Digital fashion is seen as one of the most exciting realms of the metaverse, poised to transform our identity and how we express ourselves in both the virtual and real worlds. The Fabricant, an Amsterdam-based digital fashion house, aims to be at the forefront of this movement. In this interview, Nirmala Shome, the Head of Marketing and Growth shares her vision on the future of digital fashion.

The Future Frontier of Self-Expression

The physical fashion industry today is facing numerous challenges in production ethics and sustainability. According to McKinsey, for every five garments produced, the equivalent of three end up in the landfill. This context is what kick-started The Fabricant, digital fashion offers quite a promising alternative, allowing limitless self-expression with reduced impact.

Shome also points out that as the younger generation spends more time in the virtual worlds, it’s only natural that the demand for digital fashion will grow too. The virtual world today is already influencing how people style themselves offline. A 2022 Roblox study revealed that 70% of its users draw real-life style cues from their avatars. “If you buy a real jacket offline, your avatar should be able to wear it too. Digital fashion is all about enabling authentic expression both in the virtual and real worlds,” she added.

“We believe that digital fashion will overtake the traditional fashion industry to become the driving force of future subcultures and we want to shepherd this change.”

Evoking Emotional Impact Through Digital Craftsmanship

At The Fabricant, crafting digital fashion is treated as an artform that rivals physical couture in both its complexity and creativity. This is done by collaborating with both the most innovative and experienced designers and pattern makers to create digital fashion that, according to Shome, “feels like the real thing.”

She adds, “We want users to feel emotionally moved. Even though you can’t physically touch our clothes, we aim to deliver that realness through detailed visuals, movement, and sound. It’s all about enabling an immersive fashion experience as much as possible”.

The Fabricant’s “Primal Rave” collection is a testament to this, crafted using digital textiles that perfectly mimic the look and feel of satin, silk, and beaded fringe. Each garment is accompanied by its own intricate narrative, telling the story of different forest rave characters elevating the collection to become just as impactful, if not more, as physical fashion.

“Our commitment to digital craftsmanship is what sets us apart. Although you can’t physically touch our items, we try to deliver the feeling of real clothes through visuals, movement and sound”

Empowering the Next Generation of Fashion Creators

Today, The Fabricant’s mission is to develop a decentralised ecosystem designed to offer equal opportunities for creatives anywhere around the world, to create, share and monetise digital fashion. “The fashion community is an important part of our success. We foster the community through interactive workshops and active channels on Discord and Youtube, providing the tools to the hands of individuals who are curious about building a path in digital fashion, ” Shome explains.

The ultimate ambition? Transform The Fabricant into a globally-influential digital fashion powerhouse. However, for Shome, the true allure lies in digital fashion’s potential in pushing culture forward. “Throughout history, fashion has always been a catalyst for cultural revolution,” she says. “We’re excited to pioneer this transformative new era, exploring ways to merge subcultures and digital technology to redefine how we experience culture”.