Eduard

Posted on Feb 25, 2022Read on Mirror.xyz

2022 — Year of Digital Fashion

The culture of streetwear is what drew me into the vast world of fashion. I’ve become obsessed with fashion since discovering my love for this culture. Even though I am primarily interested in streetwear, I adore the entire industry and everything it entails. Everything, from music to clothing to varied styles and to people. Fashion has been a part of our lives since the dawn of time. The difference is that it has evolved into something that no one could have predicted hundreds or thousands of years ago. We use it daily nowadays.

If people were talking about suits, gowns, and other pieces of clothing hundreds of years ago, and how they could develop something new and innovative, we are now talking about Digital Fashion and how we can bring this entire movement and culture digitally. I’m sure you’ve heard of this term before, and if you haven’t, you’ve most likely used it without realizing it. Let’s have a look at what Digital Fashion is all about.

What is Digital Fashion?

I’ll begin with a “dictionary” definition and then offer you my perspective and what I think this concept to be.

“Digital Fashion is the visual representation of clothing built using computer technologies and 3D software.” — This is the definition of Digital Fashion from the Dictionary. I’m not saying I disagree with it because it is exactly what this definition claims it is, but I believe it signifies a lot more than that. It is more than just a visual representation of clothing; it is a movement and a culture.

For many years, we have been surrounded by digital fashion. We’ve been using it for a long time, but without understanding the notion, we’re unlikely to have given it any thought. Consider video games. People are willing to pay a certain amount of money for an in-game skin that offers them a better look, power-ups, or other in-game functionality.

Take a look at Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with League of Legends (one of, if not the most popular PC game) for the 2019 League of Legends World Championship Finals in Paris. A bespoke travel case for the Summoner's Cup trophy, as well as prestige skins for Qiyana and Senna designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere and other digital assets, have been created by the Luxury Fashion House. Louis Vuitton has also designed IRL things that match the champions’ in-game skins. Isn’t that incredible?

The Balenciaga x Fortnite partnership, which debuted in September of last year, is another example of a collaboration with a fashion house and is perhaps far more well-known. Players can purchase four virtual clothes (or “skins”), as well as accessories, weaponry, and a virtual Balenciaga location in-game, from Balenciaga (complete with a Balenciaga store). A limited-edition run of Balenciaga x Fortnite hats, T-shirts, and hoodies was available at Balenciaga stores and on Balenciaga.com during the activation, which lasted only one week. Once again, we see a brand fusing the digital and real worlds.

The term “phygital” refers to the process of creating apparel that is both digital and physical. This is how I believe brands will gradually enter the digital world, because it is a far smoother transition than being entirely digital right away, and for another reason that I will explain later.

These are only two instances of why I believe digital fashion has been around for quite some time. If you consider the last two paragraphs, you can imagine yourself playing your favorite games and observing how fashion has existed in them since their inception.

I’ve talked about “phygital” collaborations, but now I’d want to tell you about The Fabricant, a wholly digital fashion house.

I originally came across it last year out of a desire to learn more about how I might incorporate my streetwear label and culture into the digital fashion realm. When I learned more about this fashion house, I was astounded by Amber Jae Slooten’s story and how much she believed in a digital fashion world. She is the first person to graduate from a fashion school with an entirely digital collection. The Fabricant made headlines in 2019 when they sold a couture dress for $9500 on a blockchain auction in New York. They’d never met the owner; she’d only supplied photos, yet they were able to dress her. But what does it mean to wear a digital dress? Amber expresses it so well: “Maybe 20 people saw her walking that day, “wearing” the garment during the event, in the physical world, but millions of people saw her online and in the press.” Isn’t it fantastic? Yes, you can now tell me that you can publish images of yourself wearing IRL clothes and reach millions of people. The difference is that with digital apparel, you have no restrictions and are free to create and wear whatever you want. Take, for example, the clothing sold by The Fabricant. Consider how difficult, if at all, it would be to duplicate it in the physical world.

I hope that the dictionary definition, the two gaming collaboration examples, and The Fabricant’s example have helped you understand why digital fashion is important, or at the very least piqued your interest in learning more about this concept that is set to change the fashion industry.

Digital Fashion Projects

I’d like to share with you some of the latest Digital Fashion initiatives that have caught my attention and that I believe will be around for a long time.

