Shopping 2.0: It’s no surprise that “interactive hangers” [scroll down for an explanation in English] are first introduced in Japan, a country obsessed with service, shopping, fashion and technology. Vanquish, the shop in question, is located in a department store in central Tokyo called 109MEN’S.

The way it works is pretty simple: every time a shopper picks up a hanger, a computer screen above the item displays relevant pictures and videos, for example showing how a T-shirt looks when worn or other clothes that would fit the item chosen.

The trick is an sensor placed inside the hanger that automatically triggers the action but can also be used to instantly change the background music or light in a store, for example:

The maker of the interactive hangers, Tokyo-based Team Lab, started experimenting with the concept last year.

Trend consulting firm Cscout Japan has tried the hangers out:

Here are two more videos from Team Lab themselves:

Via Japan Trends / CScout Japan