine publishers.

 

 About Jaunt 

Jaunt is pioneering the future of creative storytelling through cinematic virtual reality. Founded in 2013, Jaunt is the leading developer of the hardware, software, tools and applications to enable cinematic VR and put the power of virtual reality in the hands of today’s best content creators. In addition, Jaunt works with leading creatives—from brands to artists to filmmakers—to create cutting-edge content through its studio arm, Jaunt Studios. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company also maintains a presence in Los Angeles and produces branded and original VR content for audiences worldwide. Jaunt’s investors include The Walt Disney Company, Evolution Media Partners, China Media Capital, Highland Capital Partners, Google Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Axel Springer, ProSiebenSat.1 SE, The Madison Square Garden Company, Peter Gotcher, Blake Krikorian and Sky (corporate.sky.com). Experience more at www.jauntvr.com.

 

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 CONTACT:

Time Inc.

 

Noora Raj

Noora.Raj@instylemag.com

 

212-522-3502