Into the Metaverse; How the gods of the Fashion Industry Blur the Lines of Design and Technology

An Essay reflection of the Metaverse, Gamification of Fashion, Emerging Technologies and How it Affects the House of Moschino

Giddings, Lauryn. The Heart of Kalpana Final Lineup. 2024. Lauryn Giddings, https://lauryngiddings.com. Accessed 23 June 2024.

Imagine a world where there’s an eclipsing blue sun, and its shadow stretches over a cyberpunk city filled with otherworldly fashion. Creatures wearing dresses whisper fire at every step they take, or garments with a swarm of butterflies erupt from their seams. The nature of their garments, accessories, and unnatural abilities defy the very physics and our understanding of what we knew to be possible. The creation of these ethereal, fantastical clothes may not be able to be constructed in our reality but in another. The idea of a virtual reality is known as the Metaverse. It is responsible for the current transition and transformation of the Internet 3.0. The Metaverse is an umbrella term for virtual and augmented reality, affecting many Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) markets. According to Jaesuk Jung, Jihye Yu, Yuri Seo, and Enju ko (2021), authors of Consumer experiences of virtual reality: Insights from VR luxury brand fashion shows, the earliest ideas of virtual reality date back to the 90s. “While VR has only recently begun to emerge as a mainstream communication device, the socio-cultural discourses depicting the ‘future’ role of VR-like cyberspace technologies have been popularized for decades” (Jung et al., 2021). Despite the technology being relatively new, its rise in popularity has entrepreneurs such as Andrew Kiguel, CEO and co-founder of Tokens.com, flocking to buy digital land in the Metaverse’s fashion districts (“Tokens.com Acquires,” 2022). The Metaverse has created opportunities for many fashion houses, brands, and labels to dip their toes in digital reality with platforms such as Roblox, The Sims, The Dematerialized, etc. In addition, there have been countless new collaborations amongst companies such as Dolce & Gabbana and UNXD, and Gucci & Sims Content Creators. With the fashion industry exploring new avenues with the rise of advanced technologies, the possibilities for unique, eye-catching creations are endless.

The fashion industry encompasses technology in forms such as 3-D printing, virtual and augmented reality, biomaterials, artificial intelligence, and the virtual gamification of fashion. The rise of e-commerce introduced the idea of digital fashion at the beginning of the 21st century. “Wearable Computers” was the fashion term coined for digital fashion products on e-commerce websites. Now, the phrase collectively represents all fashion that has integrated technological practices into their creation and has a habitat in a virtual or semi-virtual space.

The House of Moschino has become involved with the new technology through its collaboration with the Sims 4 Community on August 13, 2019. Although Moschino has experience in the gamification of fashion, its activity in the Metaverse is small. For example, even though Moschino live-streamed their SS17 “Menswear and Women's Resort Collections” through VR, the company has yet to create 3-D dimensional objects for the Metaverse. Nor have they recently implemented virtual creations into their development for current collections.

Nevertheless, Moschino has potential in the Metaverse due to its inherently performative fashion shows and unique garments. According to Brandingmag, “...[Moschino’s] collections are playing with material and shapes, but in the end, every collection is a girl’s dream – it’s sophisticated but different, classic but extravagant. There are beautiful candy colors and clothes that remind us of cotton candy.” (Radovic, 2011). According to Vogue, Moschino is the go-to brand for girls who “love to shock” onlookers (Pike, 2015). So how does Moschino continue to retain its shock value in nontraditional ways through a landscape that is going virtual?

A way of bringing Moschino fashion shows to the next level is through augmented reality. Virtual reality fashion shows live-streamed through headsets are nothing new; however, the combination of virtual and physical realities in a fashion show is rare. A collaboration between GIANTSTEP and THE STUDIO K was a fashion show containing physical and virtual models. League of Legends uses AR technology for its League of Legends Worlds annual ceremony. Moschino could take their FW22 “Cyberpunk Menswear, Remixed” Collection and make a sci-fi augmented reality fashion show. There could be a combination of physical and virtual models fashioned by Moschino’s designs. Holograms of accessories and models could strut down the runway.

The advantage of incorporating this form of augmented reality into a Moschino fashion show is what Fashion North, would describe as “avant-garde” of Moschino (Gamble-Gittings, 2021). It’s on brand for Moschino not to fit in the box, which would only strengthen its reputation of being eccentric. Competitively, a collection marketed in such a way could grasp the public’s attention. The disadvantage of implementing this technology is that it will be costly. The prices can hurt their image of attempting to be more affordable through their labels, such as Love Moschino. “Love Moschino (previously Moschino Jeans) is the main diffusion line to the Moschino luxury brand…Love Moschino’s main purpose is to provide most of the fun and irreverence that Moschino is famous for, at a fraction of the price” (Linvelles). In an attempt to reach lower socioeconomic consumers, hosting an augmented fashion show can potentially increase the prices of garments, inevitably alienating the Love Moschino consumer target audience. Threats that Moschino may face in creating an augmented reality fashion show is the overwhelming amount of preparation the fashion show would take, perhaps allowing competitors to execute the idea before the Moschino House can.

