Despite both luxury stalwarts and indie creatives embracing digital fashion, the industry’s mainstream breakthrough is proving a long slog. A new cross-platform initiative, spearheaded by some of virtual fashion’s leading disruptors, is intended to change that.
The Digital Fashion Designers’ Council, set to officially launch Tuesday next week, is the latest project striving to bring Web3 closer to the masses. Established by Cashlab founder David Cash, its board boasts a lengthy roster of digital fashion proponents, including: ShowStudio founder and star photographer Nick Knight; Red Dao founding member Megan Kaspar; 3D artist Antoni Tudisco; Vogue Singapore publisher Bettina Von Schlippe; DressX founders Daria Shapovalova and Natalia Modenova; 9dcc founder Gmoney; Draup founder Dani Loftus; and co-founder of the Institute of Digital Fashion, Leanne Elliot-Young.
Other supporters include Beyond Studio, Mad Global, Threedium, Karta, and Fffaceme.
The goal is simple but ambitious. With phygital fashion still struggling to translate to certain formats, the Council has designed a new tool – coined Reality Spectrum Matrix – which aims to present virtual looks across multiple channels and platforms, including headsets, metaverses, social media, and gaming.
Over the next few months, the initiative will unveil its groundbreaking proof-of-concept development via a series of events (as part of its “Fashion Week Connect” roadmap) alongside several major fashion brands.
The first port of call is The Digital Fashion Film Festival in September. In partnership with Nick Knight’s ShowStudio, the event will showcase fashion films featuring the likes of Charli XCX and Naomi Campbell, as well as brands including Balenciaga, Loewe, and Bottega Veneta.
The initiative will also bring audiences up-close and personal with Dolce & Gabbana’s phygital NFT project Collezione Genesi. The drop, which raked in over $23 million dollars in sales in 2021, comprises a number of luxury phygital pieces and accompanying NFTs. The collection will be presented during a VIP-reception in Los Angeles in partnership with Red Dao.
Diesel has also joined to support the new venture run by the Digital Fashion Designers’ Council. The brand has teamed up with the board to spotlight its Metamorph Web3 project, which will involve showcasing its Vert watches in VR format.
Then there’s the upcoming Fashion Week calendar, which will see members of the Council flock to luxury ground zero Paris to team up with digital fashion startup FabriX and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. The nonprofit will also host several pop-ups across global fashion hubs, like New York and London.
It’s a huge step in the right direction for digital fashion which, while having made strides over the past few years in terms of its development, has had to grapple with reticent communities, nascent technologies, and a reputation for turbulence.
But whether the Digital Fashion Designers’ Council can achieve its goal is another story. While backing from some of fashion’s most prominent names is undoubtedly beneficial, the success of the Council ultimately depends on its ability to fulfill its promises of making phygital fashion a more seamless, interoperable, and enjoyable experience for consumers.
- Brunello Cucinelli’s new AI-powered website has drawn in more than 10,000 daily queries since its official launch on July 16, according to new reports. The site, which takes viewers on a journey through the timeline of the brand, invites users to ask its AI chatbot – Solomei AI – questions about the label, its namesake designer, and more.
- Digital store developer Emperia has once again teamed up with Walmart to launch the “Walmart Realm”. Aimed at students, the experience enables young audiences to explore a series of immersive virtual ‘dorm rooms’ created by digital artists. Each room comprises unique mini-games, activities, and shopping functionalities.
