Designers Showcase Web3 Initiatives at Paris Fashion Week
A few designers showcased Web3 initiatives at Paris Fashion Week, demonstrating inclusivity, sustainability and creativity.
As fashion week continues to grow in popularity, more and more designers are choosing to showcase their collections in the City of Light. Paris Fashion Week 2022 was no exception, with 64 shows and 42 presentations taking place over the course of the week. Many of the looks demonstrated the future of fashion, with sprayed-on dresses, upcycled fresh looks, and recycled garments all making an appearance. Bella Hadid was a standout at the Coperni show, and her dress is sure to be one of the most talked-about looks of the season.
It's clear that the fashion industry is starting to explore the potential of digital technologies. This is a exciting development that could lead to some truly innovative and unique fashion designs. We can expect to see more designers incorporating Web3 features into their work in the future, as they continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in the fashion world.
Web3 democratizes fashion, making it more accessible to everyone.
As the world becomes more and more digitized, designers are finding new ways to create sustainable fashion. Virtual worlds allow creators to design without using real fabrics and materials, which means less waste and a smaller carbon footprint. This is a huge step forward for the fashion industry, which has long been criticized for its environmental impact. With more designers exploring virtual fashion, we can expect to see even more sustainable and eco-friendly collections in the future.
Weinsanto's first digital collection M3TALOVE was revealed immediately following his fashion show in Paris on Sept. 26. The M3TALOVE collection was showcased as 3D holograms within a series of glass cases in a dark room, equipped with bright lights and a DJ. The collection is a collaboration between Weinsanto and K-Pop girl band Lightsum.
I think it's amazing that Richard Hobbs was inspired to merge K-pop culture with fashion through his work with Brand New Vision. I think this is a great way to bring two very different worlds together and create something really special and unique. I'm excited to see what else comes from this partnership between BNV and M3TALOVE.
This was an amazing experience for Victor, who got to present his concepts to eight members of Lightsum. They gave him feedback and suggestions, which he then used to convert the sketches into digital outfits. Each girl also had a customized avatar, which made the experience even more special.
This is an exciting new development that shows the potential of NFTs to revolutionize the fashion industry. The M3TALOVE collection is a perfect example of how NFTs can be used to create unique, one-of-a-kind garments that are not only stylish but also have intricate details that would be impossible to replicate in the real world. Weinsanto's vision for the collection is one that we can all get behind - fashion that is both wearable and stylish, with a touch of the Metaverse thrown in for good measure.
Web3 fashion offers the ability to go beyond realistic concepts, which is extremely important. Hobbs remarked that M3TALOVE is an entirely digital collection, noting that this allows for more imaginative concepts, along with the sustainability. This is a huge selling point for Web3 fashion, as it allows for a more unique and sustainable product.
It's no secret that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. But what if there was a way to enjoy fashion without harming the environment? Enter BNV, a digital fashion company that is leading the way in sustainable style. BNV's business is digital fashion. If people can wear more virtual products and express themselves in that world while consuming less in the real world, that's probably a good thing,” he said. Hobbs makes an important point, as it was previously reported that a typical New York Fashion Week emits up to 48,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Balmain's new Web3 hub, "Balmain Thread," is designed to unite the brand's community with NFT projects. Txampi Diz, chief marketing officer of Balmain, told Cointelegraph that the hub is a result of the brand's desire to democratize fashion. Diz said that Olivier Rousteing, who has been the house's creative director since 2011, along with the entire Balmain team, have become acutely aware of the need to make fashion more accessible. The Balmain Thread will allow fans of the brand to participate in the fashion process and own a piece of the Balmain story.
“We are stressing the need to open up fashion, democratizing a previously closed-off universe. We knew that we had to introduce the Balmain Thread during our annual Balmain Festival, which is a celebration that mixes our runway presentation for Paris Fashion Week with a one-of-a-kind live concert that is live streamed on Balmain.com.”
It is exciting to see how the Balmain Festival is using cutting-edge technology to create unique experiences for its attendees. The use of MintNFT to create "The Moment" app is a great example of how festivals can use technology to create more immersive and interactive experiences for their fans. I can't wait to see how other festivals will use similar technology in the future to create even more memorable experiences for their fans.
Diz emphasized that the primary goal of Balmain Thread is to facilitate communication with the brand's followers, as well as to provide access to those who have not previously been involved with Paris Fashion Week. He stated that the platform will help to promote the exchange of information and ideas between users, ultimately resulting in a more engaged and informed customer base.
