Virtual reality and the metaverse are increasingly topical issues, in a world that is preparing to definitively embrace the digital transition, even the fashion industry looks to a future made up of virtual clothing.
Would you ever buy an item of clothing that doesn't exist? And how much would you be willing to pay for it?
The industry of virtual fashion (also called digital fashion) has already recorded sales of tens of millions of Euros, confusing our definition of what is real in fashion and what is not. According to Gucci, the brand of the moment, it is "only a matter of time" before the main fashion houses join the world NFT(non-fungible tokens) and other aspects of digital fashion. With fashion month ending in October, many brands have in fact worked with NFTs to bring digital garments into their collections.
This is because, even fashion, is preparing for the transition to the metaverse.
The metaverse
The concept of the metaverse is one of the biggest trending topics in the world of tech, especially since when Facebook adopted his vision in full, going so far as to change the company's name to arches.
By itself, the Metaverse is a broad term that generally refers to shared virtual environments, in which people can log on Internet and in which one is represented by one's own 3d avatar.
To date, we have interacted online by going to Web sites or through social media and apps, while the idea of the metaverse consists of multiple interactions multidimensional, where users are able to to dive in digital content rather than just seeing it.
Inside, as presented by Mark Zuckerberg, people can meet, work and play. This is in fact possible thanks to the use of headphones, glasses for the augmented reality, app for smartphone or other devices.
Fashion in the metaverse
The potential activities available online will be as varied as virtually watching a concert, take a trip online, buy and try clothes digital. Within the metaverse, users will be able to purchase virtual land and other digital assets presumably using cryptocurrencies.
Fashion will also be increasingly rooted in the metaverse: the customers of generation Z will spend more and more time a play online, socialize and go shopping.
Despite being virtual reality, people will want their avatars to look their best. Thanks to the NFTs, the experience of metaverse will allow people to fully immerse themselves in the fashion industry even within a virtual world, having true ownership of the fashion and luxury items they buy. As NFTs are traceable and unique, the problem of fake fashion items will be a thing of the past, with every digital item being verifiable on the blockchain.
Virtual reality will allow fashion brands access to a new flow revenue:
instead of only selling physical products, fashion brands will be able to make money by selling their virtual items and clothes on a decentralized market. An additional advantage for brands is the possibility of reaching a larger pool of fashion enthusiasts, who will be able to participate without being in physical proximity to the brand.
What to expect from brands in the metaverse
In recent years, the fashion industry has focused on the intersection of the digital and physical market, expanding more and more into the latter, leading to two different approaches to digital fashion:
- Combined physical and digital: which is the digital fashion that a person can wear by making use of augmented or virtual reality
- Fully digital: which is digital fashion that is sold directly to an avatar
An example in this direction is the collaboration between Balenciaga and Fortnite, which made it possible to purchase clothes (seen below) inspired by various Balenciaga designs, within the game.
Collaboration with the Gaming it is not just a way to experiment with the creativity of your designers, as it represents a huge economic opportunity, helping brands to get closer to generation Z. Most of these joint ventures in fact, offer buyers the opportunity to get their hands on a limited edition physical garment, like the one featured in the game.
The fusion of the video game and fashion industry offers unlimited opportunities for creativity, which will go beyond the physical limits of the fashion industry, being the avatars of any shape you wish.
Also Dolce and Gabbana in October it released a digital collection consisting of nine NFT clothing items, calling it the “Genesis Collection”. Sold for approximately $ 5,7 million, the collection has become the most expensive digital collection to date.
On the other hand, there are those who think of extending "digital fashion" even beyond the metaverse, focusing on two factors that are increasingly protagonists in fashion: sustainability and technology.
Jae Slooten, co-founder of the pioneering Dutch digital fashion brand "The Fabricant", argues that real-world fashion will become increasingly technological and sustainable, with intelligent materials that act like a second skin and are able to monitor our body. .
"I feel that the future lies in materials that are intelligent and that are able to grow with us or even grow on us "Slooten explained, adding that the physical world will allow people to exhibit "a more sober expression of who we are." Otherwise, according to Slooten, the expressive part will be translated into virtual reality. “And then, within the digital world, we can go completely crazy. We can wear a dress made of water or have lights everywhere and change your textile according to your mood ".
Last year, Slooten's company Fabricant set a record when one of her virtual dresses sold at auction for $ 9.500.
"The new owner wore it on her Facebook and Instagram", Slooten said.
In conclusion, in the metaverse, a virtual world that mainly offers a visual experience, the role of fashion as a tool for personal and social expression can only play a central role. It remains only to wait for it screenwear you become the new streetwear.
Source: https://internet-casa.com/news/moda-del-futuro/
