Is Virtual Reality Fashion’s Next Frontier?

Alongside the rise of CGI influencers including Lil Miquela, Bermuda, Shudu, and Imma, fashion brands have started making virtual clothes. For a few years now, cutting-edge designers at the forefront of the movement, such as The Fabricant, Happy99, Carlings, and Cat Taylor (DIGI-GAL), have been pushing the boundaries on what is tangible, creating virtual items that are rendered on real or hyperreal bodies. It’s a concept that very well may be the biggest fashion trend of 2020—apart from sweatsuits. With people spending more time indoors this year than ever, it’s no wonder interest in style that lives solely in the digital realm is gaining serious interest. As more brands jump on the bandwagon, digital innovation is growing: Price On Request, an IRL clothing brand based in Croatia, has started selling “upcycled” digital clothing during COVID-19, while months ago Hanifa staged a live 3-D fashion show on its social media platforms. Marc Jacobs has partnered with @AnimalCrossingFashionArchive to bring six of the brand’s favorite The Marc Jacobs pieces to the game. Designer Sandy Liang even hosted a digital pop-up that featured her latest collections and signature styles, bringing offline awareness to the nonprofit Give Directly. With brands already tapping into the space with smart and enjoyable user experiences, someday not so far off, virtual fashion could turn a real profit. Read more at Coveteur.