Most people have no clue what Web 3 is, in fact, we’d go as far as to say that a lot of those that claim to are lying. The line between the real world and the virtual world continues to erode at rapid rates, and we don’t just mean someone you know IRL following you on an account you thought no one knew about. Wallets are no longer leather-bound card carriers, pixels can be found on the runway at fashion week and a rose is not just a rose.
The metaverse has expanded possibilities in crypto, fashion and even real estate in ways previously thought only possible in dystopian future films full of scantily clad alien chicks and glorified space feds. For fashion, it poses several questions for the future, amongst those: Is this the answer to the need for sustainable fashion? Will fashion weeks be virtual? What’s the point? It can be confusing to understand why we should care about fashion that we don’t even get to wear, but one thing to keep in mind is fashion has always been about innovation, and like it or not, this is the new frontier. The harbingers of fashion, the luxury brands, have accepted this wholeheartedly. Those in the know, know that as it stands we are at the start of a new gold rush, but this time we’re mining – or minting – NFTs in our Minecraft fits. Digital collections aren’t new, but the gamification of fashion’s most exclusive brands certainly signals a change in the industry, both in taste and production. We may have already had our Metaverse fashion show earlier this year, but the new season has brought interesting treats for us all to discuss…
Richard Quinn X Clearpay
British designer Richard Quinn, known for his faithfulness to florals, has collaborated with Clearpay during Fashion week to create a limited edition London Fashion Week in bloom NFT token series. The collection took inspiration from the physical collection of course and included a digital rendition of a single rose. The NFT is a crypto asset and can be sold up – or sold down – but the exciting features begin at checkout.
A rose by any name would still be as sweet, and those who purchased the NFT got the option to attend the Quinn fashion week celebration in Covent garden or a selection of limited edition accessories in classic Quinn florals, set to include a bucket hat, a scrunchie and a tote.
Loewe SS23 Minecraft magic
No need to adjust your set, your eyes are not tricking you. We talk a lot about fashion and runways happening in the virtual sphere, but what about virtual fashion in real life. Loewe showed a lot of bold and interesting designs and silhouettes this fashion week, but it was their pixelated designs which really caused a stir online. Minecraft-inspired jumpers and trousers – which legitimately appeared to be pixellated – strutted down the catwalk juxtaposing real and physical models and caused an optical illusion that was received surprisingly well by the public. It makes us wonder where the divide between the virtual and reality really stands, and will our expectations continue to shatter via virtual innovation in the sphere?
Balmain X MintNFT’s Balmain Thread
Balmain isn’t new to the NFT game and even collaborated wiith MintNFT previously this year for a Barbie-inspired NFT drop. Thats why it’s a surprise to no one that theyre back again with a new release, this time in the form of a Web3 hub, tailor-made for creatives. The Balmain Thread builds upon the house’s central ethos of exploring pathways with the global Balmain army and can be used by creatives to work out their designs in the virtual sphere, this truly does democtrosice both fashion and Web3 and allow a diverse group of artist to utilise the hub to further their designs.
Afterpay’s ‘Keys’ at NYFW 2022
NFTs are exclusive, no matter what anyone might claim. We hear all this talk about NFT’s decentralising and democratising fashion, but really, the majority of the Web3 sphere works on being ’in the know’ – and what’s more exclusive than a key? NYFW isn’t known for it’s exclusivity, so where better to drop a ’hyper-limited’ drop by 5 designers, which don’t only come with cool designs and a crypto asset but also worked to unlock exclusive access to ’coveted experiences’ during fashion week.
Words by Giuliana Zamudio-Lopez
Header image: @Fashionweek
