Metaverse Fashion Week Comes To A Close

While fashion shows have already been staged in the metaverse, the event, which began on March 24th and was hosted by the online platform Decentraland, included a packed schedule of catwalks from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Philipp Plein, fire-side chats with Tommy Hilfiger himself, and even a virtual performance by Grimes, setting it apart as an all-encompassing experience. It’s likely to become an annual tradition, said Sam Hamilton, the creative director of Decentraland Foundation.

“There’s still a lot of moving parts, which I think is kind of traditional, but I feel confident,” Hamilton explained. “Behind the scenes, it’s a virtual version of a real fashion week. There’s still people sewing backstage, if you like, in 3D software.”

But, the final experience was far from seamless — technical difficulties, overheating hard drives, and lackluster graphics dimmed the fantasy of this supposedly limitless landscape.

Beyond a schedule of runway shows, Decentraland also built a luxury shopping district — like a digital fifth avenue. Lavish storefronts by Elie Saab, Peter Dundas, D&G, Etro, and Chufy sat on an elegant, shrubbery-lined street. Here, the attention to detail was impressive, from the monogrammed awning extending from each window to the opulent architecture.

Elsewhere in the metaverse, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, and Selfridges set up pop-up stores. Some, like Selfridges, built huge, post-modern structures with multiple floors. Other stores looked more like facades or open showrooms, plastered with logos and campaign imagery. Each participating fashion house — a hot ticket, according to Hamilton, who said he was still turning down brands hours before the event kicked off — was paired with a team of Decentraland 3D software designers who built the wearables on display.

Decentraland’s event has been described as the first inclusive fashion week, offering a front-row seat to anyone with a crypto wallet (in reality, not that many). But, many users reported crashes and bugs which kicked them out of multiple sessions.

Glitches aside, the experience did offer a window into a fascinating future that is worthy of exploration. The ambition behind Decentraland’s first fashion week was a cause for celebration. And, if fashion is about newness and novelty, then the metaverse was the most en vogue venue in town. More than the billed designers, it was the other guests that brought an outpouring of creativity. It also demonstrated the potential for other industries too.

(All information was provided by CNN)

Check out the industry-leading META Business podcast where we discuss the intersection of business and the metaverse