Major brands and luxury designers are getting ready to take their sartorial creations into the world of virtual reality in the first-ever MetaverseFashion Week (MVFW) this week.
The digital event, which starts on 24 March, will see designers such as Paco Rabanne, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Elie Saab and more staging virtual collections on Decentraland, a metaverse platform.
It comes after other runways, presentations and installations were held during Fashion Month in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Dubbed “digital fashion’s big experiment”, MVFW aims to test the appetite for virtual designs in both brands and consumers. Decentraland will play host to a series of runway shows, afterparties and pop-up shops during the four-day event.
Here’s everything you need to know about MVFW:
What is the Metaverse Fashion Week?
MVFW is a digital fashion week where high-end designers and brands will showcase new collections or digitized versions of existing pieces.
The event is hosted by Decentraland, a platform that specialises in virtual reality. Users can access different spaces to create content, explore worlds and trade in cryptocurrency.
The virtual universe also enables users to host events such as multiplayer games, concerts, and learning events, on top of events created by Decentraland.
Aside from runway shows and concerts, MVFW will also feature a luxury shopping area called the Boson Portal – Fashion District, where brands can sell their digital and physical designs through non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Giovanni Graziosi Casimiro, head of MVFW, said: Our aim with MVFW is to show brands what can be done in the world of virtual fashion. We want Decentraland to be a destination for shopping, where users can buy virtual clothing from some of the biggest names in the industry.”
What brands are showing at Metaverse Fashion Week?
Decentraland announced in February that MVFW would feature an “all-star roster of digital catwalks”.
The event will kick off with Selfridges launching its metaverse store, with Paco Rabanne and Victor Vasarely providing an “immersive experience” during the opening.
The iconic department store’s virtual opening marks a further step in its foray into the metaverse. In January, Selfridges announced that it was the first retailer in the world to sell fixed-price NFTs in its physical stores, ranging from around £2,000 to more than £100,000.
In addition, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Dundas, Cavalli, Elie Saab, Nicholas Kirkwood and Imitation of Christ are all part of the official lineup for MVFW.
According to Boson Portal, the virtual shopping platform within MVFW, Tommy Hilfiger will sell items in its digital store as NFTs, but buyers can also redeems them for “physical products delivered straight to the customers’ door”.
The platform said visitors “will encounter floating 3D renders of signature styles, including the varsity jacket for men, the madras shirt for women and a unisex hoodie featuring the iconic Tommy Hilfiger logo”.
The US designer said in a statement: “As we further explore the metaverse and all it has to offer, I’m inspired by the power of digital technology and the opportunities it presents to engage with communities in fascinating, relevant ways.”
Dundas, co-founded by former Cavalli chief designer Peter Dundas and his partner Evangelo Bousis, will showcase a mix of digital replicas from its latest collection as week as more experimental designs.
Bousis told Vogue Business: “The point of the metaverse is to dream and do these fantastical looks that you can’t wear in real life.
“I tell [Peter] that you need to jump on the train or you will miss the train. We think this is the future.”
Meanwhile, digital fashion house Republique and retailer Monnier Paris have teamed up to launch a virtual store at MVFW, which will sell accessories from luxury brands including Coach, Axel Arigato, Ester Manas, Wandler, Eytys and Osoi.
James Gaubert, founder of Republique, said: “It’s a huge opportunity to be working alongside such credible names in the fashion industry, helping them to dip their toes into the world of virtual fashion for the very first time. It’s a real indication of where this industry is heading.”
Do I have to pay to attend Metaverse Fashion Week?
No, MVFW is free and open to anyone with an account on Decentraland, which is free to open.
However, you will need an Ethereum (a form of cryptocurrency) wallet in order to purchase anything during the event.
