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If there’s one thing that never goes out of style it’s the desire of people to look cool and trendy. This is what the fashion industry is all about, looking good and keeping up with the latest trends, so it makes perfect sense that it’s now taking its first steps on the digital runway.
The merger of the physical fashion world with the digital expanse is made possible by the metaverse and it promises to become the next evolution of the industry. Virtual reality has the unique ability to fuse the physical and digital realms to create a new world that’s full of ideas that can’t be brought to life anywhere else.
The fashion industry understands better than most how GenZ is intrigued with the idea of a digital persona that enables them to express themselves in new ways. Some of the best designers have already embraced this trend, bringing their creativity to a metaverse-loving audience that wants to look its very best.
The culmination of this trend took place earlier this year with Decentraland’s first-ever Fashion Week, a series of virtual events that attracted dozens of top brands and designers, including the likes of Dundas, Dolce & Gabba, Etro and Estée Lauder. The entire experience was staged in the metaverse using blockchain technology, held on NFT-based land with digital clothes and accessories worn as NFTs.
The event was a success, even if many of its attendees conceded that the future of fashion is still a work in progress. “The user experience might need to improve just a tad to facilitate mass adoption,” said Anne-Christine Polet of Hatch and Stitch.
“The future looks like the past,” said Kerry Murphy, co-founder of digital fashion house The Fabricant, which created the first NFT dress ever sold.
Digital fashion is an evolving concept but it’s not exactly a new trend. For years, online gamers have embraced the idea of looking cool by purchasing unique “skins” for their in-game characters. It’s an idea that has become pervasive in the metaverse too, with many visitors only too keen to embellish their avatars to create a more interesting digital persona. There’s interest in digital fashion from investors too, who believe fashion NFTs could become the next big thing and increase in value.
Amateur designers too, see the metaverse as an outlet for their creative talents. Fashion League is a unique game centered on its very own virtual world that allows players to create their very own fashion shop and brand, then design and build their own collections of clothing and accessories, participate in design contests and fashion shows, compete against other designers and even win real-world prizes. Fashion League is not just aimed at amateur designers, as it also provides an outlet for established brands to showcase digital products that may eventually make their way into the real world.
The flexibility of the metaverse is one of its main attractions. With a platform like CEEK, creatives can go one step further and purchase their own digital land and use it to host virtual events. CEEK’s platform also plays host to real-world fashion events, which can be accessed virtually via an affordable VR headset, allowing users to immerse themselves in the experience from afar.
The opportunities will only expand as the metaverse evolves into a multi-chain world, which will make it possible to bring NFT-based fashion items built on any network into any digital event. With blockchain interoperability, designers who build their creations in Fashion League or CEEK will maybe be able to showcase them at future events hosted in Decentraland, mixing with rich glamorous attendees sporting their prized Bored Ape NFT avatars.
There will inevitably be more crossover with the real world too. Fashion is an industry that loves to have its cake and eat it, and already brands like Fred Segal are working to create digital versions of physical products. So, in future, if you buy a Fred Segal hooded top, you may well be entitled to don a digital version of that same outfit whenever your avatar steps into the digital realm. In other words, fashionistas will be able to replicate their real-life look in the metaverse.
Few who have stepped foot in the metaverse will deny that it’s a very satisfying experience to create a unique and stylish avatar that reflects your own persona. Doing so is cheaper and easier compared to the real world, and there’s no need to worry about being judged because the metaverse can also be anonymous. In this new world, it’s possible to become someone else in a matter of seconds.
The metaverse carries the promise of a future world that’s not defined by mainstream ideas. Rather, it will be a playground for bold and creative looks, with visions that can’t be recreated using traditional fabrics – think outfits made of gold, silver, fire, water or steel, displayed in a pixelated form. The possibilities are limitless, and it’s no wonder a fashion industry that knows few bounds is taking notice.
