Luxury clothing can now be made in Silicon Valley. Instead of clothing made via (most likely exploitative) labor, it can now be made from lines of code and a computer. Except this doesn’t just stop at clothing, imagine a whole reality built in binary and you’ve more or less thought up the metaverse. There isn’t a precise definition for this, as it’s fairly new, but it’s being branded as a sort of digital reality for the time being(1). According to “godmother of the metaverse” Cathy Hackl (also the CEO of Futures Intelligence Group), it’s the future of the Internet, dubbed Web 3.0. For context, Web 1.0 expedited the spread of information, Web 2.0 connected people, and Web 3.0 is all of that but on steroids, which is to say, faster at connecting people, locations and things(2).

Facebook’s rebranding from social media platform to metaverse company “Meta” signifies an ongoing cultural shift where digital assets are increasingly of value(3). At its core, social media is an avenue for socializing, and the shift to metaverse is simply one with an upgraded environment to do so (albeit a very Black Mirror-esque one). In a way, it’s the gamification of life, where all aspects of living are translated virtually; kind of like playing Sims, except you are the main character.

In June 2021, a Gucci Dionysus bag sold for 350,000 Robux (digital Roblox money, approximately US $4,115), and the brand recently bought virtual land in the digital world platform “Sandbox”. Practically every brand from Burberry to Adidas has made (and sold) an NFT. Most recently, gaming platform Decentraland announced the first-ever MVFW (Metaverse Fashion Week) where Hugo (the rebranded one-half of Hugo Boss) confirmed its attendance, but the list of participants is still being kept secret so far(4).

So why are fashion brands frolicking to digital spaces? As ABBA would put it, money, money, money (Unrelated note: ABBA is relevant only because of Mamma Mia). The Venn diagram between younger generations immersing themselves in the virtual world and the majority of future consumers is basically a circle(5). Digital identity is important to these digitally-native generations, and that prioritization extends towards digital assets(6). In other words, brands need to keep up with the trends in order to stay relevant.

From digital influencers to digital runways, how does the metaverse change the way fashion is consumed?

Digital Product, Digital Waste

We all know sustainability is a big topic, now more than ever with younger consumers(7) (it’s a known fact but still cited as I am but a lowly student). One of the biggest issues in fashion is the “wear once, never again” mindset prevalent in the curation of our digital identities(8). The philosophy of sustainability also inherently contradicts the innovation demanded by the fashion industry. The need for newness and avoidance of outfit repetition can be fulfilled with digital clothing, which some believe to one day surpass the need for tangible clothing(9).

For brands, digitalization can mean an optimised production process, cutting down on the number of garments made as a whole so waste in the design and fitting process can be minimised. The use of digital samples and prototypes, digital clothing for promotion and augmented reality for customer feedback help ensure that less garments are made unnecessarily(10).

Independent Digital Fashion Scene

For now, the newness of the metaverse still presents the opportunity for a level playing field(11). Independent designers can more easily build a reputation within a digital space that translates into reality, all without massive financial backing. Of course, the digital fashion scene still largely reflects the real world, and as bigger conglomerates come on board, there will be less room for independent designers. We are already seeing corporate-backed projects overshadow independent designers and labels, which could mean potential collaborations between independents as they navigate this(12).

Creativity Unlimited

Without the limitations of a physical body and gravity, digital clothing can remove all pretense of functionality, focusing entirely on aesthetics. An interesting phenomenon of graphic designers entering the digital fashion scene has furthered the fashion-as-art mindset, with creations that do not submit to gender, size, or the human anatomy(13).

While the metaverse presents an alternate reality where individuals can be free from socio-economic, financial, and environmental limitations, it’s a futuristic concept still in the making(14). Brands are jumping on board without acknowledging the environmental impact of the blockchain, though the topic is still highly debated(15). Not to mention, living in a digital world without being a digital girl means our needs are still tangible, for which digital products can never be functional substitutes. As questionable as it is to have the future of the internet in the hands of mostly one company, the metaverse also presents huge opportunities to the world beyond fashion(16). As Demna Gvasalia puts it, “We live in the moment of change that is as dramatic as it is helpful.”

Pastore, A. (2021, December 17). What Does the Metaverse Represent to Digitally Native, Generation Z Consumers? WWD. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/quynh-mai-metaverse-generation-z-consumers-1235017991/
Tashjian, R. (2021, December 2). Why Is Fashion So Obsessed with the Metaverse? GQ. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.gq.com/story/metaverse-fashion-explainer
Pastore, A. (2021, December 17). What Does the Metaverse Represent to Digitally Native, Generation Z Consumers? WWD. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/quynh-mai-metaverse-generation-z-consumers-1235017991/
Gupta, M. S. (2022, February 11). Decentraland to host the first Metaverse Fashion Week in March, here are the details. Prestige Online - Singapore. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.prestigeonline.com/sg/style/fashion/decentraland-first-metaverse-fashion-week/
Ginsberg, B. (n.d.). Fashion Is Moving Into the Metaverse — Here’s What to Expect. Rolling Stones. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/fashion-is-moving-into-the-metaverse-heres-what-to-expect-1274264/
Michie, N. (2021, December 7). What The Metaverse Will Mean For The Fashion Industry. FASHION Magazine. https://fashionmagazine.com/style/fashion-metaverse/
Petro, G. (2021, December 10). Gen Z Is Emerging As The Sustainability Generation. Forbes. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2021/04/30/gen-z-is-emerging-as-the-sustainability-generation/
Morgan, M. (2015, June 9). Women have adopted throwaway fashion and bin clothes after a few wears. Mail Online. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3116962/Throwaway-fashion-Women-adopted-wear-culture-binning-clothes-wears-aren-t-pictured-outfit-twice-social-media.html
Nguyen, T. (2022, January 21). How digital fashion, the metaverse, and NFTs could change the fashion industry. Vox. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22893254/digital-fashion-metaverse-real-clothes
Nguyen, T. (2022, January 21). How digital fashion, the metaverse, and NFTs could change the fashion industry. Vox. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22893254/digital-fashion-metaverse-real-clothes
Tonti, L. (2021, October 8). Is there room in the metaverse for indie fashion labels? Australian designers hope so. The Guardian. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/oct/08/is-there-room-in-the-metaverse-for-indie-fashion-labels-australian-designers-hope-so
Tonti, L. (2021, October 8). Is there room in the metaverse for indie fashion labels? Australian designers hope so. The Guardian. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/oct/08/is-there-room-in-the-metaverse-for-indie-fashion-labels-australian-designers-hope-so
Nguyen, T. (2022, January 21). How digital fashion, the metaverse, and NFTs could change the fashion industry. Vox. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22893254/digital-fashion-metaverse-real-clothes
Sorilla, F., IV. (2022, January 24). Welcome To Decentraland, The Largest Metaverse Land So Far. Generation T. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://generationt.asia/ideas/welcome-to-decentraland-the-largest-metaverse-land-so-far
Calma, J. (2021, March 15). The climate controversy swirling around NFTs. The Verge. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change
Zimet, S. (2021, December 1). Three Amazing Benefits That Could Come From the Metaverse. Foundation for Economic Education. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://fee.org/articles/three-amazing-benefits-that-could-come-from-the-metaverse/