I was in middle school when I purchased my first virtual outfit.
I had begged my parents for months to buy me a membership to the Club Penguin metaverse – something that cost them a whooping $30 for my ability to accessorize my lime green penguin with clothes, puffles (penguin pets), and home decor for my igloo. The website, now retired, flaunted member penguins inviting others to “Come to my igloo for fashion show!” and with my new membership, going to these in my exclusive outfits made it feel like NYFW. In the Club Penguin metaverse, just like in any other society, having a large wardrobe and access to exclusive clothing was what gave you status; even if you were just a scrawny 10-year old kid behind a big bulky computer screen relying on your parents’ money.

And it wasn’t just Club Penguin. There was Neopets, Maplestory, Habbo – and of course, making sure your Sims were looking sharp. 15 years later, in addition to my real-life wardrobe, I still have a set of earth-toned knitwear in Animal Crossing, designed by community players, battle gloves and sunglasses in Pokémon, and a replica of one of my favorite in-real-life outfits on my Snapchat Bitmoji avatar that was introduced in the late 2010s. Even high-fashion brands like Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci have hopped on the digital fashion trend, creating garments for League of Legends, Fortnite, and Roblox, with more affordable brands like Uniqlo following suit, releasing an in-game collection for Pokémon GO.‍

No, digital clothing and fashion isn’t new, but with the rise of Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse, we are once again talking about it. And this time, clothing is no longer limited to that of digital avatars – they’re on you. Like, the real you.

DRESSX is currently the largest digital fashion store and carries virtual 3D collections from established brands in their shop. ‍

Through augmented and virtual reality, digital fashion solves many of the pressing issues of the textile- and fashion industry, letting people ‘wear’ new clothing without them having to be actually produced, and thus avoiding issues of production and overproduction, as well as logistics and transportation.

Instead, digital garments can be worn on social media, in video calls and online events, as well as – of course – in the metaverse. 
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Altering your online self isn’t necessarily new, with beautifying Snapchat and Instagram filters increasing in popularity over the years, but to the fashion industry, digital clothing opens many doors for creativity and new-thinking. In an interview with VICE, digital artist Stephy Fung says that the best part about virtual garments is that they have no limit. “You can wear clothes that float and have no gravity. You can have outfits that glow different colors. You can have outfits that animate with different words or patterns – the possibilities are endless and fun."

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With the rise of NFTs, digital fashion is a growing fashion subculture that might one day lessen the need for real, physical, clothing. In the spring of 2016, Lil Miquela – one of the biggest virtual influencers to date, with over three million followers on Instagram – was born, closing a $125 million investment round led by Spark Capital and landing a Calvin Klein advertisement with supermodel Bella Hadid in the process. On the robot’s Instagram, she posts content with other robots, as well as real-life human beings, taking mirror selfies, doing her skincare, and falling in and out of love – while wearing luxury clothing and advertising fashion brands – just like any other 19-year old influencer living in LA. 

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As our world turns increasingly more digital, and as the virtual and physical self start fusing, digital fashion might actually rather accentuate and create more space for self-expression. At the same time, it is a more sustainable way of promoting content creation and influencer marketing, which is spearheading fashion consumer trends today – although the creation of NFTs still have a significant carbon footprint, which is important to keep in mind.

While it is unlikely that virtual clothing will replace or exceed our needs for physical clothing, it can be an alternative to fast fashion, as well as a way to reinvent the consumer experience. And who wouldn’t be interested in flaunting crazy pieces that defy our physical reality?

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If you work with digital fashion, virtual garments, or in the intersection between fashion and gaming – apply to NEST!

NEST – New Entrepreneurship for a Sustainable Textile Industry is an initiative by xPlot, Borås INK, eXpression Umeå, and Sting, as well as a call to change the fashion industry for the better. Read more about NEST on our blog or on the NEST website.

At xPlot, we'd love to help you with your application. Please contact Lars at lars@xplot.se for more information.

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Cover photo left to right: Carlings NEO-EX, Habbo Hotel, Guggimon, Lil Miquela and Bermuda, Animal Crossing New Horizons, The Sims.