What about digital fashion now that the pandemic is over? The founders of Auroboros of Institute of Digital Fashion say the future looks bright
Last June 12th at London Fashion Week, the digital fashion brand Auroboros became the first ever to present a collection of digital ready-to-wear in the official fashion calendar. With Sita Aballen's styling and in partnership with the Institute of Digital Fashion the brand presented a gamified and interactive shopping experience, introducing the world to a fully sustainable, all digital idea of fashion with a sci-fi aesthetic. But if digital fashion had had its moment of glory during lockdown with a renewed interest in technology and digital meta-verses, what will happen to it now that the lockdown is over? According to Paula Sello and Alissa Aulbekova, founders of Auroboros, interviewed by nss magazine, the future could not be brighter:
«We believe that in the post-pandemic world, the attention on digital fashion will continue to build, as our lives remain intertwined with the positives we have taken from using technology during the lockdown. […] As we re-enter into the world as restrictions ease, digital clothing will transcend beyond our screens. With state of the art AR technology, it will soon be commonplace for digital fashion to merge with our physical surroundings.».
There are two limits against which the nascent digital fashion scene is fighting: those of fashion itself and those of the public. The issues of the audience are quite simple: «want to understand how they will truly be able to utilise digital fashion», say the founders of the Institute. Yet the limitations inherent in the fashion world are quite different: from the limited offer of the brands themselves and the sizes on the shelves of retailers to the problems of sustainability and accessibility of the luxury industry, as well as those related to transparency and the protection of fashion talents. «We want to make an active change, not sit on panels and discuss a new future but build one». More accessible fashion can be a more inclusive and data-driven fashion that helps to «map and to inform you of traction and reach».
Yet this integration or symbiosis between physical creators and digital creators sometimes meets the diffidence of some of the major brands: «More traditional houses in fashion might see digital as a threat, however it's a great opportunity. Brands are now having to adapt to the changes in society, the demographic developments and demand for more sustainable solutions. Digital fashion provides positive solutions to the mass.». It must be said, however, that until now the traditional fashion industry, while maintaining control over its prerogatives, has never been openly hostile to digital fashion, quite the contrary. Gucci's items have enjoyed great successes on the Roblox platform, where the digital part of the Gucci Garden Archetypes exhibit has also taken place, Gucci has also created outfits for video games such as The Sims or League of Legends, while Balenciaga presented its FW21 collection through a video game, while last May the first digital fashion show on Animal Crossing was held. In short, the road would seem open.
But how does a digital atelier work?
Gaming and fashion. Why do you think they're flirting with each other so much lately?
The two worlds have long been so interconnected, as video games were arguably one of the first examples of digital fashion in terms of game character outfits. Especially with customisable characters, players can have fun by expressing their identity via the look of their avatars with the freedom to choose what they are wearing without the judgements and constraints of reality. Auroboros recently partnered with the interactive luxury styling app 'Drest', tapping into the luxury fashion and gaming industry. Auroboros customers could style our digital Biomimicry collection on avatars with the option of purchasing the Auroboros looks they had created. We found that our audience loved the opportunity to be playful with creating head to toe looks. The escapism of gaming paired with the self-expression of fashion makes the two industries so complementary to each other.
Give us a few examples of the possibilities that digital fashion can have for the future of the industry.
Digital fashion opens up limitless possibilities for the future of the industry. In particular, the opportunity for the industry to become more sustainable, a value that is important to the planet and the consumer. We now know that the carbon footprint for a digital fashion item is 97% less CO2 than the equivalent physical garment because virtual clothing is made of unreal materials and digitally delivered to consumers. The uses of digital fashion are even more apparent when you discover that 1 in 10 people buy clothing purely to wear on social media platforms. These garments are essentially already virtual, only visible via a screen, and so it would make sense that digital fashion could replace this instantly. There is also the opportunity for the industry to be more innovative in their design and aesthetics, as virtual clothing the possibilities are endless, with the chance to wear fire, water, moving elements, glowing elements. Anything that can possibly be imagined, can be worn as digital fashion, enabling infinite creativity.