“Inclusion is a keyword in fashion, as we all know that the old vision of exclusivity and closed-off experiences is just not feasible for the new generation of fashion lovers. Web3 is one of the many interesting new tools that allow us to open our world to those who wish to enter.”
As more and more fashion houses adopt Web3 experiences, it is becoming easier for both consumers and creators to access the latest trends and styles. This is a great development for the fashion industry, as it allows for more creativity and innovation to flourish. We can expect to see even more amazing fashion designs and concepts in the future, thanks to the continued adoption of Web3 technologies.
I believe that the Paris-founded fashion company Faith Connexion is onto something big with their Web3 platform, Faith Tribe. This incubator allows independent creators to design and customize digital and physical fashion assets that can then be minted into NFTs. This is a game-changing development in the world of fashion, and I believe that Faith Connexion is at the forefront of this exciting new industry.
“We had a showroom at Paris Fashion Week this year to display some of the collaborative names and labels that are part of Faith Tribe. This makes Faith Connexion an inclusive brand, which is different from the major players like LVMH. We are leveraging Web3 to give power back to creators.”
It's exciting to see a brand like Faith Connexion partnering with someone like Gavin Magnus to create an NFT line. It shows that they are willing to experiment with new technologies and ideas, and that they are committed to staying ahead of the curve. I think this is a great move for the brand, and I'm eager to see what Gavin Magnus comes up with for his NFT line.
This is great news for new designers who are looking to expand their presence in the fashion world. With Faith Connexion's help, they will have access to virtual studios, IP registrations, and NFT minting capabilities. This will allow them to create unique and innovative designs that will stand out in the crowd.
Unlike BNV, which focuses strictly on digital collections, Chammas explained that Faith Connexion emphasizes physical production associated with digital twins. “We believe that any designer will be able to create and curate for us under their own brand, while we enable NFT tags to ensure consumers have digital ownership,” he said. The idea behind NFTs for physical designs will also allow creators under Faith Connexion to have wearables in Metaverse environments that can be used to dress avatars. We believe that this emphasis on physical production, combined with the ability to use NFTs to ensure digital ownership, will allow Faith Connexion to become a leading fashion brand in the Metaverse. We think that the ability for designers to create and curate under their own brand, while still having access to the resources and support of Faith Connexion, will be a major selling point.
Web3 is set to revolutionize the fashion industry.
It is clear that the fashion industry has yet to fully take advantage of the potential that Web3 offers. However, there are some innovators who are hopeful that this will change in the future. Web3 has the potential to greatly expand the reach of the fashion industry, and it is up to designers and brands to fully embrace this potential.
I believe that the Metaverse has great potential for designers and that soon everyone will want to create collections in this virtual world. It is stimulating and exciting, but also easily accessible, making it the perfect platform for creativity.
In the future, more and more fashion houses will move into the Web3 space, according to Diz. This will democratize the industry, but education remains a key challenge. That's why Balmain Thread has made it easy for people to join its community.
“We made it clear that those joining the Balmain Thread community would never need to master any of the complex workings of crypto or blockchains in order to engage creatively with the house – all memberships were minted on the XRP Ledger, while MintNFT guaranteed security by proving authenticity via their video verification technology.”
Some industry experts believe that educating designers and creators at major events like Paris Fashion Week is critical in order to ensure the success of the Metaverse. For example, Enara Nazarova, vice president of Metaverse at Hype — an agency that helps brands get started in the Metaverse — told Cointelegraph that Hype hosted its second digital fashion soirée at Paris Fashion Week to educate attendees on Web3.
The future of the fashion industry looks bright, with leading builders in the Web3 space coming together to discuss what's next. Our New York Fashion Week soirée was a great success, and we're excited to see what the future holds for the fashion industry.
I believe that Web3 has advanced significantly within the crypto space, but education and onboarding users is still key to driving adoption. Although this is happening slowly, I am confident that Web3 will have a bigger presence at flagship fashion events in the future.
“Web2 brands can’t ignore digital fashion’s power to connect with millions of consumers through virtual products. Yet transitioning from Web2 to Web3 is not a one-size-fits-all solution, so companies have to embrace experimentation. I think the opportunities for fashion to leverage Web3 infrastructure are just starting to emerge.”
