Metaverse In Fashion

[BlueRuin]

Been seeing a rise in VR in fashion. From magazines and brands selling NFTs and digital clothing to creating their own metaverse - is this really the future of fashion? I'm seeing a ton of this come out especially in the Asian market.

Just read this article this morning:
How the Metaverse can revolutionize the fashion industry

The idea of the metaverse as the future seems like a fad to me and not what actual people want. I feel like I'm being force fed and am actually pretty repulsed by brands and magazines creating these "virtual worlds". Maybe its cause I'm in my 30s and am old fashion ha

What are y'alls thoughts?

 

[tigerrouge]

Sounds about as interesting as Second Life. At least when that was launched, the internet was still a tool, rather than an entire plane of existence in itself.

While I would love to say that, at some point, there could a generational swing away from the idea of being terminally online, with today's children regarding it as 'what your parents were doing 24/7 in the 2020s', you only have to look at what we've already been forced into accepting, by incremental changes to every aspect of society around us, and how hard it will be to come back from the dependence on doing everything online.

Usually these incremental changes are sold to you on the basis of 'convenience' and before you know it, everything you do (and are) can be tracked and hacked, and not for your benefit.

Projections of the metaverse are based on the idea that people will continue to accept this state of affairs.

Most manifestations of health issues take decades to come to light in a way that generally becomes accepted as 'the truth' - you can talk as much as you like about online identities, but the more people invest themselves into an online universe, the less energy is going into their actual physical and mental selves, which cannot be wished away by reading about the wonders of transhumanism or watching hours of superhero action. At some point, the consequences of this to your actual self cannot be ignored. The person can then either double-down on the fantasy world, or wise up to the real one.

”While not everyone can afford to buy a Balenciaga dress in real life, you might pick one for yourself in the digital world”. Now, that's going to be one short and sorry rush of dopamine.

 

[Benn98]

But at the core, fashion was never been open to the idea of tech. Just look at how long it took for them to adapt to the model of websites and social media. Anna Wintour had to be shamed out of using a flip phone! Maybe this time around they might be keener because they're dealing with a consumer that's always looking for something fresh and new? And they no longer hold the sway and fanfare they used to?

I think it's a trend that will pass. Much like the 'see now, buy now' trend that everyone believed would revolutionise shopping experiences. And in the end, it's the environment that must bear the brunt.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

I think there comes a point where in general everything is a little too online.

What I enjoy about fashion is the physical tangibility so once that is gone, the essence is kind of lost. Plus, I think this push adheres to a very airbrushed ideal of fashion that has been plaguing the industry since social media really took off. Look books and shoots are able to be digitally perfected whereas images from runways highlight poor seams, construction, fabric choices etc for those that aren't that great. It would be a much easier to sell mediocrity to the masses with the metaverse, because that is what social media already does I suppose, but why are we always having to settle for less?

Doesn't really feel like much of a co-existence either, it is bit of an all or nothing ultimatum. You live in the metaverse or you live in reality based on where you want most of your money and presence (*ahem* clout) put. Reminds me of the World of Warcraft episode of South Park.

Fashion and technology had such an exciting collision with the rise of SHOWStudio and Prada implementing similar ideas in their stores early on but now it's too much. This all just feels like some warped way of homogenising fashion into some flavourless amoeba whilst trying to pass it off as a way of "democratising/diversifying fashion"...

 

[Drusilla_]

thinking about it, it wouldn't ever fly. So much of the appeal of fashion is about image+tactility - well, in the metaverse so far your 'fashion' wearing avatars look like some poor quality video game and you don't even get to own a real thing. It was always targeted to gamers more than fashion people imo, the latter would rather just look at actual photographs of the things they want on instagram than buy "virtual" (with poor artwork/graphics) versions of them.

 

[ozztara]

thinking about it, it wouldn't ever fly. So much of the appeal of fashion is about image+tactility - well, in the metaverse so far your 'fashion' wearing avatars look like some poor quality video game and you don't even get to own a real thing. It was always targeted to gamers more than fashion people imo, the latter would rather just look at actual photographs of the things they want on instagram than buy "virtual" (with poor artwork/graphics) versions of them.

