Blurring the Lines Between the Physical and Digital: An A-Z of Those Shaping the Future of Fashion

The fashion industry has changed more in the last 24 months than it has in the last 24 years.

The rise of NFTs, 3D worlds, and digital fashion is revolutionizing the way we think about style and self-expression. As Metaverse Fashion Week prepares its virtual catwalks for the 2nd time, we’ve taken the opportunity to reflect on just how much progress has been made. Our A-Z compilation of companies and individuals showcases those who are seamlessly integrating the physical and digital realms of fashion, adopting web3 technology, and paving the way for the future of fashion.

Magnopus’ Director of Innovation, Sol Rogers, spoke about all things future of fashion and merging the digital and physical on BBC 5 Live’s show Wake Up To Money. To hear the full chat, click here.

Auroboros

Auroboros is a fashion brand that combines science, technology, and traditional haute couture with digital-only ready-to-wear clothing. Founded by Lee Alexander McQueen, Auroboros is committed to innovation, sustainability, and immersive design. The fashion house has gained widespread recognition and has been featured in top media outlets such as Vogue, BBC, and Forbes for its groundbreaking aesthetic language and technological advancements in the fashion industry.

Balenciaga

Balenciaga has reimagined the fashion industry by embracing technology and innovation, paving the way for other luxury brands to follow suit. In 2021, the luxury label became the first to release an NFT capsule collection in the videogame Fortnite. Balenciaga has also collaborated with Meta to create a VR experience that showcases its fashion collection. On its own website, the brand has released virtual reality experiences featuring its latest collections in immersive 3D environments. Balenciaga’s efforts in the metaverse demonstrate its commitment to innovation and its willingness to explore new ways of engaging with consumers.

Carlings

Carlings is a Scandinavian retailer renowned for its outlandish clothing concepts that aim to tackle growing concerns of sustainability within the fashion industry. The brand released the world’s first digital-only clothing collection in 2018, titled Neo-Ex. It was a striking demonstration of rapid and customized e-commerce for virtual products, with the purpose of promoting eco-consciousness about the impact of excessive consumption and the disposal of unused garments.

All of the pieces in the Neo-Ex collection were solely available as 3D digital models that could be overlaid on any body. Each garment was guaranteed a perfect fit with the help of the company’s “digital tailors.” Without the need for a physical garment the manufacturing and shipping process was entirely cut out, ensuring the collection left no carbon footprint. Taking another step towards eliminating throwaway culture, Carlings has also created an augmented reality T-shirt that lets customers switch up the designs using filters.

DRESSX

DRESSX is the largest fashion multi-brand store of digital collections from well-known brands and 3D designers. Their vision is to produce less, to produce more sustainably, and not to produce at all when it comes to clothing. They believe that the amount of clothing produced today is way greater than humanity needs, so aim to show that some clothes can exist only in their digital versions. Users can try on digital looks via the and create their own MetaCloset.

Epic Games

Epic Games, the developer of the popular video game Fortnite, has made significant strides in the world of metaverse fashion. In collaboration with numerous fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, Burberry, and Nike, Epic Games has created virtual collections and experiences that allow players to engage with fashion in new and innovative ways. Epic Games’ efforts in the metaverse demonstrate the potential for video games to become a significant player in the fashion industry and the growing importance of virtual experiences in fashion marketing.

The Fabricant

The Fabricant , based in Amsterdam, was founded in 2018. It is a digital fashion house that specializes in creating and selling high-end virtual fashion pieces. Instead of using physical fabrics and materials, they utilize 3D modeling software and other digital tools to design and produce their garments. Their creations are not meant to be worn in the real world, but rather exist purely in the digital realm. The Fabricant has gained significant attention and acclaim for their innovative approach to fashion, and they have collaborated with a range of high-profile brands and artists including Puma, Napapijri, Buffalo London and Soorty Enterprises — a sustainable textile manufacturing company based in Karachi, Pakistan.

Their work challenges traditional notions of what fashion can be and opens up new possibilities for creative expression in the digital age.

Gucci

One of the earliest metaverse movers, has embarked on several initiatives that have propelled the Italian luxury brand to new fashion heights. Gucci created its own metaverse experience in The Sandbox and was the first major luxury brand to build a digital world in the metaverse platform. Gucci’s experience features “Gucci Vault Land,” an experimental space where users go on a journey through the fashion brand’s history through games and NFTs

House of Web3

House of Web3 (HW3) is a unique and groundbreaking retail platform that allows artists, innovators, and creators to own a fractional share in the platform. This means that every member of the community has a stake in the success of HW3 and can participate in decision-making processes related to the platform’s operations. By harnessing the power of blockchain technology, HW3 ensures that ownership and control of the platform remain decentralized, transparent, and accessible to all. This innovative approach to ownership and community engagement sets HW3 apart from traditional retail platforms and underscores its commitment to empowering artists and creators to thrive in the digital age.