To begin, I’ll share some of my favorite marketplaces and projects with you:

1. Digitalax

This is what Digitalax is, according to an article on their blog: “DIGITALAX is the first dedicated Digital-Only Fashion Auction Exchange Platform and Open Source Digital Fashion Toolkit.” I admire their vision and what they are attempting to create and bring to the realm of digital fashion. I would also recommend checking out their DAO, where you can stake some $MONA and participate in their adventure. I’ve included a link to their official website where you can learn more about their project and work.

2. The Fabricant

Because I mentioned it earlier, it was a natural addition to this list. Everything they do is fantastic. Join their Discord server, give them a Twitter follow, and stay tuned for the launch of Season 1 in the coming days. I’ve included a link to their official website where you can learn more about this Fashion House, their work, and how to get involved in future Seasons, among other things.

3. The Dematerialised

The Dematerialised is a digital fashion marketplace built on the Lukso blockchain, which was designed specifically for digital goods and branches. In the previous year, they collaborated with several well-known brands and fashion houses, including Karl Lagerfeld. They also provide advice on how to wear digital fashion and why you should. The following is a link to their fantastic marketplace.

4. BNV

BNV is another Digital Fashion Marketplace. Their vision is “To take fashion beyond physical reality and into the metaverse, defining new spaces where virtual fashion can thrive.”. Visit their website and follow them on Twitter to discover more about it.

5. Artisant

Artisant is another marketplace worth mentioning on this list. They sell amazing digital clothes and provide help and lectures on NFTs and Digital Fashion, among other things. Follow this link to find out for yourself.

6. Wear

“The Global NFT Marketplace and Metaverse for Luxury” is Wear. They will be released in the first quarter of 2022, which implies we should see them online within the next few months. Their website is gorgeous, and I appreciate what they’re attempting to offer, so I’m looking forward to seeing the release and seeing whether they can stay to their promises. Take a look at them here.

7. Dissrup

Another fantastic marketplace is*** Dissrup***. I like their website, the NFTs they sell, and what they’re trying to accomplish. Take a look at them; if you’re a fan of streetwear and sneaker culture, they’ll remind you of a market that we use or used frequently. Could you figure out which one it is? Here’s how to get to Dissrup.

8. DressX

DressX is similar to Farfetch in my opinion. This is what I believe they are attempting to do, and what I believe they will eventually achieve. It’s the world’s first marketplace dedicated just to digital clothing. Take a peek at it here.

9. Futures Factory

I was thrilled when I first discovered them because I am a huge fan of streetwear and sneaker culture. The new NFT sneakers marketplace is called Futures Factory. I admire what they are doing, and I hope they will stay true to their vision and promises because I am looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us shortly.

These are the fashion marketplaces of the new Web3 age. Some of them merely serve as markets, while others provide additional services. I adore each of them, but I am particularly impressed by what DigitalaX and The Fabricant are seeking to accomplish. I’m not saying I don’t like the others, but these two have piqued my interest from the start.

DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) will be the next type of business in this new era. To avoid deviating from our topic, I’ll discuss them in a separate article. Fashion has its DAOs, one of which is called Red after my favorite color. The URL I’ll give you will take you straight to this RedDAO, and after you’ve completed your DYOR, you may determine whether it’s worth it to join or not. https://reddao.xyz/. This is the other Fashion DAO.

Before taking any action, DYOR. Don’t only listen to what I or others have to say about certain subjects. It’s your money, and you’re the only one who knows what you’re doing with it.

The Institute of Digital Fashion is dedicated to the study of digital fashion. Isn’t that incredible? I’d love to tell you more about it, but I think it’s best if you go check it out for yourself and see what they’re doing in the Web3 realm. Enjoy!

Lukso is the Blockchain that will power the next generation of fashion brands, marketplaces, and ventures. At the end of last year, I started a thread about it. I’ll leave you with a link to my thread as well as their website, where you may learn more about the blockchain.

DigitalVillage is the first Metaverse project from this new revolution to focus on Digital Fashion. Here’s a link*** ***to their official website, which explains their project far better than I can and in a way that you can understand.

AU.DEO deserves a special mention. AU.DEO** **“is a realm where all web3 musicians can unite, discuss, collaborate, and start their web3 journey into music and fashion together.” It was created by DigitalaX, a digital fashion pioneer. Even though it is not entirely centered on fashion, I wanted to include it here because anyone who has even a small grasp of what fashion culture entails understands that it would not be where it is today without music, and vice versa. What this realm is accomplishing is incredible, and I admire it. It’s my favorite project, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s ahead for it soon. Join their Discord to learn more about their work, interact, and engage with others, and who knows what can emerge as a result.

