DE-MYSTIFYING THE METAVERSE AND DIGITAL FASHION

De-mystifying

the METAVERSE and DIGITAL FASHION

"No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness." - Aristotle

By Estelle Ohayon

To most of us the emergence of the Metaverse, most often associatedwithWeb3, NFT's andThe Blockchain, seems to be yet another confusing concept that simply adds to the never ending vocabulary we can't keep up with. Just when you thought you had grasped the most recent concept, another one rapidly emerges. Seemingly in an attempt to remind us that we are possibly not as smart as we thought we were.

Leaving us perplexed with skepticism, what on earth is the Metaverse?

"The metaverse is really any 3d immersive experience. This can include VR and AR but doesn't have to. I am really excited about the application of digital fashion and art in the Metaverse. The art and fashion that we choose in the Metaverse is an expression of ourselves. No different than in the real world. I am really excited about the future and the opportunity for the creators." Lorne Sugarman, CEO of Metaverse Group With the emergence of digital and immersive spaces, it only seems fitting that the digital fashion market evolved as well. Notonlyisdigitalfashionafunandcreativewaytoindividualize and accessorize our Metaverse avatar but it is so much more.

The new age of digital fashion and wearables is inevitably the next step in the advancement of fashion and design. As digital wearables,metaversesandNFTswillallowustoredefinethe boundaries of the fashion industry and open it up to a brand new demographic.

In order for us to understand where we are going, we must take a closer look at how we got here - the history of fashion, art and cinema as creative industries that have historically been driven by ideating fantasy-like narratives and persona-like icons. For example, the cinema industry played a large role in innovation when it introduced 'images in movement', in the early 20th century.

In art, we saw Old Masters enhance features in portraits, painting important figures with the intent to highlight and emphasize power, status, wealth and present flawless beauty through a traditional medium..

Fashion has also had a long history of embellishing and glorifying reality. High heels to improve height and posture, corsets to emphasize the female form. Similarly, this idealistic beautification was seen emphasized in upper classes through other mediums such as: wigs, make up, jewelry, etcetera...

These methods of artistic glorification soon influenced the norm, where at times we can't distinguish the real self from the persona created. Society normalized these elements as a collective shared value, highlighting that today technology is directly related to self identity and expressionism as well as cultural diversity and growth. Such examples are most evident on social media platforms with our personal realities being enhanced to build an augmented public persona.

The Metaverse has given us yet another virtual world we are able to conquer through our imagination and creativity. It is simply a byproduct of our continuous evolution, in our never-ending search for revolutionary ways to visualize our deepest desires and fantasies. Virtual reality fulfills the constant human desire to expand the body and mind beyond the physical limits of this world, taking our beings into an environment where they are not limited by genetics, geographies, athletic abilities, looks or even physics. The Metaverse has simply given us a new medium to execute and grow our personal and public persona with never ending bounds.

With the emergence of Metaverses we have seen designers, creators and artists of all walks experimenting with these new virtual worlds, learning to use the digital realm as a new medium to bring value to their collectors. Creating their own communities and narratives virtually.

Digital fashion and self-expression will become the next development to the layers with which we can add to our personas. As this segment of the market grows, fashion designers are understanding that digital design and fashion are a part of their brands ability to story tell and will organically grow into the next stage of Web3 e-commerce.

Once digital clothing becomes as available as an Instagram filter, we may begin to see a merger between the physical and

“Digital fashion and self-expression will become the next development to the layers with which we can add to our personas.” digitalworlds.Atthatmoment,NFT'sanddigitalfashionwill be normalized and could become a very powerful asset to our society.

Fashion, Art, Dance and Cinema have always been intertwined. Shaping our identity and tracking our cultural transformations. This new wave of technology is here to accentuate the mundane reality, grow our creativity, promote greater transparency in asset transactions and lower the barriers of entry into a well guarded sector. Fashion will forever be a tangible instrument of self expression, a powerful tool for tracking a generation's growth and humanity's common shared values.

For the first time we are now able to merge technology, art, streaming capabilities and expression like never before. Allowing for an amazing opportunity for consumer experiences. Everyday we interact with these elements on demand and at our fingertips. Whether it be via a YouTube video, online shopping, or taking a deep dive into online forums - all with a simple swipe of our phones.

Fast forwarding to Web3, we have the exact same needs, yet with a heightened experience. Perhaps you want to go shopping, but don't have the time to visit a mall or boutique, yet you also don't trust your online providers. With Web3 and Metaverse capabilities you can now bridge the best of both worlds. Merging the convenience and accessibility of the internet with the experience and trust of a physical store, gallery or boutique.

The ability to create these experiences propose an unbelievable opportunity for retailers, designers, artists and creators. When thinking of fashion specifically, Metaverse capabilities provide designers and creators an opportunity to truly tap into another dimension ultimately expanding their creative capabilities without constraints of the physical world.

Similarly, in cinema these benefits are also extremely prominent and untapped to date. Enabling immersive experiences with the ability to shop directly during that experience. Pickingupa"skin",itemofclothing,accessory,oreventhechoreography of your favorite actor and celebrity and add it to your cart while viewing a stream or in theater. The possibilities are endless not only in fashion, art and cinema but in everyday commerce.

In closing, the Metaverse is not as confusing as the public perceives it to be, nor is it an iteration of Sims. The Metaverse is the net portal into e-commerce, granting limitless creativity, access and innovations into all sectors physical or digital. Bridging these gaps will become more prominent as the technology advances, where we will be able to acquire physical assets through Metaverses and NFTs or buying digital assets in real world retailers. The opportunities are endless to those willing to open their eyes to its capabilities.

Special to Spencer Magazine:

Written by

Estelle Ohayon,

President & CEO Art Concierge Inc, CofounderNFTBAZL

Collaborators on this article:

Lorne Sugarman,

CEO Metaverse Group

Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro,

SeniorXRWeb3Producer&

Head of Metaverse Fashion Week

Rebecca Batterman, Strategic Advisor &

ConsultantWeb3+NFTs

Gerald Deluca,

Investor, Founder, Web3 Advisory