Digital fashion is making waves online and in the physical world. Using augmented and virtual reality technologies, customers can “wear” digital clothing and accessories just like they would traditional physical ones.
However, unlike their traditional counterparts, these digital costumes break the rules and limitations of the real world, allowing people to express themselves and have more ways to break boundaries. Of Fashion’s report highlights a steady shift from traditional platforms to more innovative digital platforms, with 50% of U.S. consumers buying NFTs, in-game items, digital avatars, digital fashion, and more. Expresses interest in acquiring digital assets.
The rise of digital fashion
The pandemic has driven the transition to digital. Consumers are already experimenting with digital skins, other in-game accessories, and social media filters, but consumer expectations and behaviors are constantly changing. Digital fashion offers a way for consumers to use digital wearables for their avatars and overlay these digital wearables on physical photographs.
Digital fashion aims to address issues commonly associated with the fashion industry today, such as sustainability, production and supply chains, inclusivity, accessibility, production costs, and physical limitations in the real world.
Significantly reduce waste generated in the design and manufacturing process. Additionally, digital fashion is more inclusive, with many works classified as genderless and sizeless.
Digital fashion platform for AR and VR
The pandemic has spurred relatively new ways for consumers to experience and learn about retail products. For example, augmented reality applications have allowed shoppers to virtually try on clothing, cosmetics and accessories using their smartphones.
In fashion, AR and VR technologies have made fashion shows possible even during the pandemic. Indie brands and startups aren’t the only ones embracing AR and VR in fashion. Established designer brands like Louis Vuitton are delving into AR technology, launching AR products or establishing a presence in the metaverse.
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Burberry also released its own AR app, allowing users to customize selected Burberry items with Burberry design elements. full bloom collection.
As the world becomes more and more digital, new concepts and developments such as NFTs and the Metaverse are rapidly becoming part of our daily conversations. Web3’s fashion label and platform is on the rise, leveraging the latest technology to create never-before-seen bespoke garments.
These platforms allow customers to purchase and virtually “wear” digital creations. This typically requires the customer to send a photo of themselves to a fashion label, who can digitally process the garment to fit the wearer’s size and shape perfectly.
One of the pioneers of digital fashion is DressX. DressX is a “multi-brand retailer” focused on selling digital fashion pieces, becoming a more sustainable counterpart to physical fashion.
Another platform, The Fabricant, allows users to create or customize their own fashion NFTs for use in the metaverse. Founded in 2018, The Fabricant was the world’s first digital-only fashion house and has since worked with World of Women and RTFKT to create digital garments.
Digital fashion at the forefront
Tribute Brand, a Croatia-based female-founded digital fashion house, has raised a seed funding round, backed by an impressive list of VC, DAO, and angel investors in the Web3, cryptocurrency, and NFT industries. Raised $4.5 million. The seed funding round was led by Collab+Currency, a prominent early-stage consumer VC fund, along with other investors including Alice Lloyd George, Flamingo DAO, Neon DAO and Kanosei Ventures.
With this funding, Tribute Brand aims to build its own tools and interoperable platform, enabling it to leverage its digital assets and deliver more customized experiences to its users. The platform and tools will be released later this year, along with new collection drops.
The contactless and cyber fashion brand has already collaborated with some of the biggest names in fashion. Working with Jean-Paul Gaultier, she collaborated with Carolina Herrera on a sheer jumpsuit worn by drag icon Simone and South Korean musician CL, as well as a digital girlfriend version of the gown from the Spring 2022 collection.
Ultimately, Tribute Brand wants to eliminate the “digital” of digital fashion and instead recognize digital fashion as fashion within the context of a new digital dimension.
Rethinking “digital” in digital fashion
Digital fashion allows people to experiment with clothing and accessories without worrying about the limitations that exist in the real physical world. You can virtually experiment with designs and materials that you wouldn’t think of as real.
Digital fashion platforms are reinventing the way we approach fashion. These platforms are not only a means of creativity and self-expression, but can empower consumers to make more sustainable choices that make fashion more accessible and inclusive.
