Fashion and the metaverse

For periods of the last 20 years, gamers have wrongly been dismissed as unfashionable and uncool. But as we all know the truth is very different. In Avakin, users pride themselves on curating eye-catching looks that wow the crowds.

They connect with bespoke in-house brands like CloudNine or Ikon, or redefine their styles in high street pieces from Nike, Superdry or Ray-Ban. And now, not only are some of our favourite fashion brands embracing the gaming industry, in many cases — they’ve become reliant on it.

While the non-digital world came to a standstill during the pandemic, the metaverse was more active than ever. In the past 12 months, more than 143,000,000 different purchases have been made on Avakin, and close to 4,000 new items produced to feed Avakins hunger for virtual fashions.

Hundreds of millions of hours were spent choosing the perfect shoes for a new dress, the right nails for that Special Event. Dressing to impress digitally is the new catwalk. And these huge numbers are just the start.

Past, present, and fashion

There’s no getting away from the fact that our lives have become digitalised beyond ways we could have previously imagined. And despite the world gradually opening up again, work meetings have been largely replaced by zoom calls, our shopping is still predominantly done online, and even the majority of our learning is being done virtually.

This could have presented an existential crisis for fashion brands. It’s an industry that has built its mythos and reputation around the physical — from catwalk shows to allowing potential customers to physically feel products. But the metaverse presents a new platform for discovery and connection with hungry buyers.

The idea that its biggest set pieces — the global Fashion Weeks could have become digital-first would have been laughable even a couple of years ago. But that’s exactly what they did — embracing technology to ensure the show went on.

While this move to digital may have been driven by necessity, it’s clear that there are real benefits to the fashion world becoming more digital-first. As a gaming company, we’ve recognised for some time that our world will play an instrumental role in furthering the conversation around virtual collections and more sustainable fashion.

Last year’s Fashion:Altered event was the perfect place to start this conversation. We enlisted the help of 7 international designers that place inclusivity, ethics and creativity at the heart of their work — just like we do.

The event was born out of a mutual desire to disrupt a world that is becoming more and more built around unnecessary waste. In just a few short weeks, more than 350,000 purchases of the designers’ items were made by Avakins. And not a single shred of cotton or wool was required.

Open to all

The ability to connect people on unparalleled levels is possibly the greatest weapon in the metaverse’s arsenal. Fashion’s biggest set pieces may historically have felt exclusive and out of reach for the average fan — but by moving to the metaverse they have become beacons of inclusivity.

Take Fashion Week — previously access was strictly gated — if you didn’t have the right connections you had to wait and see what media and influencers chose to share from the event.

But by moving to the metaverse, the event has gone from something people look on enviously to something they can take an active part in — attending shows, getting their hands on the latest products and helping drive buzz. The result? A fashion industry that feels more down-to-earth, accessible and attainable than ever before.

And in September, Avakin will dive into this connection with a series of fashion-focussed events — so keep your eyes peeled!

What happens now?

Fashion and the metaverse is here to stay. And we remain committed to advocating a space where users never feel out of place, or pressure to fit into a certain stereotype. There really is a look for everyone in Avakin.

Alongside that, if we can in any way contribute to derailing a process that commits to using 2,700 litres of water to make a single cotton shirt — we’d consider that a very positive start. Choose pixels, not threads.

Which brands or fashion experiences would you like to see in Avakin Life next? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or drop us a message on Instagram!