ILONA SONG

ILONA SONG, founder and designer of the eponymous brand, is revolutionizing the fashion industry with her Phygital Fashion House based in Los Angeles. Drawing inspiration from her multicultural heritage, she creates visionary and sophisticated designs that seamlessly merge technology with fashion. With a focus on utilizing digital fashion tools like AR, authenticity chips, blockchain, and AI, ILONA SONG is bridging the gap between physical and digital experiences to create a curated lifestyle brand and a groundbreaking fashion business model.

Johanna Jaskowska

A pioneering next-gen digital creative, Johanna Jaskowska works in the realm of augmented reality, exploring the possibilities of technology. Drawing on cutting-edge tech, she takes inspiration from cinema, photography, beauty, and concepts of the future and identity. She created the world’s first digital haute couture blockchain garment . “Iridescence” sold at auction for $9,500.

Kraken

As one of the largest and oldest Bitcoin exchanges in the world, has been at the forefront of the blockchain revolution since 2011. This year, Kraken returns to MVFW with a fashion-themed infinite NFT gallery, giving visitors the opportunity to experience a curated collection of projects that are leading the way in the design and style of digital identities/avatars.

Larissa Castellano Pucci

Larissa Castellano Pucci is passionate about the crossover between fashion and technology. She has curated many collections, the most recent being with the aforementioned DRESSX — inspired by the wonders of the sea, from the froth of a wave to the movement of a jellyfish. Digital fashion allows designers like Larissa to explore new frontiers of creativity, and imagine clothes made of fabrics that could never exist. This collection was about leaning into the surreal and making dresses that shimmer like fish scales or even bloom. Two items from the capsule collection were selected to be part of Crypto Fashion Week 2022 .

MICHAEL KORS

Michael Kors is a well-known fashion brand that has shown interest in virtual and augmented reality technologies. In 2018, Michael Korrs launched the first-ever AR advert on Facebook. Customers were able to virtually try on and purchase the sunglasses directly within the Facebook app. Additionally, Michael Kors uploaded the AR experience to Facebook’s Camera Effects as an organic feature for anyone in the world to use. The brand shows a willingness to embrace new technologies and engage customers in innovative ways.

Nike

Sporting giant has embraced virtual fashion and has created digital products that allow customers to express their style in the digital realm. For example, the company launched the “Nike Fit” feature, which uses augmented reality to scan customers’ feet and recommend the best shoe size for them. Nike has also partnered with popular virtual worlds like Roblox to offer digital sneakers that players can wear in-game and has been exploring the potential of blockchain technology to create digital ownership and scarcity of its products. In 2022, the brand launched a new web3-enabled platform for its virtual designs and digital community, called Swoosh. Users can create, purchase, and potentially earn royalties from interactive digital objects such as virtual shoes or jerseys. These efforts have helped position Nike as a leader in the rapidly-evolving digital fashion and metaverse landscape.

Oluwaseyi Sosanya

Oluwaseyi Sosanya is an engineer, innovator, and creator of the (and VR app GravitySketch ). In his final year at the Royal College of Art, he explored the production and performance of 3D woven textile structures — called ‘The Structure of Protection’. Sosanya created a loom that can weave in three dimensions and used it to create a shoe sole. Working closely with technical textile designer Sophie Zajicek , they explored three-dimensional textile structures produced with traditional methods, including honeycomb, weaves that Zajicek had developed.

Phygicode

Metaverse consortium and brand incubator, , is launching “Phygicode Dress” at this year’s MVFW. It’s a collaboration with Decentraland community creators, re-imagining an iconic dress by fashion designer Rubin Singer. The dress combines the physical and digital worlds, using a combination of sensors, LEDs, and other advanced technologies to create an immersive and interactive fashion experience. The dress responds to movements and changes in the wearer’s environment, making it a dynamic and responsive piece of wearable technology. This marks a significant step forward for Phygicode, which has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the intersection of fashion and technology. The company’s innovative approach to fashion design and technology has garnered attention and acclaim from industry experts and fashion enthusiasts alike.

Queens of the Metaverse

Queens of the Metaverse brought digital fashion to a drag show, resulting in an immersive cross-reality display. The innovative concept amalgamates drag, fashion, art, performance, and the metaverse in one space, with no one component eclipsing the other. Three unique pieces were created by three aspiring designers using virtual reality, augmented reality, and Meta’s Horizon Workrooms and then translated into physical garments, worn by three renowned drag artists.

