Crypto glossary
Digital fashion (wearables)
Digital fashion is virtual clothing and accessories for avatars, often sold as NFTs by brands and designers to be worn in games, metaverses or edited photos.
Digital garments exist only as 3D files. Buyers dress their avatars in virtual worlds, wear items in games, or receive edited photos of themselves wearing the design. Sold as NFTs, often called wearables, these items carry verifiable ownership and can be resold. Digital-only fashion houses and luxury brands have released collections, and some pair a digital item with a physical one.
Interest peaked in 2021 and 2022: a luxury house's first NFT collection sold for millions of dollars, a blockchain metaverse hosted fashion weeks with major labels, and sportswear companies bought digital design studios. Proponents highlight sustainability, since no fabric is produced, and creative freedom from physical constraints.
Wearables usually work only on the platform they were made for; a jacket bought in one metaverse cannot be worn in another, which undercuts the promise of portable digital identity. Demand fell sharply with the wider NFT market, some brand studios closed, and resale values for most items are low. Gaming skins without NFTs remain far larger as a market.
Example
A fashion label sells a limited NFT jacket that can be equipped on avatars in one metaverse platform; buyers also receive an augmented reality filter to wear it in photos.