Americans spend 7 hours looking at screens daily, according to research from DataReportal (Moody, 2022). Statistics from McAfee show that, on average, children play video games for 2.13 hours daily; it’s no wonder virtual fashion has grown immensely in popularity over recent years (Cahillane, 2018). Many companies strategically collaborated with gaming companies that have the potential to host virtual realities, and companies such as Gucci took advantage of the gamification of fashion. Gucci collaborated with the Sims 4 custom content creators, Harrie and Grimcookies, to create a collection called “Off the Grid.”

GUCCI OFF THE GRID X SIMS 4 COMMUNITY. 2020. GUCCI, https://www.gucci.com/us/en/st/stories/article/gucci-off-the-grid-x-the-sims-shoppable. Accessed 23 June 2024.

Bringing up Gucci and its ties with the gamification of fashion is essential because they are active in projects in virtual realities. Gucci has NFTs called SUPERGUCCI and an exclusive community to which the purchase of a Gucci NFT can only allow access. The company has collaborated with Roblox to create Gucci Town so that young players can explore and learn about the brand. Gucci doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon, with François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, the parent company of Gucci, creating a team to focus on the development of Gucci and the Internet 3.0 entirely. “We are in an extremely early stage of what could happen. Nothing is certain; it might fizzle out. But, the philosophy of the group when it comes to innovation …. is to test and learn.” (McDowell 2022).

Gucci's strengths are its marketing tactics, specifically the Harrie and Grimscookies collaboration. The collaboration is unique because it wasn’t directly through Electronic Arts (EA), the gaming corporation that owns the Sims franchise. Instead, Gucci used entrepreneurial content creators to bring unofficial modified content to the Sims 4 game. The idea of companies unofficially collaborating with modifiers from different gaming communities can potentially open several opportunities for brands. In addition, it could be another way of appealing and marketing to gamers by not partnering with perhaps controversial gaming companies but with popular community members. EA is quite contentious in the Sims Community. When new packs come out, many complain that fixing the base game should take priority before selling new ones.

If Gucci had collaborated with EA and released an official Stuff Pack, the pack may not have had a positive response. Opportunities arise from working with modifiers, such as not being limited to PG13 content. However, in-development games like Paralives may cause more competition. The Sims dominate the community; however, due to their controversy and the increasing popularity and support of Paralives, their dominance can end. The lack of Sims 4 players can cause Gucci’s collection to be less desirable. Gucci’s collections and modifications rely on the stability and success of the Sims franchise. Resources may be better spent with other games in the long run, depending on the lifespan of the Sims.

Gucci isn’t the only luxury fashion company to dip its toes in virtual fashion. Dolce & Gabbana has done the same with virtual collections. The Italian fashion house has taken the term “wearable computers” to a new level in its collaboration with UNXD, an online marketplace specializing in distributing NFTs. The “Collezione Genesi Collection” allows Dolce & Gabbana House lovers to flock to the UNXD marketplace. The fashion house is also responsible for the first couture NFT collection. According to THE NEW YORK TIMES, the collaboration made approximately $5.7 million (Thomas, 2021). The collection consists of nine pieces, five created both physically and metaphysically. Dolce & Gabbana’s collection is the first NFT to have represented products in both realities.

Dolce&Gabbana. Dolce&Gabbana: Collezione Genesi. Apr. 2022. OpenSea, https://opensea.io/collection/dolce-gabbana-collezione-genesi. Accessed 23 June 2024.

Dolce & Gabbana market their digital products as exclusive collectibles, creating limited supply and competition amongst consumers who can claim the product before supplies run out. Each sale included invitations to future Alta Moda events, future experiences, potential networking opportunities, and access to an exclusive community.

In collaboration with Vogue Business, Tugma Sabanoglu led a study understanding the level of readiness of various luxury brands concerning the Metaverse in 2021 (e.g., Fig. 1). Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry were of the highest, with an index of 18 of 100. Despite luxury fashion companies lacking in their adaptation efforts, the fashion market in the Metaverse will grow by 6.61 billion dollars between 2022-2026 (“Metaverse in,” 2022). 38% of the Metaverse fashion market is projected to take place in North America, the biggest market for the Metaverse.

Although fashion companies have a low index score in their efforts toward metaphysical realities, the amount of business and outreach opportunities must be addressed. Molina argued that “One of the main benefits of marketing in the Metaverse is that businesses can reach a larger audience than ever... The Metaverse is not limited by geographic boundaries, which means that businesses can reach consumers all over the world (Bushell, 2022).” A study researching the benefits of online or virtual entertainment experiences for global users in 2022 found that 41% of people say that they could benefit from virtual entertainment because they can experience things in faraway places (e.g., Fig 2). In addition, 40% of users see virtual entertainment as allowing them to experience things that they would not be able to experience otherwise (e.g., Fig 2). Virtual fashion weeks, a form of virtual entertainment, make fashion shows more accessible for students with limited financial resources.

