If we stop and think about sectors that have changed rapidly over time, fashion and technology will certainly come to mind. Rightly so, these are some of the most dynamic of all fields, with one being defined by changing audience trends, while the other continues to grow with the latest advances. Phygital fashion is something that brings us a bit of both, while defining the expected future of the fashion industry.
The term “phygital” can seem confusing, especially to those who haven’t heard much about it. It’s actually not that complex, as it just defines a mixture of physical and numerical approaches. This concept, however, may not be identified as such, but it has been around for a long time, as we can see that digital services are helping us to do physical work more conveniently in industries like banking, international trade, real estate, shopping. , automotive and certainly fashion.
Fashion, web3 and metaverse
The advent of blockchain technology has brought sweeping changes to almost every industry. After being taken by storm by the rapid rise of cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), then became the talk of the town with the biggest companies, brands and celebrities diving into it, further cementing its impact. The fashion world was not to be left behind as it embraced new trends, bringing new dynamics to the industry.
A new progression in digital fashion has been seen with the design of the metaverse. As the virtual world allows you to choose your own avatars and appearances, it has opened up another avenue for fashion designers and enthusiasts to test their imagination. Users can find the best outfits, gear, and accessories that can be donned in the virtual world, creating an image that was never possible before.
This brings us to phygital fashion, as all the outfits and accessories you buy in the virtual arena are now also available physically, in the real world. Several fashion brands and designers have worked on phygital fashion, where you can bring your imaginary self into the real world. Among these, some are worth mentioning for their futuristic method and approach to fashion.
RTFKT
One of the leading companies in this field, RTFKT offers unique collections of digital artifacts and sneakers. Acquired by Nike, the brand is built on manufacturing excellence, further enhanced by the use of augmented reality, game engines, blockchain technology and NFT. It’s a great example of what phygital fashion stands for, offering high-end fashion products in both the virtual and real world.
ROBESX
DRESSX is a multi-vendor store featuring digital fashion collections from leading brands and designers. Taking inspiration from conventional e-commerce stores for physical fashion, the brand has brought the same level of convenience and variety to the virtual world. The theory behind the brand is that the world has way more clothes than it already needs, so people can cut back on physical purchases and opt for fashion in the digital world instead.
The manufacturer
The Manufacturer is a purely digital fashion house founded in 2018. Clothing and accessories are offered as NFTs, which can be custom created and can be worn or swapped. The neat thing about Maker Studio is that it lets you customize outfits directly, with options for colors, fabrics, and more.
Oshii Brownies
Another notable name in the digital fashion world, Oshii Brownie is known for his aesthetic designs that emphasize self-expression and cultural diversity. It is a purely hybrid fashion brand, or as we call it now, a phygital fashion brand offering a wide range of products in NFT form and also in physical form.
Along with this, several other brands are hinting at the future of fashion. It’s undeniable that physical fashion will remain, but the imaginative and limitless nature of digital fashion will continue to draw more and more fashion lovers into its fold.
Therefore, we can expect much more from phygital fashion in terms of scale and skill.
Read: Insights: Games, Gen Z and the Metaverse