Burberry x Minecraft, Rimowa’s new NFTs…


The digital disruption of luxury retail has long proven itself as a formidable force for the future of the metaverse. The nascent phases of a virtual reality unfolding before us were spotted in the rise of digital fashion houses such as The Fabricant and Auroboros that imaginatively leaned into the creation of outer-worldly garments for the blockchain marketplace. For such digital-only houses, their outlook on couture had already been envisioned for a virtual future and were coded as ready-to-wear collections that you (or your avatars) could immediately wear in the metaverse. 

But what of the luxury houses that have long reigned in the fashion industry? The past few years have witnessed a marked shift in their virtual business models, some proving to be more experimental than others. The pandemic saw Demna lead Balenciaga into hosting a virtual reality runway show for their fall/winter 2021 collection alongside the industry’s first video game drop titled Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow. And other maisons—think Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada—have since followed suit with a tangential inception into the gaming world; a concomitant venture considering how video games have long set the pretext for what our virtual future might look like. 

But fast-forward to the penultimate month of 2022 and the fashion world seems to bring with it a clear stand on the metaverse: a creative tool and space, yet to be fully realised to its maximum potential. Environmental activists harbour high hopes for its easy alignment with sustainability and deep in the virtual verse there has been ample positive reception for the way it opens doors to innovative collaborations in the industry. As of late, Rimowa has launched luggage NFTs with RTFKT and Burberry has a capsule phygital collection with Minecraft. Below, glean a recent update of how the fashion metaverse is doing as more and more creative initiatives emerge onto the virtual scape. 

 

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