RTFKT

RTFKT uses the latest in game engines, NFT, blockchain authentication, and augmented reality, combined with manufacturing expertise to create one-of-a-kind sneakers and digital artefacts. In February 2021, RTFKT sold 600 pairs of digital sneakers in under seven minutes, racking in some $3.1 million in sales. Nike acquired RTFKT in 2021.

Salvatore Ferragamo

Salvatore Ferragamo is a luxury fashion brand primarily known for its high-end leather goods and footwear, but it has also made strides in the digital fashion and metaverse space. In 2020, Salvatore Ferragamo launched an immersive digital experience called “Walking Stories,” which combined fashion, film, and technology to create an interactive journey through the brand’s history and collections. Additionally, Salvatore Ferragamo has partnered with a blockchain-based platform to authenticate and track the ownership of its products. In 2022, Salvatore Ferragamo opened its new Soho Concept Store which aims to become a new hub where guests can feel part of an immersive shopping experience. It hosts a variety of different experiential elements designed together with the multidisciplinary New York-based design studio . This included a collaboration with New York-based digital artist to launch a new NFT installation and a limited-edition capsule collection of a t-shirt and a sweatshirt featuring an exclusive graphic print.

Tangpoko DCL

An official MVFW supermodel, is the founder of House of Tang and a founding member of the DCL Babydolls, an influential group of artists and creators in Decentraland. Specializing in 3D design, live experience curation, talent, and event management. Tangpoko has a passion for assisting brands, projects, and individuals entering the metaverse in an impactful way. Tang is also an Advisory Board member for Elite World Group Women in Web3 Council. The group is looking at fashion and particularly women’s innovation and diversity in fashion.

UNXD

UNXD is a curated NFT marketplace for the best of digital luxury and culture, featuring NFTs from Dolce&Gabbana, Jacob & Co., and more. Created by the team behind prominent international editions of both Vogue and WIRED, UNXD focuses on creating and curating significant digital cultural moments. With a team from the luxury/culture and physical world, UNXD’s NFTs aim to bring “tangibility” into the NFT space by intertwining the digital and physical worlds.

Valentino

Valentino released a digital couture collection in November 2020 that was sold as NFTs on the digital marketplace, OpenSea. The collection featured 12 unique designs, and each piece was accompanied by a digital certificate of authenticity. The brand also debuted , an interactive virtual reality environment that invited users to experience the lifestyle of the brand’s creative designer, Pierpaolo Piccioli. The villa also contained interactive items: a red phone with a voice recording, a record player with a curated Spotify playlist, and, of course, Valentino accessories, including the new Roman Stud Chain Bag that could be purchased with a click.

Vivienne Westwood

“Dear Vivienne “ — The Digital Design Community Pays Tribute to the Punk Queen of Fashion: Vueltta has created an immersive installation in honor of the late fashion icon Vivienne Westwood that will be displayed during MVFW23. Part memorial, part gaming experience, the installation was created to encourage people to learn more about the designer’s life and work. Vueltta is an international art collective producing immersive installations in Decentraland, was co-founded by creators Adrián Martínez and Bay Backner, who work at the intersection of fine art and metaverse technologies.

XR COUTURE

XR Couture is a company at the forefront of digital wearables and virtual fashion. They specialize in creating cutting-edge digital clothing and accessories that can be worn in virtual and augmented reality environments. By combining technology and fashion, XR Couture is redefining what it means to wear clothes in the digital age. Their designs range from sleek and futuristic to playful and whimsical, and they work with a range of clients, from video game developers to fashion brands. XR Couture’s designs can be customized and tailored to fit specific needs, making them a versatile and innovative option.

Yuchen Zhang

Yuchen Zhang is a New York-based designer, educator, and entrepreneur in fashion technology. She is the founder of SWATCHBOOK, a digital platform for textile and material sourcing. With a degree in Textile Development and Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Zhang has worked with major fashion brands and taught fashion technology and sustainability at Parsons School of Design. She is a leading figure in fashion technology and has been recognized with awards such as the CFDA+ Design Graduates Award and the WGSN Futures Award, as well as featured in publications like Vogue and Forbes.

Zara

Zara is no stranger to using emerging technology. In 2018, the Spanish fashion giant started experimenting with augmented reality, releasing an AR app and placing AR displays in 120 stores around the world. Since then, Zara has doubled down on its metaverse efforts. In 2021, it entered a partnership with Zepeto, a South Korean metaverse with nearly 300 million users, and fashion collective Ader Error to launch its latest collection in a virtual world.

Originally published at https://www.magnopus.com on March 27, 2023.