Being a relatively new concept, there is still a lot of anonymity behind the term “digital fashion”, it could be used to reference the digitally rendered clothes made for the metaverse and video game avatars. But under a more artistic gloss, may also refer to the designers using digital technology to create eye-catching realistic high fashion pieces and the use of new-age digital resources to push boundaries in fashion. Whether it be commercially or artistically, products of the digital age are changing the way we both create and interact with fashion.
Larger brands are embracing digital fashion through a commercial lens, Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Prada have all launched virtual fashion media in response to the metaverse.
The most prevalent way for these brands to take on “digital fashion” is through video games and other avatar-based online platforms, such as Minecraft x Burberry and Balenciaga x Fortnite. These brands sell virtual renderings of their clothes to users, which can then be worn by their video game avatars, costing almost nothing in production, it just doesn’t explain the prices of these intangible goods. While a creative idea initially, that I think now has fallen to just a pitfall of capitalism, spending real money on digital clothing might be taking the idea too far. But Balenciaga also made real tee shirts and hoodies from their Fortnite collaboration, it’s definitely a way of associating their brand with a previously unreached audience.
Another commercial take on this new technology is from retail apps like Farfetch, which allows shoppers to virtually try on luxury goods without leaving their homes. Contrary to the sale of digital clothing, this is merely a way of digitally trying on real clothing that is available for purchase, Farfetch isn’t the only one, Amazon and Walmart now offer similar services. This proves to be a productive and entertaining way to market brands and products digitally.
Moving away from the idea of using virtual technologies for monetary gain, and instead focusing on the more creative aspects of 21st-century technology, it brings to light the innovative designers making an entire career out of digital fashion.
And Field Skjellerup is one of them. He uses machine learning technology to craft AI-generated designs. On his Instagram, he posts a different AI-generated design every day. You may expect to see lots of beige and gray, simple textures and shapes, but instead, Skjellerup showcases the incredible creative potential of AI through rather bright colors and unseen shapes.
Designers like Iris Van Herpen have long incorporated technology into fashion, amongst others like Hussein Chalayan. As with many other art forms, fashion has embraced new technologies in the past and is sure to do so with AI too.
Described not as a replacement, but as an aid to the human imagination, AI in fashion could build things the human mind could never have even thought of. Bringing this kind of technology into not just fashion, but across many art forms is bound to enhance creative abilities.
So is digital really the future of fashion? Only somewhat in my personal opinion. There are many new digital rendering tools, pattern design platforms, AI technologies, 3d printing tools, etc.. that are sure to move fashion forward. But as far as buying and selling digital clothing goes, It’s a niche market and is bound to die out, as spending money on intangible clothing pieces is sure to lose its luster as the technology becomes less impressive in future years. However, people will always need clothes, and AI amongst other new technologies is certain to bring these new ideas into the world.