The crypto art world took an unexpected turn last month as we witnessed the birth of a new facet of the movement: the first edition of a Crypto Fashion Week.
Taking place between February 22-26, the event was centered around the theme of digital fashion. Speakers like David Moore, a co-founder of NFT marketplace KnownOrigin., and Maghan McDowell, Vogue Business’ Innovation Editor, were invited to discuss the future of fashion on the blockchain.
The Crypto Fashion Week exhibition featured the works of emerging designers in a 100% digital show, complete with animated avatars strutting down the runways held in stylish metaverses.
The event was also marked by live online workshops where cult fashion and blockchain figures explored topics like the use of NFTs and AR in manufacturing unique fashion pieces, and the hows and whys of this aspect of the crypto movement.
Fashion Goes Virtual
Thus far, the words “crypto fashion” had been used as sort of a dad term for wearable Bitcoin and Ethereum-inspired merch. But as crypto art becomes more and more embedded into all forms of mainstream art, designers and consumers alike are recognizing the possibilities unlocked by the integration of crypto into digital fashion.
Previously, digital fashion was simply a placeholder for clothing designs created using computer technologies. Artists quickly caught on to the freedom this provided their craft. Contrary to non-virtual pieces, 3D imaging allowed creators to ignore the laws of physics when illustrating their works. Instead of painstakingly learning about sewing and fabrics, they could prioritize putting their ideas on paper – or rather, on screen. The constraints of needing to tailor clothes to a human body were gone and replaced by avatars who would always fit their garments perfectly.
Clothing as an art form that has shied away from the computerized design movement, partly because it requires tangibility in order to be fully enjoyed. Digital styles, though sometimes available to order, are often created for use on digital personas on online forums and games.
However, the industry has much benefitted from its adoption of technology. For instance, AR has been used to power portable fitting rooms, a feature Nike has used to properly size users’ shoes.
Fast fashion retailers like ASOS and Gap have been scrambling to develop virtual try-on apps using AR and VR. In June 2020, Snapchat partnered with Gucci to introduce their Try-On lenses which allow users to show off different virtual pairs of luxury sneakers.
Putting the “Fashion” in “Blockchain”
The high fashion world is no stranger to the idea of non-fungible tokens. Designers have been using near-field communication (NFC) and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology for years as a way to prevent counterfeiting.
But authenticity verification using cryptocurrency platforms isn’t so far away for luxury brands. In 2019, the LVMH Group announced a partnership with Microsoft and blockchain company Consensys to create the AURA platform. Powered by Ethereum, AURA allows its member companies to track and trace their brand’s pieces – essentially turning them into NFTs.
We can expect more fashion companies to turn to digital ledgers to legitimize their collections in the coming years. And after the organization of Crypto Fashion Week and the Future Art festival, challenging the idea of the blockchain as the future of art is going to prove increasingly difficult for crypto art skeptics.
