Renaissance Of Fashion In The Metaverse

Adriana Hoppenbrouwer-Pereira, co-founder of digital fashion house The Fabricant, discusses the renaissance of fashion in the metaverse.

- Chandreyee Ray And Mira Purnamasari

The metaverse is much closer to home than one would expect. Think back to the days of lockdown, when an aching need for human connection birthed a new, digital way of life. As a replacement for in-person interactions, the population gravitated to their screens, spending the bulk of their days online—whether they were working and socialising through Zoom or immersing themselves in simulation games like Animal Crossing.

The COVID-19 virus and its consequences have now become endemic. Over time, living in the virtual realm has become second nature, no matter your age. We have developed a dependency on face filters and spent hours customising avatars to achieve our likeness. The next step in achieving full self-expression online? Constructing a virtual wardrobe robust enough to match our sense of style.

Welcome to the new world (wide web)

Web 3.0 has brought with it virtual wardrobes, the latest phenomenon to hit the fashion industry. As hyperrealistic digital garments garner ever-growing interest, some of the biggest names in fashion are joining the movement—from Balenciaga’s gamified clothing collection on Fortnite to Dolce&Gabbana’s collaboration with UNXD, creating NFTs accompanied by custom physical pieces.