Fashion trends are here one minute and gone the next. Blink, and you’ll miss them. Except sometimes, you’ll get a trend that marks a change within the industry. Whether it was the rise of influencers or the push for comfort-driven fashion that create the athleisure craze, some trends give us an insight into the future of fashion.
In 2022, we’re seeing another of these monumental trends coming to life. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that the future of fashion is digital. We’re looking at the trends showing that brands are becoming more digitalised, from the metaverse to NFTs and in-game avatar fashion. In 2022, fashion is entering the third dimension.
- In-game avatar fashion
For years, digital games have included in-game purchases that give users specific perks, whether it’s extra coins or spare lives to complete a level. In the future, our avatars are going to be just as stylish as we are.
It’s easy to think that designer fashion in these games could be affordable. Status symbols take on a whole new life digitally. Gucci’s collaboration with the game Roblox saw their Queen Bee Dionysus bag being sold for more than its real-life sticker price.
Not every virtual Gucci bag is going to set you back US$4,000. An in-game avatar that is all about fashion, is Paris World which was launched by Paris Hilton. Users can buy almost anything from a real-life Gucci store as the metaverse is hosted within Roblox.
- Fashion and the metaverse
Fashion is an immerse experience – and the metaverse is opening up a world of endless possibilities. Soon, we’ll no longer be relying on influencers to give us a view from the front row of fashion week. Within the metaverse, you can expect to see brands offering customers a fully immerse experience by bringing fashion week to them at home.
Balenciaga showcased their fall 2021 collection through a bespoke video game, ‘Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow’, in partnership with Unreal Engine. The brand has even hired a ‘Chief Metaverse Officer’ to create a virtual line. While the game had a dystopian society, don’t be surprised when brands utilise this idea to bring fashion week into the metaverse.
- NFTs from fashion houses
NFTs are the next bitcoin. These digital tokens are stored within a blockchain and have a reproducible digital file to view. The metadata within the NFTs (non-fungible tokens) makes them unique. Early excitement and hype around NFTs have even led some people to suggest it can lead to a better return than the stock market.
But why are fashion houses jumping onto the NFT bandwagon? They offer a unique insight into customer behaviour and the opportunity to build brand awareness within the digital sphere.
Louis Vuitton launched a dedicated NFT game to mark the maison’s 200th anniversary. This game has allowed the French brand to test the waters around NFTs and luxury fashion without the risk of going all-in by focusing on low-value and free NFTs within the game. In 2022, the fashion industry is entering its next era. These are three trends determining the future of fashion in 2022 and beyond.
Photo credit: Vanity Teen
