Are you ready to have a digital wardrobe? Fashion is one of the most forward-looking industries there is. It's no surprise that it has embraced new digital and immersive technologies to captivate fashion enthusiasts worldwide.
Top 8 Digital Fashion Marketplaces:
Digital Worlds and Fashion
Forbes reports that the younger generation makes NFTs and digital asset ownership boom. 2021's third quarter enjoyed $10.7 billion sales, which is eight times more than in the previous quarter. Individuals interested in joining the virtual world and the metaverse are also keen on owning digital assets.
But it's not about solely going digital when it comes to fashion. Recent findings about the impact of the traditional textile industry on the environment are sobering. Studies show that more than 85% of total textiles end up in landfills, amounting to billions of global material loss due to throwaway culture and trend changes. Fashion going digital means less physical clothing consumption and more immersion into virtual technologies.
Digital fashion is most pronounced in the gaming world. Players in gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite revel in expressing their personalities through costumes for avatars, so it makes sense that digital fashion thrives in gaming events.
Today's top fashion influencers can capitalize on the trend by introducing digital fashion houses to their followers. In this article, we take a look at the top digital fashion marketplaces that are revolutionizing our virtual style.
What Are Digital Fashion Marketplaces?
Digital fashion marketplaces are sites that sell digital clothing and accessories. They work much like an eCommerce platform where a customer can browse through the products, add to cart, and pay for them upon checkout. It's much like what gamers have been doing for years—buying skins for their avatar—but now, there's more emphasis on what's in vogue, instead of just straightforward costumes.
Digital fashion products can only be used in video games, VR platforms, and social media. Essentially, these are all pixels, but they make one's virtual experience that much more vivid and stylish.
Top 8 Digital Fashion Marketplaces
Digital fashion marketplaces either market through a blockchain, and sell NFTs, or do not. Here are our top digital fashion stores:
DRESSX is among the most popular digital fashion sites that carry collections from world-renowned artists like Van Gogh, Vermeer, Kandinsky, Schiele, as well as fashion brands like Pacsun and more. The California-based company was launched back in August 2020, aiming to showcase fashion that’s not going to contribute waste to the environment. The site popularized digital fashion for both gaming and metaverse enthusiasts alike. Replicant is an NFT and fashion marketplace, which allows customers to try on digital garments and lets designers display their creations on the site. The site uses cryptocurrency for transactions. Like other digital fashion spaces, Replicant recognizes the need for self-expression that won’t produce unnecessary carbon footprint. For the creators, digital clothing can go much further, and it still celebrates self-identity within virtual worlds. Auroboros is a digital fashion house that works differently from the abovementioned marketplaces. The London-based company is part of the charity work set up by the house of Alexander McQueen and combines science with physical haute couture creations. Auroboros is the first brand to present a digital collection at London Fashion Week. The collection, called “NatureTech,” received positive reaction from the industry. The aim is to create a new category of fashion that brings a more immersive experience to the audience. DIGITALAX is an NFT-based fashion marketplace that works mainly as a site for virtual goods. The web3 architecture enables the company to set up the first Digital Fashion Operating System. This translates the goods seamlessly into gaming, VR and AR, metaverse, and other 3D landscapes. DIGITALAX, launched in 2020, remains an open source platform that encourages creators to collect, wear, and trade digital fashion assets within virtual communities. The company serves as a one-stop shop for all the latest fashion NFTs, making it easy for enthusiasts and designers to converge. The Dematerialised is an NFT-based fashion marketplace launched by Lukso, a blockchain that specializes in digital lifestyle. The platform is specifically focused on designer fashion products offered as NFT assets. What’s innovative about The Dematerialised is how it fosters viable revenue streams for virtual fashion goods. Its approach lessens the dependence on traditional fashion business models that have become so consumption-focused and end up being wasteful. The Dematerialised creates a new mindset of making fashion companies more transparent, more creative, and more equitable in their practices. Tribute Brand is a Croatian-based digital fashion marketplace that is leading the way in “contactless and cyber” fashion. The team recognizes that digital fashion is the future of design and that virtual worlds allow freedom of expression—regardless of size, gender, and style preference. Tribute Brand encourages people to foster their own virtual identity because this can be a more sustainable way to consume fashion. Its collective was inspired by the recent events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlights the need for systemic change towards sustainable practices. XR Couture was founded in 2020 by Subham Jain, who wanted to curb fashion waste through digital expression. Aside from the environmental impact, XR Couture was developed because Jain saw that the pandemic halted the usual influencer practices. The digital fashion couture platform can create new and visually exciting content without having to be exposed to the outside world. UNXD is a high-end digital fashion marketplace that works with one of the biggest names in the traditional fashion industry, Dolce & Gabbana. Collectors who are ready to spend and invest in digitally authenticated luxury goods enjoy the space with NFT drops from leading creators and brands. Aside from couture clothing, UNXD also offers art, accessories, and virtual experiences that have never been experienced in other platforms. UNXD is proof of how digital fashion has captured audiences. Just weeks after the platform launched, Dolce & Gabbana sold the first nine-piece collection called “Collezione Genesi” for over $6 million dollars. This has been the most successful digital fashion NFT drop to date.1. DRESSX
2. Replicant
3. Auroboros
4. DIGITALAX
5. The Dematerialised
6. Tribute Brand
7. XR Couture
8. UNXD
Digital Fashion Marketplaces: Final Thoughts
Digital fashion marketplaces have grown in popularity in recent years. The pandemic brought about the need for virtual expression that gives a richer experience for gamers and metaverse enthusiasts. Digital fashion platforms have also given a more sustainable avenue for fashion lovers. Customers can enjoy boundless designs without the manufacturing, shipping, and waste cost that traditional fashion goods bring.
Digital fashion marketplaces disrupt fashion through blockchain-powered technologies. These platforms can bridge the gap between artistic demand and access to physical pieces. The key is to rely on robust blockchain tech to ensure that marketplaces meet the growing demands.
While traditional fashion houses are here to stay, these brands are now recognizing that digital is the present and the future of fashion. Big brands are joining the game, but for many gaming and meta users, there is still clamor for up-and-coming virtual-based designers and brands that are crafting affordable but fantastic designs. Fashion becomes a seamless and immersive experience all throughout, and the various NFT drops make collecting couture that much more exciting.
