METAVERSE Curiosity?  Watch out, what we know of Metaverse Fashion (MF) today may be considered fad or fringe, but looks compelling as a future business for the fashion industry?  PLUS British Fashion Council launched the Fashion Awards experience on Roblox and the first ever Fashion Award category for Materverse Design.  This new award recognizes a digital designer who pushes the boundaries and showcases excellence in digital fashion design within the metaverse.

If you are not up to speed on how virtual simulations are the new frontier in fashion, watch the video.

Globally, metaverse has grown out of gaming where $100 billion is spent annually on virtual goods. Three billion people (more than one-third of the world population) regularly play video games, of which 46% are women, and gaming is the preferred entertainment over watching or streaming TV and movies across all ages.  Dressing avatars in gaming is one aspect of MF; demand for fashion NFTs (non-fungible tokens) is rising; virtual stores, fashion runways, and more are part of the virtual space with endless upside possibilities.  When you think of how people dress in the physical world; using fashion as an identifier of style, personality, class, culture, or ethnicity; people will use dress in virtual spaces the same way.

Christina Wootton, VP of Brand Partnerships, Roblox said in a BFC press statement: “The next generation of designers are dressing avatars, and they are doing it on Roblox where anyone can be a creator, starting with their own online identity. Fashion is about what’s next and finding new voices with clear visions, and this talent is emerging in the metaverse. It is the global creative space for the next generation of designers who are bringing limitless self-expression opportunities to people around the world, setting new trends that are starting to move into real life, and sharing their expertise with top brands. This recognition from a powerful fashion institution declares loud and clear that this is the space to watch for future fashion trends and talent.”

This immersive form is emerging as we speak, where the technology is racing for best efficiencies; plus the social and cultural aspects are at play.  Think about this: the value of virtual fashion versus traditional ‘ownership’ fashion; or is there room for both; or will MF moves us to dematerialization – the path to sustainable fashion?

Suggested reading on metaverse fashion design education:

• FashionUnited – Fashion Design Education Matters for the Metaverse

Feature Image Credit: Flickr.com; Skyler Morningstar Areli; Bella – Exclusive Only @ Zenescope Metaverse Sim – NEW experience in Second Life!! | August 2021