Decentraland and Over stage second Metaverse Fashion Week

After a first edition that relied on novelty appeal, Decentraland is staging the second Metaverse Fashion Week (MVFW) on March 28-31. The official calendar includes presentations by labels such as Adidas, Dundas, House of Barth and DressX, as well as commercial initiatives by Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY and Dolce & Gabbana. As it did last year, MVFW will showcase and commercialise virtual outfits for avatars, in the guise of NFTs. Another metaverse domain, Over, will join forces with Decentraland, staging a parallel hybrid event in Milan’s piazza Duomo, featuring Balmain.

MVFW’s first edition relied chiefly on virtual runway show experiences (you can read our mixed review of the event here), but this time there will be fewer of them. It must be said that the metaverse is yet to fully take hold in the general public’s daily life, especially since Meta (formerly Facebook), the prophet of the metaverse revolution, is yet to deliver its own virtual domain. MVFW’s previous edition mostly appealed to existing Decentraland users (approximately 300,000 active monthly users), and it seems that the event is for the time being no longer keen on winning over new ones.

Dundas and Adidas will be the main names showing this year, respectively on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm CET. MVFW will also showcase 11 designers operating exclusively on the metaverse (lacknode, Roustan, Xalax, WJ Designs, Kirzoz, Hexroid, StoneyEye, SoultryDubs, FabeeoBreen, Digifun, and Dappcraft).

The ‘Dear Vivienne’s Anti-Fashion’ show will pay tribute to Vivienne Westwood, giving metaverse denizens the chance to showcase their most anti-fashion avatar outfits, or fashion wearables. Scores of them are available on the Decentraland marketplace. MVFW organisers stated that pictures of the virtual event will be collected in a physical exhibition later this year.

MVFW will also host various conferences, although Decentraland did not specify whether they will take the form of video-conferences projected on a screen located in the virtual universe, as last year. The conferences’ topics will range from retail in the metaverse to fashion’s ‘digi-physical’ future, to tips on how to become meta-outfit designers, and the blockchain's role in authenticating products in the metaverse.

MVFW’s calendar will be mostly busy with parties, in which very real DJs will get virtual avatars dancing, and commercial/marketing initiatives. Tommy Hilfiger and Coach will both offer immersive experiences.

DKNY will present its new virtual store concept, with its New York vibe. Jewellery brand Ben Bridge has promised that its first virtual store will feature exclusive wearables. Similarly, Balenciaga will present 10 fashion wearables inspired by Cristobal Balenciaga’s own sketches.

Another metaverse, Over, is joining MVFW this year, and announced it will stage a hybrid event in Milan’s piazza Duomo on March 31. Several presentations will showcase collaborations such as Balmain x Space Runners’ Unicorn, Ilona Song x Vogue Singapore, as well as lines by Pinko, Ecoolska and XR Couture.

The following tips will be useful for first-time attendees: there is no need to install ad hoc software or pay to enter Decentraland; the metaverse is available directly on web browsers, through which one can move their personalised avatars via keyboard and mouse commands (please read “Metaverse Fashion Week: a guide for first-time attendees”).

MVFW events will be held at various venues on the Decentraland virtual map: Genesis Plaza, Dragon City, Fashion Street, District X and Metatokyo. The coordinates and schedules of each venue are easily accessible via the event's dedicated page. Daily yoga and meditation sessions will be held at 3pm for highly stressed avatars.

Decentraland and Over stage second Metaverse Fashion Week

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