A study on global interest in the Metaverse by generation in 2022 found that Zoomers and Millennials were more interested in the Metaverse than the older generations. In addition, 35% of Zoomers and 36% of Millennials found shopping in a virtual mall interesting (e.g., Fig 3). It is beneficial for a fashion house to understand consumers' values, attitudes, and lifestyles to market successfully to Zoomers and Millennials.

According to the Values and Lifestyle Survey (VALS) framework, innovators are receptive to ideas and technologies, which makes them good target consumers. They make the highest amount of financial transactions, making it more likely that they will purchase something online. Believers are more likely to try new fashion trends. Striver consumers would be a great target audience for the gamification of fashion due to their high interest in video games. Experiencers are always in rhythm with the latest fashion trends; however, they are the first to leave the trend. Experiencers can be tricky because they can drive the trend into a fad. Moschino would have to figure out a way to make Experiencers want to keep experiencing the products. Approximately these groups combined make up 49% of the consumer market (e.g., Fig 4). With Zoomers and Millennials making up 42.24% of the population; Moschino should target the younger generations but not completely isolate older generations interested in metaphysical realities.

A study on whether different races in the United States would be interested in purchasing apparel for virtual avatars showed that 48% of black internet users would be very and somewhat interested, compared to white participants standing at 28%, and Hispanic participants at 44% (e.g., Fig 5). All participants comprise 48% of interested individuals in purchasing clothing on the Metaverse. Despite all of the opportunities between the fashion industry and virtual reality, it is essential to remember that there are multiple different virtual realities. Facebook’s “Metaverse” is used interchangeably as an umbrella term for all virtual realities. Fashion companies must research in which virtual reality would have the most advantages to invest. In choosing a platform, Moschino should consider race and age demographics to see what fashion trends are prospering in those communities.

Since the Metaverse is in the early stages of development, Moschino may be wise to collaborate with virtual reality games that can be played across different platforms. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 has a sequel in the works known as Project Orion. Modifications for the sci-fi game were made to fit virtual reality headsets, though it does not support head motion, so players must use their normal controls. If Moschino could collaborate with Project Orion to develop new fashion intertwined with the game’s events and history, it could expand its consumer base. Despite Project Orion still being in the works, the fashion history and development of Cyberpunk 2077 fashion are unmatched by many other games in the market. Four fashion movements entwine bloody, exhilarating history in the game- Kitsch, Entropsim, Neomilitarism, and Neokitsch. Moschino would be best suited in making clothing for Kitsch (neon, chromatic, electrifying fashion popular amongst common characters) and Neokitsch (a more refined, polished, extravagant outgrowth or Kitsch, worn mainly by the elite and celebrities).

Cyberpunk2077. Kitsch. 10 Dec. 2020. Fandom, Fandom, https://cyberpunk.fandom.com/wiki/Kitsch. Accessed 23 June 2024.

The products sold will be neon, bright, eccentric garments that capture the district from which the fashion trends flourish. The fashion line will incorporate animated moving parts, complimenting robotic mechanism enhancements on characters. Moschino would also use Kitsch’s popular glowing tattoos to enhance the figure, bringing a futuristic, high-fashion look to the streets of Night City. In the game, Night City is inbetween Los Angelas and San Francisco. Perhaps taking west coast themes and implementing them into the fashion trends in Night City will show the city’s roots of what it once was. Developing fashion for Neokitsch could add to Moschino’s exclusivity as a luxury fashion house. However, in a fictional game where many players try to live out their fantasies, designing Kitsch clothes that can still capture Moschino’s Avante-Garde, shocking nature may be fascinating.

Moschino’s collaborative designs made in Cyberpunk 2077 will be sold in custom vendors in Night City. It would be desirable if Moschino made a handful of the clothing in real life to sell and market on their website, attracting Cyberpunk 2077 players to their brand. The physical collection will be marketed as if the models are in the game, not as runway models but as Cyberpunk 2077 characters. Perhaps it would be an interesting concept in which gamers are magically transported into the game, where they can explore the different clothing designs that Moschino has created. This way, Moschino doesn’t isolate the average gamer with model culture but instead uses the gamers as models. Moschino shouldn’t only use big gaming celebrities as models, but also regular people so that gamers can relate to them. People will also be enthralled with the idea of wearing the same clothes as their favorite gamers. The marketing idea isn’t to make the advertisement feel like a runway show; it’s meant to feel like a video game! It’s what would attract a gaming consumer base instead of high fashion that they may or may not find interest in. Gaming is a way of escaping our reality into a virtual one, and providing a sense of escapism in the advertisement will attract many to the collaboration.

The collaboration will be marketed chiefly on streaming platforms, gaming websites, and social media (where ads are unskippable such as YouTube). The goal of the advertisement is to make the consumers forget that they are watching an ad and make them overwhelmed with excitement with what they are seeing!

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