Sad thing is it's not even marketed towards gamers. It's marketed towards venture captialists, at least in my opinion, who don't understand the creative philosophies of either industry. Most people that play video games don't really see an value in the metaverse for entertainment. And I mean come on - a virtual space with avatars is hardly a groundbreaking concept, it's just Second Life - it's just marketed as one so investors can feel confident.

And a lot of gamers realise the textures are horrible - even the Sims is making better textures. Maybe I could be behind digital fashion if they employed more talented people to create textures, not just big brands that don't really know much about the process.

A lot of these collaborations, (i.e Burberry and Minecraft - wtf lol), feel so transparent it's almost insulting.

I think there comes a point where in general everything is a little too online.

What I enjoy about fashion is the physical tangibility so once that is gone, the essence is kind of lost. Plus, I think this push adheres to a very airbrushed ideal of fashion that has been plaguing the industry since social media really took off. Look books and shoots are able to be digitally perfected whereas images from runways highlight poor seams, construction, fabric choices etc for those that aren't that great. It would be a much easier to sell mediocrity to the masses with the metaverse, because that is what social media already does I suppose, but why are we always having to settle for less?

Doesn't really feel like much of a co-existence either, it is bit of an all or nothing ultimatum. You live in the metaverse or you live in reality based on where you want most of your money and presence (*ahem* clout) put. Reminds me of the World of Warcraft episode of South Park.

Fashion and technology had such an exciting collision with the rise of SHOWStudio and Prada implementing similar ideas in their stores early on but now it's too much. This all just feels like some warped way of homogenising fashion into some flavourless amoeba whilst trying to pass it off as a way of "democratising/diversifying fashion"...

And literally so true. It's not trying to democratize fashion because things like NFTs and the metaverse thrive off exclusivity even more than traditional fashion mediums do. There are ways to incoperate technology to democratize it - very simple, cost effective ways - but hey that wouldn't be fostering the fashion elites sense of superiority so...

 

[ModelAgent]

I am member in another dedicated thread for the metaverse, regarding web development / design / domaining.

All I can say from my point of view, is, that the metaverse is laid on ice. - For the moment.

There is no to almost no development going on in the niche of indie developers (which are very important for an eco system to grow and become widespread among different communities of gamers, employees, etc.).


The idea of the metaverse is being hold up by big companies like Meta of course, or to some extent Microsoft (when it comes to work & collaboration environments in VR).

Apple is also still holding to the development of its new AR headsets, that might come out at the end of the year,

but AR is a whole new spectrum that will need more time to come into the focus than metaverse VR (full immersive reality).
It will most likely also need more work & hardware-tech development, as you need to fit it all into thinner glasses
(hence Apple is taking so long for it).


In generell there is no prediction to make, as when the metaverse might become (really) mainstream.

Factors are low price & tech sufficiency.
Both aren't on a sufficient level yet.

(Prices are way too high, even for low end VR glasses).


However, if you are into the game of digital products, you might check out the niche of phygitals
(digital collectibles, that can be acquired and then produced in real life).

That has more to do with the NFT space; however it is at least something that is working in real life, and not just in theory.

 

[Nimsay]

NFTs lol.

 

[ModelAgent]

NFTs lol.

Phygitals are NFTs, that are ment to be produced in real life.

For example a logo for a shirt, or something equal
(things, that might be produced with 3d printers as well).

Phygitals are not NFTs per se,
but I get what you mean

; )

 

[Nimsay]

Phygitals are NFTs, that are ment to be produced in real life.

For example a logo for a shirt, or something equal
(things, that might be produced with 3d printers as well).

Phygitals are not NFTs per se,
but I get what you mean

; )

I'm sorry I just don't get exploited by bankers. All that is just the bankers coming up with more hoops for the middle classes to jump through.

The people associated with NFTs are the usual get-rich-quick lowlives who really think they're gonna be warren buffet.