SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

1 What does the meta- 4 Next steps: the future

verse have to do with beyond our wardrobes
fashion?
Enhancing fashion education
What’s the metaverse, after all?

Fashion enters the metaverse

5 CONCLUSION
Audaces Fashion Studio
2 How do fashion busines- Audaces 3D
ses make use of the me-
taverse? 6 ABOUT AUDACES
Games

Virtual clothing

Wearables NFTs

Virtual fashion shows

3 How fashion professio-

nals can benefit from
the metaverse
Virtual fashion design creations

Virtual shopping experiences

Sustainable, accessibility, and

ethical fashion in the industry
 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the new era of techno-
logy where the word "metaverse" is
on everyone's lips. This virtual envi-
ronment is gaining traction among
(young and adult) technophiles,
academics, and professionals in the
market. And we will show you the-
re’s more to come!
Although the concept is not exactly
new, as it was first mentioned in
the book "Snow Crash" in 1992, the
term became popular only in 2021,
when Mark Zuckerberg announced
a billion-dollar investment in this
parallel world.
With all its vocation for innovation,
the fashion segment didn’t take
long to dive headfirst into the me-
taverse. Since the successful launch
of the inaugural Metaverse Fashion
Week, featuring major brands like
Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger,
Cavalli, and Etro, fashion professio-
nals around the world have been
laying their foundation in this virtu-
al land.
The potential gains of the Meta-
verse are way too real, though. Ac-
cording to a new report by Grand
View Research Inc, the global me-
taverse market size is predicted to
attain US$ 936.6 billion by 2030,
while Technavio suggests that the
global metaverse in the fashion
market alone is expected to grow to
US$ 6.61 billion by 2026.
But it's not just about figures – the Me-
taverse is transforming the way peo-
ple interact with fashion and brands.
McKinsey's research shows that 59%
of consumers are enthusiastic about
transferring their daily activities into
the virtual space, for instance.
Curious to figure out how to dominate
this universe and enjoy its full poten-
tial? In this e-book, we'll explore the
ways that fashion is adapting to the
metaverse, and what these innova-
tions mean for designers, brands, and
customers.
We'll also look at the latest trend in vir-
tual fashion creation, the benefits for
business and the environment, and
the various ways to land in the meta-
verse – just like a native.
Join us on this journey and learn how
to excel on this exciting subject and
become a competitive professional in
this new era of technology, that's re-
volutionizing the fashion market (and
possibly your career).
READ ON AND ENJOY
THE RIDE!
1. WHAT DOES THE METAVERSE
HAVE TO DO WITH FASHION?

1.1 WHAT’S THE METAVERSE, AFTER ALL?

The metaverse is a virtual-reality space where users can interact with com-
puter-generated environments and other users. It combines technologies
such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and holograms, creating a new
immersive layer where the real and virtual worlds converge.

In theory, the concept of the "metaverse" has been around for a while, first
introduced by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 book “Snow Crash” and later re-
surfaced in Ernest Cline's novel “Ready Player One” adapted to the big scre-
en by Steven Spielberg subsequently.

But what about in practice? Some initiatives aimed at creating a metaver-

se like the game “Second Life”, in 2003. Despite the impressive 3D virtual
interface, the project didn't reach its full potential due to technological limi-
tations and rising competition from social media at that time.

Almost two decades later, 2021 marked a significant turning point for the
metaverse, as the concept finally gained life. In October of that year, Face-
book Inc. changed its name to Meta, referencing the environment where
the company would invest heavily. Shortly thereafter, Nike launched Nike-
land, within the popular game platform Roblox, and acquired the virtual
brand RTFKT – which makes metaverse-ready sneakers.

As gaming increasingly becomes an extension of the real world, the meta-

verse has become a prime target for fashion brands too. From that on, an
auspicious portal has opened for fashion to enter this digital world.
1.2 FASHION ENTERS THE
METAVERSE
Fashion is among the most profitable
and promising segments already in-
side the metaverse, along with other
major industries such as consumer
packaged goods, financial services, re-
tail, telecommunications, media, and
technology.
In today's world, the most significant
fashion weeks are held in Paris, New
York, London, Milan – and now, in the
metaverse.
The first Metaverse Fashion Week,
hosted in 2022 on the browser-based
platform Decentraland, was a game-
-changer, featuring a wide variety of
creatives and fashion houses, inclu-
ding industry giants such as Dolce &
Gabbana, DKNY, and Tommy Hilfiger.
In addition to presenting digital ou-
tfits at the event, brands and profes-
sionals also contributed to the expe-
rience with a range of virtual "skins"
and other in-game objects and acces-
sories.
According to reports, the gaming
skins market is estimated at US$
40 billion a year, and the metaverse
could be the biggest growth opportu-
nity for fashion since eCommerce.
All these developments demonstrate
that the metaverse is revolutionizing
the way we perceive fashion – and the-
re are numerous other fashion tech-
nology applications in the metaverse
worth exploring.
Let's take a closer look at some of
them below!
2. HOW DO FASHION
BUSINESSES MAKE USE
OF THE METAVERSE?
From virtual fashion shows and online
retail stores to virtual influencers and
interactive fashion experiences, the
possibilities the metaverse has for the
fashion industry are limitless.
Fashion businesses are now able to
tap into a new consumer base of di-
gital natives and gamers while brin-
ging more value and visibility to their
brands.
See some of the most successful ex-
periences next.
2.1 GAMES
As said before, the gaming industry has become a major catalyst for the
development of fashion within the metaverse.

