Ever since I can remember, I have been captivated by the world of fashion. However, my fascination doesn’t lie in the realm of design; instead, I’m drawn to the behind-the-scenes magic of managing fashion. Fashion is an ever-evolving universe, now constantly shifting from fast fashion to sustainable alternatives, recycling, and the embrace of second-hand treasures. One particularly fascinating topic within the fashion landscape, one that holds immense potential for transforming the industry, particularly in mitigating its negative environmental impacts, is the concept of the metaverse.
The metaverse, a digital realm where imagination knows no boundaries, is emerging as a game-changer for fashion (Balchandani et al., 2022). This virtual dimension offers a unique platform for creativity, innovation, and sustainability. It allows fashion enthusiasts to transcend the physical constraints of the industry and explore limitless possibilities. As we witness the metaverse’s evolution, it’s becoming increasingly evident that it holds the keys to reshaping the fast fashion landscape, notorious for its excessive waste and exploitation.
Picture from New York Fashion Week runway from www.businessoffashion.com
In the metaverse, fashion becomes an immersive experience, seamlessly blending the tangible and digital worlds (Park & Lim, 2023). It offers a space where sustainable practices can thrive, allowing designers and consumers alike to explore eco-friendly materials, experiment with digital clothing, and reduce the need for physical production. As we strive for a more sustainable future, the metaverse presents an opportunity to redefine our relationship with fashion, promoting conscious consumption and environmental responsibility. Besides that, the metaverse can offer an online ‘fitting-room’, where people can create avatars of themselves (Marr, 2022a). These avatars can be completely shaped to the individuals themselves, with the same sizes and dimensions. For the fashion industry, this could lead to much less waste, because people can already see how the clothes would fit their individual bodies.
Picture from https://style.me/
I’m truly excited to be a part of this transformative journey, as the metaverse opens doors to a fashion realm where beauty knows no boundaries, and sustainability takes the center stage. In embracing this digital frontier, we have the potential to rewrite the narrative of fashion, ensuring that it not only dazzles our senses but also nurtures our planet. The metaverse is ready to be a sign of hope, illuminating a path towards a more sustainable and ethically conscious fashion industry, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this exciting revolution.
Balchandani, A., Berg, A., Hedrich, S., Ekeløf Jensen, J., La Merle, L., Rölkens, F., & Amed, I. (2022). How the fashion industry can get into a metaverse mindset. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-the-fashion-industry-can-get-into-a-metaverse-mindset
Bain, M. (2022, 17 februari). New York Fashion Week took on the metaverse, with mixed results. The Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/technology/new-york-fashion-week-took-on-the-metaverse-with-mixed-results/
Marr, B. (2022a, juli 1). The metaverse, digital dressing rooms and the future of fashion retail. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/07/01/the-metaverse-digital-dressing-rooms-and-the-future-of-fashion-retail/
Park, H., & Lim, R. E. (2023). Fashion and the Metaverse: clarifying the domain and establishing a research agenda. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74, 103413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103413
Style.me. (2023, 1 maart). Style.me | a new way to experience digital fashion. https://style.me/
Hey Lotte,
thanks for the blog post, I personally think that it is interesting to see the discussions around fashion, technology and sustainability and I agree with you that the metaverse is probably the next frontier for fashion, as it is for many other industries as well. When it comes to sustainability and fashion, I recently read in the context of the fashion week happening in Paris that the average carbon emitted in one year through fashion weeks is more or less equivalent to the energy used to light up the Eiffel Tower for over 3000 years. So there is quite a lot of potential to reduce the negative impact fashion weeks have on the environment. By moving the fashion industry and fashion shows to the metaverse, I can see how it can help reduce emissions through less travel and limit material waste. However, I think that the use of the metaverse could also increase energy consumption and carbon emissions as the technologies and tools (e.g, NFTs or AI) that are used in the metaverse have the potential to create substantial pollution. I personally think that it would be interesting to dive deeper into whether switching to the metaverse would actually be a more ecofriendly option or actually ends up increasing emissions.
Your enthusiasm for the metaverse’s connection with fashion is motivating. It is absolutely amazing how the metaverse has the ability to transform the fashion business. The possibilities in the field of technology are endless, from environmentally friendly practices to the development of individualized avatars for more mindful and effective buying. I would find it interesting to see if these avatars would result in people returning less items, because they can see upfront how it would look. But also what would happen to fashion stores, would they become redundant?
Let’s hope that the metaverse can actually point the industry in the direction of a more ethically and environmentally responsible future. I like your passion for this exciting development and am excited to see how it affects fashion in the future.