Stepping into 2022, the world has entered a three-dimensional world of integrated virtual and real dimensional development, in 2021, the metaverse concept (Metaverse) concept turned out, NFT and other concepts are even more confusing - from Nike's recent acquisition of virtual fashion design brand RTFKT Studios, to Adidas Originals and the popular NFT project Bored Ape Yacht Club into Metaverse, There are also Gucci's NFT short films and LV's NFT games.
How exactly does the fashion industry respond to the virtual new world?
Today, Million will come to learn with you 2 keywords that are closely related to the future development of the fashion industry. Metaverse Metaverse - The sum of the virtual worlds
What the hell is the metaverse? According to the official interpretation, it is "including the physical and virtual worlds, an independently operating economic system, and the transferability of avatars and digital assets in different parts of the metaverse." The metacosm will be decentralized (there will be no central authority), and there will be many companies and individuals operating their own space within the metacosm. Other features of the metaverse include digital persistence and synchronization, which means that all events in the metasym are happening in real time and have permanent impact. The metaverse ecosystem contains user-centric elements such as Avatar identity, content creation, virtual economy, social acceptability, security and privacy, and trust and responsibility. ”
Complicated? Don't understand? The simplest example is your social media, such as the sudden inability to log on to your bib, and you may permanently lose an account that has been used for more than 10 years – and in this sense of crisis, it is natural to feel the real impact of the "metacosm" / virtual world on us that we are not "virtual". Another example is a variety of video games, especially "The Sims", "Animal Forest Friends" such as the series that simulate the real world, surviving in virtual games, in fact, it is not much different from reality, the same as buying land and buying clothes (the new breakthrough lies in the emergence of NFT technology, the next paragraph will be said), but if we can understand from the QQ show, in fact, 20 years ago we have lived in the metaverse plus VR technology, so that people can touch a wide range of virtual reality, you can carry out a more "real" office, Dating and dressing up, just like the world of Matrix.
Because the metaverse has become an increasingly important part of human life, even Facebook (the original version of "Second Life") has to be integrated with its other divisions and renamed Meta in order to usher in the future when the virtual world will fully invade our lives.
Blade Runner 2049
The fashion industry looks at the concept of meta-universe, and the business opportunities are unlimited
The unbeaten fashion industry has been looking at the metaverse for some time. In the 2020 epidemic period closed at home and popular "Animal Forest Friends", including Valentino and other fashion brands have specially designed virtual fashion for players to wear. Balenciaga, which has always played the Matrix style, has not only partnered with the video game Fortnite to design costumes for the characters, but also announced this year that it will expand the meta-universe virtual costumes, and Meta's official Twitter also posted earlier: "Hey! @Balenciaga, what is the dress code in the metaverse? "It can be seen that the brand has become the first person in Metavalse fashion. In addition, Nike's announcement of the acquisition of virtual fashion brand RTFKT Studios also proves that fashion people will be more popular in the near future to "enjoy" the fun of fashion with another body. Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse's various wave shoes and fashion sportswear will be fully digital in the future – buy the physical version and then buy the virtual version.
Rapper 6ix9ine once "wore" the virtual wave shoes of RTFKT Studios.
RTFKT Studios, which integrates fashion trends, AR and VR games, also has AR and VR games. Founded in 2020 by Chris Le, Wissam AI-Madhon and Benoit Pagotto, it is committed to introducing physical fashion into the virtual world. Their exclusive design of sneakers and limited edition clothing can be linked to VR virtual platforms such as Ready Player Me, allowing users to dress up "themselves" in the virtual platform, such as Hermes and Chanel in the metaverse.
What is NFT? - Technological breakthrough makes virtual fashion can be fried to buy Hearing this, you may feel ridiculous, just like when you heard about the online game scam, those bitter lords were stolen from the virtual "weapon" and they were going to die. Therefore, I feel that everything in the metaverse has nothing to do with the physical self. In fact, the "NFT" technology, which was heard the most this year, is becoming a milestone in the "post-human era", rewriting everything – from a $270,000 "Test" image to a $69 million JPG beeple that shocked traditional artists.