As players frequently update their avatars' appearance, the opportunity for

fashion brands to offer virtual clothing and accessories provides a new re-
venue stream and an opportunity to engage with younger audiences.

Video gamers now can buy virtual skins from high-end fashion brands.
The Balenciaga x Fortnite collaboration released both a virtual line of clo-
thing and a physical collection. Lacoste X Minecraft collab also designed
garments available to buy in real life as well as virtually.

Other luxury brands are taking steps to offer stylish in-game attire for players.
Louis Vuitton developed skins for League of Legends and Marc Jacobs and
Valentino both made exclusive digital items for Animal Crossing.
2.2 VIRTUAL CLOTHING
The metaverse introduced a new wave of fashion customers that are ea-
ger to express themselves through unique digital clothing.

Younger and more tech-savvy, these consumers are willing to spend mo-
ney on virtual fashion items and are looking for the social experiences di-
gital-only environments provide.

With virtual clothing, these users can customize their avatars to express
themselves and create their identity.

Brands like the digital native DressX and the Dematerialised were pione-
ers in the metaverse fashion space, offering customers exclusive pieces that
can only be worn virtually.

Meanwhile, traditional brands like Gucci are also getting in on the trend,
introducing digital avatar clothing and accessories to their launches.

They are also experimenting with hybrid collections, such as Dolce & Ga-
bbana's nine-piece physical-digital capsule show last year, which gene-
rated nearly US$ 6 million.

And how can we wear digital clothing? Depending on the design, custo-
mers can pay to have an image of themselves digitally altered to feature
one of these garments, view it as an augmented reality filter on videos, or
even acquire the piece as an NFT – as we’ll see below.
2.3 WEARABLES NFTS with counterfeit products, such as
Louis Vuitton.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are uni-
que digital assets that represent Replicant, one of the leading we-
ownership of a particular item, ac- arable NFT marketplaces in this
cording to the Ethereum Founda- “crypto fashion” wave, uses crypto-
tion. currency for transactions, providing
a secure and transparent method
Wearable NFTs, which are stored on for buying and selling.
the blockchain with their distinct
data, can be used in both the me-
taverse and augmented reality, pro-
viding fashion brands with lucra-
tive opportunities. Digital fashion
house The Fabricant was the first
to surf this hype, creating a mock
neck jumpsuit in 2019, purchased
for roughly US$ 9.500 at that time.

Another example is Adidas’ histo- Images: REPLICANT-

What is digital Fashion.
rical partnership with Bored Ape
Yacht Club, which moved more

2.4 VIRTUAL FASHION

than US$ 22 million from sales wi-
thin hours in 2021, demonstrating
the immense potential of NFTs for
fashion brands.
And we have more records to recall:
Burberry's first NFT collection deve-
loped in collaboration with Blankos
Block Party sold out within 30 se-
conds of release.
In addition to it all, NFTs can be used
by physical garment retailers to sto-
re information about a product's
history, authenticity, and owner-
ship. This feature is particularly be-
neficial for luxury brands struggling
SHOWS
Fashion shows can now offer a
completely different and interacti-
ve experience, with virtual catwalks
set in fantastical locations and lu-
xurious shopping salons providing
opportunities for brands and retai-
lers to engage with audiences in in-
finite new ways.
The absence of physical constraints
allows for boundless imagination
and creativity, making anything
possible for fashion designers.
In 2022, China’s fashion capital kicked off its first “Digital Shanghai Fashion
Week”. This marked how fashion has extensively incorporated the meta-
verse, with several “physical” brands showcasing their first digital looks.

But the other way around also happens. Digital-native luxury fashion
house Auroboros made history by presenting the first-ever digital collec-
tion at London Fashion Week, demonstrating the increasing trend of digi-
tal fashion in the industry.

The 2023 Digital Fashion Week New York was, on the other hand, a hub
for phygital fashion experiences. The Web3 event provided audiences with
activities that merged the physical and digital fashion worlds, such as vir-
tual showrooms and animation screenings.