These projects, marketplaces, and other projects that I’ve mentioned are just a few examples of what’s going on in this new era of digital fashion. Give each one a look, and I am confident that while learning and researching about them, you will come across additional incredible initiatives that are worth pursuing, and I can assure you that they exist.

Why do I believe that 2022 will be the year of Digital Fashion?

This year, I am confident, will be the year of Digital Fashion and Music NFTs. (I’ll explain why I chose to include Music as well later.) Following on from last year’s focus on NFTs and the fact that the Metaverse is increasingly being discussed, Digital Fashion is the next obvious big thing that is set to happen. Everything that happens in this environment naturally makes me think of this.

Fashion has always been a means of both digital and physical expression. Until now, digitally, solely in games. People bought in-game skins for a variety of reasons. To be different, better, and more expressive. The same may be said of physical fashion. People express either themselves, their passions, or something else through clothing, sneakers, and everything related to fashion. The same concepts will apply in the digital realm as well.

Consider how you’ve always wanted to wear your favorite pair of Retro 4s but with different customization that is not possible IRL. Great news! This is achievable in the Metaverse and Digital World. Isn’t that incredible? People would be able to express themselves in ways that would be impossible to accomplish in reality.

A growing number of brands are recognizing the direction in which the world is heading. We can see that they are beginning to move in this way by releasing NFTs collections, Digital Clothing, and other such items. League of Legends and Louis Vuitton, as well as Balenciaga and Fortnite, are just two of the brands that have collaborated and entered the digital realm. The Hundreds, one of the most iconic streetwear labels of all time, has launched its NFT collection, Adam Bomb Squad, which rewards people for simply holding one Bomb. In addition to these three examples, an increasing number of fashion houses or brands have joined or will join this movement.

Shortly, even fashion shows will be held digitally. Take a peek at Paris Fashion Week 2022, for example, and you’ll notice that several brands have chosen to present their collections digitally rather than physically.

Now, let me tell you why I predict that, with Digital Fashion, Music NFTs will have their best year ever. As you may know, I am a huge fan of streetwear. Without music, streetwear would not be as popular as it is today. I’d say the same thing about fashion. Music, I feel, played a significant impact in this industry. Aside from the benefits that NFTs will bring to the music industry (here’s an article on the topic), I feel that if fashion becomes so huge digitally, music will not be left out and will play a role in pushing the culture ahead.

These are some of the reasons why I think 2022 will be the year of digital fashion. The world is changing at a breakneck pace, and every day something new appears to confirm my convictions. The metaverse and digital worlds, like our real-life worlds, would not be the same without fashion.

We’ve come to the end of this article, and I’d want to leave you with some concluding thoughts and some questions to which I’d like to hear your responses.

Starting my streetwear label in 2022 and observing what’s going on in this new environment led me to consider whether I should do it entirely digitally or phygitally. I chose the second option because, despite my enthusiasm for Digital Fashion and everything related to it, I feel that real apparel will continue to exist. Why? Just because we can’t go outside naked. This is only one of many reasons why I choose to establish and deliver my brand’s mission in both realms.

As I have stated in regards to my label, I feel that the initial phase of Digital Fashion will be phygitally based. Of course, certain brands are and will be digital, but the majority of the larger ones will gradually migrate to this environment. They’ll be making items in both digital and physical forms. E.g. producing and selling a piece of clothing as an NFT and then receiving the physical piece. This is just my perspective, and I could be wrong, but the way people work, the number of people who are aware of this new technology, and how most people react to something new, especially if it is digital, are enough reasons for me to think what I’ve written above.

Don’t get me wrong: I think it’s great. I’m thrilled and enthusiastic about everything that’s going on in this space right now, but I also feel that we’ll continue to see IRL clothing releases in the coming years. The probability of just Digital Clothing releases are about 100 percent after mass adoption and when the genuine Metaverse “idea” emerges. We never know what the following day will bring, therefore we must adapt to these changes, grow, and progress alongside them!

I’d want to ask you a few questions, which we may discuss in the comments or on my Twitter, where we can discuss them under this post’s post/thread:

1. What are your thoughts on digital fashion?

2. How do you believe this technology will change the industry?

3. Do you think fashion will be entirely digital in the future? If yes, when?

I hope you found this article interesting! Thank you kindly!

*The story was first published on Medium on January 26, 2022. I decided to relocate it here for a step-by-step migration in Web 3.0.

Have a wonderful day!