Crypto artist Bepple's work "EVERYDAYS: The FIRST 5000 DAYS" was sold on Christie's website for $69.346250 on the 11th.
Digital art has never been a novelty, but it has never been able to squeeze into the art market, nor has its value rivaled that of traditional art, because the authenticity of it is doubtful - the jpg file in your hand and the "same picture" jpg file in my hand are not different on the surface. But thanks to blockchain technology and NFTs, one of Exclusiveness's problems was finally solved. In the past, when you bought an expensive pair of shoes, even if the store closed, your sneakers would not disappear inexplicably. But assets within video games, such as character weapons, went to nothing after the game company collapsed. Today, with blockchain technology, NFT is like a work on the chain, through the artist's signature encryption, verified and fully public record data, turning the original digital work into a permanent asset, even if he auctions it in the gallery and second-hand market, it can eliminate the possibility of all counterfeits.
Givenchy and Gucci have also launched NFT products in a similar situation in the fashion industry. With Matthi M. Williams, who is also close to the new generation of Balenciaga Demena Gvasalia, Givenchy will collaborate with Mexican artist Chito to launch a new NFT series that will push fashion into the world of NFTs. Chito has created a range of graphic prints for the brand's Spring 2022 new outfits, some of which are now available as unique NFTs that collectors can purchase as a personal avatar to show off. Because it's not necessary to buy and sell physical clothes and shoes, the brand believes that NFTs can make fashion more environmentally friendly and enable more carbon-efficient transactions.
Chito x Givenchy NFT
In addition, Alessandro Michele, who has always been willing to embrace the latest trends and technologies, in addition to launching the "wave shoes that can't be worn" in March, the VR version of Gucci's classic shoes Tennis 1977, was listed on the Wanna Kicks for 8.99 US dollars (about 50 yuan), becoming a hot call, and the 4-minute short film in the centennial fashion exhibition Gucci Aria has also become the brand's first NFT crypto artwork, with a starting price of 2. $000 (this transaction is limited to Ether), the final transaction price is US$25,000, not enough to buy two Gucci handbags, but it is unique, can be considered to be enough to buy! And all proceeds will be donated to UNICEF USA to support COVAX and the global issue of equitable access to vaccines, which is also a good thing. Gucci Aria NFT short film
The NFT handbag MetaBirkin sparked the "fake Hermès" controversy
While many fashion brands embrace NFT artworks, there has been a recent case that raises reflections on the "copyright" issues arising from NFT technology. The well-known Hermes famous bag Birkin has always been the dream bag in the hearts of many people, and it is also an investment speculation object. But now on top of the NFT market OpenSea, a new hit "Birkin" has emerged, with animal motifs or obscure works of art (such as the blurred Takaha Murakami flowers) called "MetaBirkin" – they are neither products of the French luxury company Hermès nor real handbags. Originally, each MetaBirkin bag was sold for 0.1ETH (the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain, equivalent to about $450 at the time). So far, according to the BOF, the price of the highest sales one has now risen to $46,000, and the flattest one is also $19,000, which is more expensive than the physical version!
However, Hermes pointed out to the Financial Times that these NFT works infringed the brand's intellectual property and trademark rights, and were just another example of counterfeit Hermès products in the fantasy world. MetaBirkins, written by Mason Rothschild, an aspiring digital artist and co-founder and marketing director of Terminal 27, notes that MetaBirkin never claimed any formal connection to Hermès. What is legal and what is true? The law can't catch up with technology for the time being, and it will be broken down next time. But what is certain is that similar NFT fashion will become more and more numerous in the metaverse market of "true and false when false and true". From an artistic point of view, or rational analysis, NFT artwork or virtual space, is the value astronomical? In the post-human era, it is difficult to judge by the common sense of the real offline world. Moreover, the only criterion for all buying and selling (speculation) is that no one will take over. The current NFT and meta-universe boom, whether it is a new chapter in the brave and beautiful new world, or a reproduction of the science and technology network stock bubble more than 20 years ago, it remains to be seen. However, from the perspective of old-school fashionists, in the future, a number of noble luxury brands may give up investing in exquisite craftsmanship and change their budget to cultivate graphic designers!