3. HOW FASHION PROFESSIONALS CAN

BENEFIT FROM THE METAVERSE
The metaverse presents extraordinary opportunities for entrepreneurs,
designers, and developers to tap into. By leveraging this parallel reality,
individuals and brands can access a much wider audience and open fresh
revenue streams.

There are multiple ways professionals and companies can get involved in
this new universe, from creating their own virtual collections to partnering
with gaming companies and social media platforms.

Check out some ways professionals in the fashion industry can utilize the
metaverse to their advantage!
 3.1 VIRTUAL FASHION
DESIGN CREATIONS
The metaverse has huge imaginative
and creative potential for fashion de-
signers. After all, digital fashion is not
limited to clothing for avatars – it also
encompasses the digital design and
modeling of real-world clothing.
With cutting-edge 3D tools and sof-
tware programs, professionals can
create virtual designs that are just
as detailed and realistic as physical
ones. This enables faster production
times, greater flexibility, and the abi-
lity to experiment with new ideas wi-
thout the cost and waste associated
with physical prototyping.
Brands such as Calvin Klein claim to
use 3D design tools to optimize the
production of physical garments by
reducing excess waste during the
design and fitting processes.
3.2 VIRTUAL SHOPPING
EXPERIENCES
Virtual fashion marketplaces such as
XR Couture offer designers a global
platform to sell their virtual items,
providing a unique customer expe-
rience.
Similar to traditional e-commerce
platforms, customers can browse
through clothing, add items to a cart,
and complete purchases. The key di-
fference is that the pieces are going
for a virtual wardrobe.
Designers and retailers now can ea-
sily upload their work online or to the
blockchain and sell their designs as
NFTs in Web3 digital marketplaces.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ma-

chine learning can be employed to
create personalized clothing and ac-
cessories, allowing new styles to be
digitally reproduced, or tailored onto
the bodies of models (virtual and
physical).

That makes it easier for designers to

envision how a garment will look and
Images: metadrip.xrcouture.com
fit in the real world.
But fashion companies and professionals can also enlist specialized deve-
lopers to create their own virtual immersive stores, captivating fashion en-
thusiasts worldwide and allowing them to explore and shop for products in
augmented or virtual reality.

This provides companies with a wealth of valuable data, such as specific

body types and complementary products that can be used to optimize fu-
ture sales strategies and improve conversion rates.

These immersive shopping experiences not only increase brand awareness

but also drive sales and engagement.

Have you considered implementing virtual shopping experiences for your

business?

3.3 SUSTAINABLE, ACCESSIBILITY, AND ETHICAL

FASHION IN THE INDUSTRY
Sustainability is a growing concern for the fashion industry, and the meta-
verse offers new opportunities to reduce waste and create more sustainab-
le products that align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
guidelines.

Virtual fashion design and other metaverse tools can create more sustaina-
ble fashion by decreasing the need for physical prototyping, for example.

Wearables NFTs also reduce the need for buying clothes that don’t fit or
don’t look good on you. They even can help to minimize waste in landfills
while creating a way to return physical items directly in exchange for virtual
goods.

In addition to avoiding textile waste, the metaverse can also facilitate the
development of more ethical fashion practices. By creating virtual clothing,
brands can reduce their reliance on exploitative labor practices and priori-
tize fair and safe working conditions for their employees, being part of the
fashion revolution movement.
And there’s more: virtual items bring body and gender inclusivity. Wea-
rable NFTs must be designed to be non-discriminatory, no matter their
body shape or size. With them, users can be sure that they are getting the
look that they have always wished for, without having to worry whether
the garment will fit or not.

Several emerging brands are also focusing on genderless digital-only cre-

ations. By embracing these new technologies and practices, the industry
can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all stakehol-
ders.

And to this matter, virtual influencers can play an important role in in-
creasing diversity in the metaverse, as this article from Virtual Humans
outlines.

4. NEXT STEPS: THE FUTURE BEYOND OUR

WARDROBES
The metaverse is seen as a key component of Web3 – a term used to refer
to a more immersive, decentralized, and open internet.

As it continues to evolve, experts predict that technologies like blockchain

and artificial intelligence will have an increasingly significant impact on the
future of fashion, technology, and society.

The potential for lifelike avatars and affordable NFT fashion is immense, as
we’ve seen.

While physical clothing will likely coexist with digital fashion, the future of
the metaverse promises to amplify social relations through connected clo-
thes and sensors in fabric, which will help brands to better understand body
diversity, for example.

This will create a more playful and personalized shopping experience, es-
pecially for Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X consumers, who are projected to
spend up to five hours a day in the metaverse within the next five years,
according to McKinsey’s survey with consumers aged 13 to 70.
4.1 ENHANCING FASHION EDUCATION
The metaverse has the potential to revolutionize eLearning, particularly in
the realm of fashion education, via digital classrooms. Fashion schools have
been trying to embrace these technological advancements, bolstering
their digital curriculums to keep up with industry demands.

