The fashion industry has become a pivotal part of the economy as big time brands become almost indented into the everyday lives of consumers. In 2022 alone it was recorded that the industries revenue was 1.53 trillion U.S. dollars, with this figure set to grow this year.
With the emergence of digital avatars within the metaverse, it has become clear where the future of fashion is heading.
We are in a time where consumer behaviours are looking to become more ethical, without having to cut back on consumption.
This is where digital fashion comes into the picture. An eco-friendly way for fashion lovers to still enjoy their favourite brands. A somewhat revolutionary concept at this point in time, that many are still yet to get their heads around.
Read on to find out more about what digital fashion is doing to the space and how you can get involved.
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What actually is digital fashion?
To put it simply, digital fashion is a contemporary version of fashion. It can appear both physically and also digitally.
When in its digital form, it is used to decorate a virtual avatar, presumably one used in the metaverse. We have seen some recent examples from Minecraft as they have partnered with British heritage brand, Burberry to release both in-game DLC and also physical clothing pieces.
Back in 2018 was when the public were treated to the first official digital fashion release. It came from a Scandanavian design, “Carlings” who released a 19 piece collection to commemorate the occasion.
Since 2018 we have seen a drastic expansion within the industry and there does not seem to be any slowing down!
Read Also: How AI Will Disrupt the Metaverse
Which brands are involved with digital fashion?
At the time of writing we have seen huge array of brands releasing digital clothing collections. From high brands to sports brands, many names are diverting their attentions to this niche side of fashion and clothing.
Sports brands such as Nike, Adidas and Mizuno have all gone ahead and released clothing items in the form of top NFT tokens (Non-Fungible-Tokens).
Back in 2021 amongst the web3 hype, Nike acquired NFT sneaker company RTFKT. With one of their collections making $3.1 million at the point of release.
High end fashion brands have really taken digital fashion on board. The likes of Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga have released their own takes.
With how expensive some of the most popular NFT collections are on places like OpenSea and the celebrity backing they have received, it is no surprise that these celeb backed brands have jumped on board.
High end fashion is all about raising a few eyebrows, so the shift to the metaverse only seems right. The average consumer will not be educated on web3 so when they hear about this new concept within fashion, the brand names are still in their mouth.
The Metaverse has changed the fashion industry
Many will know fashion to be outlandish and controversial in more ways than one. Whether its the ethics behind manufacturing, the price tags or marketing efforts, fashion brands are never shy from the mainstream media headlines.
With all the above in mind, digital fashion really has helped the industry move away from its previous dodgy doings.
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Design teams have been able to come together and ultimately create the same pieces but to be used virtually. This means there is way less labour involved to create the clothing. In fact it only takes a 3D modelling tool to create them.
It is to be noted that the fashion industry emits 10% of the global carbon emissions every year. Producing a digital clothing item, from the likes of Gucci and Nike, will actually cut out a staggering 97% of the CO2 emissions that would otherwise be produced.
Imagine if we all lived in a metaverse and no longer bought physical clothing? The possibilities would be crazy.
Read Also: How are Traditional Banks Making Use of the Metaverse?
Fashion Week
Popular Virtual Reality game Decentraland have held the very first “Metaverse Fashion Week”. Fashion Week is a staple time within the industry as the world’s fashion hotspots take a week to showcase some of the new upcoming collections and brands for the seasons.
Holding an event like this within a game is a huge thing. Traditionally it would cost a huge amount of money to host the event, pay for people’s tickets, transporting of clothing and attendees etc.
In this instance it is done virtually so none of the above needs to be factored in. Location is not limited for access, just a VR headset and a Laptop connected to a stable wifi connection.
Sustainability
One thing on brand’s minds is sustainability for the fashion industry. We have seen innotatives put in place from retailers that allow consumers to rent out and sell their second hand pieces.
The leading fashion brands have jumped into digital fashion and so far it has been a success. All we need now is mass integration of these new concepts and virtual fashion will really be accepted in the mainstream!
What’s your thoughts on virtual fashion? Do you think it’s the step in the right direction for fashion brands and fans or is it just a ‘fad’?
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