How the fashion industry is adapting to the possibilities of the metaverse

By Isabel Lerma

As we all know by now, the global pandemic has drastically changed our reality. It has caused us to turn to technology to go about our daily routines. We have discovered that online classes and working from home might not be so bad after all, especially with the myriad means of communication available for our consumption. Events like conferences, concerts, museum tours, and even fashion shows have been held this way, blurring the line between digital and physical.

Furthermore, we have resorted to availing of services online, such as shopping, food delivery, and even banking. On top of it all, the emergence of cryptocurrency has provided us with a new system of payment and exchange that is exclusively all-digital.

So, when the metaverse started its journey into the mainstream, the timing was impeccable. Each day, we grow more and more familiar with this simulated world that replicates the physical realm as we know it. What once was a recurring theme in science fiction has now begun to actualize, causing endless discourse on a global scale. Whether we like it or not, our society is evolving, and perhaps the best approach to everything new is to find ways through which we can benefit. It seems that different industries have already hopped on this chance to further expand the possibilities for them.

For years now, the popularity of gaming only continues to grow and, together with this, so does the demand for “screenwear” or avatar clothing. Gaming and fashion brand collaborations have long been introduced to our society, but the rapid growth of technology has revolutionized this concept in what feels like the blink of an eye. An avatar skin often comes with “utility” or its perks, be it a more advanced skill set or membership access to specific groups. In other words, owning certain virtual fashion items can give you an advantage and exclusivity. Needless to say, the fashion industry just might have found its next golden opportunity in the metaverse.

With the media having dubbed this world as “fashion’s new playground,” designers continue to discover new levels of creative capacity and go wild with bold trends, all while providing the consumer with great benefit in return.

Many brands have already begun embracing this concept of dematerialization by releasing projects in the metaverse. Balenciaga has famously dropped a collection of virtual skins with Fortnite. Gucci and Ralph Lauren have collaborated with Roblox for virtual product releases. Nike has acquired the digital sneaker brand RTKFT. Louis Vuitton has launched a mobile game. Controversially, Hermès has even called for a legal dispute with digital artists, as “MetaBirkins” have been designed and sold by the latter as NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Some designer collections remain exclusively virtual while others are available in the material world as well. Sometimes, the resale value of the NFTs would cost even more than their physical counterparts. Indeed, the game has changed for the industry as virtual reality has taken a big leap in society.

So, what does this really mean for fashion? Though many of us are still skeptical about investing in things we cannot exactly touch or hold, in a dimension we might not see as our own, it is also important to consider how potential limitations of self-expression can be broken down by doing so.  

Digital art has provided endless creative opportunities, and new possibilities emerge every day. Take, for example, the ability to buy and wear something in the metaverse that is a.) exclusive for virtual consumption and/or b.) something you wouldn’t typically be able to wear in the physical world. As NFTs find their value in scarcity, hype, and utility, owning certain pieces of screenwear is as much of a status symbol as owning real, tangible designer apparel.

Perhaps this new take on the fashion industry allows us to express ourselves better, more freely, and with no limitations, but at what cost? The appreciation of living life online is inversely proportional to life offline. The topic of sustainability comes into play as well, as we have to take into consideration the energy consumption needed to mint and mine these NFTs. Moreover, this poses a risk to our health, both physically and mentally, and comes with a set of social implications we must be aware of.

With COVID-19 having been around, most of us have become more expressive due to the restrictions that follow. Personally, this pandemic has caused me a lot of frustration in not being able to dress up as frequently as I used to. I, and I’m sure most of us, have engaged in online shopping and retail therapy, only to realize that there’s nowhere to go. One of my favorite hobbies is buying new clothes but every time I do, I catch myself saying, “Where and when will I even wear this?” Unfortunately, a lot of those pieces either remain untouched in my closet or only make it as far as me pathetically playing dress-up in my bedroom. It’s already 2022 and yet the habit remains and the cycle continues.

Though many of us are still skeptical about investing in things we cannot exactly touch or hold, in a dimension we might not see as our own, it is also important to consider how potential limitations of self-expression can be broken down by doing so.

The lack of freedom brought about by this global phenomenon has mustered up within me the urge to maximize my artistic abilities. Evidently, this has also been the case for most. Many of us turn to fashion as the means to do so. If we look at it from a superficial point of view, the metaverse seems to be a good alternative to this creative outlet.

The lingering question seems to be: To adapt or not to adapt?

Given the consequences, do we think it’s worth it? Has our society already solved its problems that everyone’s just trying to find things to “fix”?

The metaverse has provided another perspective for us to look at the world, and I think both skeptics and believers can all agree upon this. It’s still too early to tell if this truly will be the future for generations to come, but this new technology has allowed us a glimpse into how far virtual reality can go.

In my opinion, the impact the metaverse has had on art as a whole is great. It promotes innovation and provides another platform for artistic exposure, though I don’t see this as anything more than a facet of the general industry. Honestly, I would hate to see a world even more heavily driven by emerging technology. Just like with everything else, there is a certain balance that must be maintained to attain stability, but just how much of our life is really in our control? Some will win, some will lose, and maybe some of us just won’t want anything to do with it at all.

Where do you stand?