In a virtual world that closely mimics reality, students can play games and
change clothes, hairstyles, and expressions. Traditional garment-making
skills such as pattern creation and sewing can now be taught digitally, with
the aid of sophisticated 3D modeling software.

Design and fashion schools are focused on preparing their students for fu-
ture employment opportunities in the field. They expect the next genera-
tion to play a defining role in shaping the direction of Web3.

With advanced augmented reality (AR) technologies, learning fashion can

become easier, even for self-directed study. Textbooks can be VR-suppor-
ted, and students can dive deep into the content while visualizing sketches
in a 3D format.

Whether you are a fashion student or an established professional looking

to update your skills, it is vital to stay abreast of these technological innova-
tions.
CONCLUSION
The digital world that has intensified due to the pandemic appears to be
here to stay, and there’s no coming back.

The integration of augmented reality into the metaverse is inevitable and

presents an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs and professionals in
any industry.

Notably, the future of fashion in this virtual space not only expands oppor-
tunities for new businesses, but also enables societal, behavioral, and edu-
cational transformations.

Currently, however, accessing the metaverse for work or leisure activities

is still not a widespread reality due to the need for high-speed internet and
equipment to access the virtual environment, still expensive for many.

To ensure the success of the metaverse, it must remain a decentralized

platform (not owned by a single company), with open protocols and flexi-
bility, and be financially accessible as it evolves.

Wearable NFTs also need to be affordable for customers worldwide. And

more employed for authentication or loyalty tokens to be most relevant
for fashion players in the future.

Despite current market challenges, fashion labels should keep viewing

the metaverse as a long-term investment opportunity.

There are still many other untapped opportunities for growth and other
universe spaces ahead for fashion professionals and companies to evolve.

And you can - and should - be part of this change!

DIVE INTO THE METAVERSE
WITH AUDACES SOLUTIONS
With Audaces solutions, you can enhance your fashion design creations as
the future calls!

Our comprehensive suite of tools empowers you to plan your product mix,
craft stunning designs, and visualize them in virtual reality quickly and ea-
sily.

From fashion design to product planning, they can be your gateway to the
metaverse, helping to boost your career in this promising fashion new era –
especially Audaces Fashion Studio and Audaces 3D.

Discover more about them below!

AUDACES FASHION STUDIO

Audaces Fashion Studio is an exclusive technology that brings the creative
work of stylists to another level.

With hyperrealistic avatars, you can test out how different fabrics fit and
modify prints, shapes, and patterns as needed – all in a digital environment.

This eliminates costs, time, and raw materials used and allows for seamless
communication between stylists, pattern makers, and buyers, enhancing
the approval of each model.

The commercial appeal of 3D digital design was reinvented by Audaces

Fashion Studio, the best creation tool for you – who knows right that it’s
possible to combine good artistic taste with fast, sustainable, and profitable
deliveries.

Become part of Industry 4.0 with the help of this cutting-edge software and
make your designs come to life with a multitude of possibilities at your dis-
posal. And a superb digital runway to test them all!
AUDACES 3D LEARN MORE WITH OUR
Crafting 3D digital designs is ama- RICH CONTENT
zing, but it can be even more!

Audaces 3D allows you to simulate,

[E-book] How - and why - to use
sew and approve your pieces in 3D
3D digital design in fashion
with a wide range of versatile tools
and features – all without the need
FREE DOWNLOAD
for paper patterns.

With it, you can gain agility, quality,

and sustainability in your creative
processes.

1. Benefit from features such as:

2. Confirming the fit and wearabili-
ty of your garments;
3. Approving the first prototype di-
gitally;
4. Saving time and costs with proto-
typing;
5. A more sustainable process;
6. Rendering images for Marketing
and Sales;
7. The possibility of an online fitting
[Template] Plan your fashion
room. collection with a Canvas model
8. And not only that; Audaces 3D
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also allows NFT sales and applica-
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ABOUT AUDACES
Audaces is a global reference in technolo-
gical innovation for the fashion industry.
For over 30 years, we’ve been developing
solutions designed to simplify the cre-
ation, development, and production of
fashion, making the process faster and
more efficient.

We are audacious! We are constantly

pushing boundaries and our intelligence
also meets the needs of other industries
such as upholstery, footwear, furniture,
and other flexible materials.

We are partners and facilitators! We know

that each client has a challenge, and we
are always striving to exceed expectations,
offering tailored solutions that adapt to
specific needs.

With a presence in over 70 countries worl-

dwide, Audaces is a truly global company.
We are the leaders in Latin America and
have a loyal customer base of over 40,000
fashion professionals who use our solu-
tions daily.

https://audaces.com/en