With Metaverse’s growing popularity, the digitalization of the fashion industry is inevitable, but for it to gain traction in the mainstream, we still need new technologies and digital breakthroughs.
The digital fashion industry has advanced so much that it now needs its own fashion week. This includes runway shows, new collections presentations and public talks as well as parties with DJs. Decentraland was the first virtual fashion platform built using Ethereum. The inaugural digital fashion week took place March 24-27 2022.
Highlights of the 2022 Meta Fashion Week
The Metaverse Fashion Week (MVFW), featured over 60 fashion labels and more than 500 looks, according to reports. Other highlights included four after-parties, and appearances by well-known artists during the event’s four-day duration.
Selfridges, Bulova, Estée Lauder, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, and Etro were among the many prominent brands and stores present at the event.
The MVFW was a completely free event open to all visitors on Decentraland, where visitors could purchase the fashion brands’ NFTs using the platform’s native decentralized cryptocurrency MANA via their digital wallets.
Exclusive digital events were also part of the MVFW. VIP events featured runway shows, tech demonstrations and meet-and greets with designers.
Selfridges Store Opening
Selfridges was a London-based retail company that launched its flagship store. This shop featured NFTs of the actual exposition held in London. It featured Paco Rabanne and Victor Vasarely’s work that had influenced it. collection. NFT clothes and Fondation Vasarely art could be purchased by players. These are non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. They can be found in Decentraland’s virtual shop.
The Selfridges new store is said to be inspired by the retailer’s Birmingham store and offers a guided tour of past works, history, and highlights using NFTs.
Estée Lauder Launches NFT Wearable
Estée Lauder introduced an original NFT wearable based on its famous product, Advanced Night Repair, in collaboration with metaverse artist Alex Box.
The MVFW offered a restricted number of free Advanced Night Repair NFTs for the duration.
By walking virtually inside the Advanced Night Repair’s “Little Brown Bottle” and unlocking a Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) badge, users could claim one NFT wearable to give their avatars a distinctive illuminating aura.
Estée Lauder was the only beauty brand at Decentraland.
Bulova Launches the Computrom-Watch Version
Bulova, a watchmaker, collaborated with D-Cave, a “lifestyle metaverse marketplace,” to provide a reimagined version of their renowned Computrom wristwatch.
Visitors can also purchase NFT watches in physical and wearable avatars.
The watch’s Special Edition version is only available as NFT and is limited to 1,000 pieces. You can choose from black or green, and the case has an exhibiting crystal top which shows off the circuit board. D-CAVE says it has a black IP stainless steel box and matching bracelet that features dual time zone functionality.
Bulova, a watchmaker, collaborated with D-Cave, a “lifestyle metaverse marketplace,” to provide a reimagined version of their renowned Computrom wristwatch.
Visitors can also purchase NFT watches in physical and wearable avatars.
The watch’s Special Edition version is only available as NFT and is limited to 1,000 pieces. You can choose from black or green, and the case has an exhibiting crystal top which shows off the circuit board. D-CAVE says it has a black IP stainless steel box and matching bracelet that features dual time zone functionality.
Bulova will accept cryptocurrency payments via BitPay to purchase the Standard Edition Computron CAVE. It is believed that it costs USD 450.
Dolce & Gabbana’s First Runway Presentation at MVFW
Dolce & Gabbana debuted a collection of designs on the MVFW runway featuring feline models.
The cat-faced models posed on what appeared to be a galactic discotheque, wearing distinctive D&G clothes, including a yellow dress with the brand logo printed all over it.
Fresh Couture was among the first to present a catwalk.
Philipp Plein Show
Philipp Plein opened his show with a massive skull as the brand’s symbol. Opened by Philipp Plein, the skull’s tongue revealed models as they walked through the show. Philip Plein’s fans will be seen wearing sparkling glasses or respirator masks.
On the brand’s website, prices for skins sold right off the runway ranged from $1,500 for Moon $urfer to $15,000 for Platinum $urfer. You get a bonus with these skins: A little skeleton perched on your shoulder. It is the most likely price to be justified.
Plein hosted a party for everyone following the show. Plein posted from home bragging about how his new garments had been displayed. The designer was wearing his brand’s unique skin: a cat-eared helmet. The metaverse is full of cats.
Etro’s New Liquid Paisley Pattern
Etro’s digital collection launched the new Liquid Paisley pattern, a modern spin on one of the brand’s most well-known motifs, in a vibrant palette of fresh and happy colors, with a gender flexible approach influenced by Etro’s open and inclusive vision.
The entire event took place in Decentraland’s digital Luxury Fashion District. As part of this, Etro is creating its first virtual pop-up store, where customers will be able to purchase Etro’s ready-to-wear and accessories and customize their avatars with collection items.
Veronica Etro was the womenswear creative director.
Sophia Robot Attends Metaverse Fashion Week
It was Metaverse Fashion Week’s highlight, with Sophia arriving, the famous humanoid robot that Hanson Robotics from Hong Kong created. Sophia visited many places around Decentraland, especially in and around MVFW sites like Rarible Fresh Drip Zone.
Decentraland invited visitors to discover Sophia anywhere on the platform and tweet selfies with her using the hashtag #findingsophiatherobot. Users were then able to enter a NFT giveaway.
Rarible’s Fresh Drip Zone
Rarible’s Fresh Drip Zone, inspired by the streets of New York City, included pop-up stores from 12 companies, including PUMA, Fred Segal, and Perry Ellis.
In the Fresh Drip Zone, you will also find other designers such as Artisant, Placebo and Girl Gang Label.
Crypto Couture also offered special collections of Vault Swiss watches as well as Miss J.
The area’s center was home to a Rarible shop in a dome shape. It featured unique NFTs and curates original items. In-store raffles were also available.
Marc-O-Matic
Marc-O-Matic was an independent artist that opened a store at Metaverse Fashion Week. Visitors to the store could find intriguing products such as the Space Jockey 3-piece set that resembled futuristic spacesuits.
The designer expressed gratitude to Metakey and Rarible via Twitter.
Dundas World
Dundas World, a fashion designer from New York City, closed the show by displaying a collection of digital clothes at its boutique in the Luxury Fashion District.
The UNXD fashion show and store featured a handpicked capsule of the brand’s latest looks, which were available for pre-order on the brand’s official website. Peter Dundas created bespoke outfits only for the MVFW.
Grimes’ Show Pulls the Curtains on MVFW
At the event’s conclusion, singer-songwriter Claire Elise Boucher, better known as Grimes, took the MVFW by storm with an electric DJ set for the spectators.
At the MVFW, the AUROBOROS X Grimes performance featured a huge set which appeared to combine nature with the sky. Participants were observed scaling a huge spiral staircase up to what looked like a suspended platform.
Closing Thoughts
After five days of watching MVFW, it’s exciting to see so many brands participating in the new chapter of fashion history, even if they couldn’t predict the outcome of this experiment. The shows didn’t turn out the way the brands expected, as seen by posts on their social media platforms. The reason is that brands chose to post the best photographs at the exhibition, instead of simple images and pixelated avatars.
The visuals may have been created to bring back memories and then amaze viewers with stunning results and developments of how MVFW’s future will look.
Now all we can hope for is a more technologically advanced fashion week. Balenciaga is the leader in digital fashion within the luxury world.
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