Like many industries, the fashion industry is going digital – it has
\nbeen for years. But in recent months, with the outbreak of Covid-19 causing
\nunprecedented distribution to global supply chains, wreaking havoc on
\nphysical retail and making the traditionally intimate world of fashion
\nshows seem an alien remnant of a bygone era, that process has accelerated.
\nIn this article, FashionUnited takes a look at some of the interesting ways the fashion industry is going digital, as well as some of the companies leading the charge.<\/p>\n
It would be amiss, when talking about the digitisation of the fashion
\nindustry, not to begin with fashion itself. That is, the digitisation of
\nclothing. Once a far-fetched concept, the idea of digital fashion – or
\nfashion that never physically exists but instead is made only to be seen in digital spaces – is gaining traction in the industry. One of the companies
\nat the forefront of that movement is Amsterdam-based digital fashion house
\nThe Fabricant.<\/p>\n
The company uses film visual effects such as motion capture, 3D Read our earlier interview with The Fabricant here:<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n Founder Kerry Murphy envisions a world in the not-too-distant future The way our clothing is designed and made is experiencing a shift away from “The potential of 3D design is limitless, allowing us to meet consumer In recent months, brands have cancelled billions of dollars worth of Made-to-order automated production cycles UK-based company Unmade creates on-demand fashion software that allows Fashion weeks have always been an innately physical affair – theatrical This month, London Fashion Week (LFW) became the first of the four major Read more:<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n And Breton isn’t the first to reimagine the runway show in recent Mvuemba told Teen Vogue that prior to the pandemic she had already been But back to LFW. Though the event was undoubtedly far less spectacular Similarly, Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) went digital back in March, Read more:<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n Move your mouse over the images and click on the round yellow Physical trade fairs have also been cancelled in recent months. The The logistics of the feat was impressive. Organisers of the event The showroom is also getting a digital makeover. On Wednesday, OTB A growing number of fashion companies are experimenting with this new “The post-Covid-19 world and the inevitable contraction of worldwide Even before Covid-19, people were progressively shifting to online, a At the end of May, Tommy Hilfiger unveiled its Summer 2020 collection Similarly, Italian luxury label Gucci has reportedly launched a new Another important aspect of the in-store experience which has been given Yoox, part of the Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP) group, was one of the earlier Amazon is working on taking that idea to the next level. In January, it Education across the world has been massively disrupted by Covid-19. It Read more:<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n End of year presentations – important opportunities for students to Fashion education for the most part still heavily relies on conventional Although it’s unlikely that the traditional manual side of fashion The fashion industry began its digital shift long before the Covid-19 Main article image: The Fabricant x Puma, courtesy of The Want to become a member of FashionUnited’s B2B Marketplace? Buyers and brands can register via .\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nanimation software and body scanning to create hyper-realistic animations
\nof fashion garments without ever physically creating them. And there is a
\ngrowing appetite for this new type of fashion. Since it began operating in
\n2018, The Fabricant has established an impressive portfolio working with
\nfashion heavyweights such as US label Tommy Hilfiger and German sportswear
\nbrand Puma. In 2018, the company sold its first digital couture dress,
\ncalled Iridescence, at an auction in New York for 9,500 US dollars.<\/p>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\nwhere people will buy and rent digital clothing to be worn by avatars of
\nthemselves – or ‘digital twins’ – who will occupy online spaces such as
\nsocial media and interact with others. “There is a massive opportunity to
\nsell digital-only clothing and that is the space we’re moving towards,”
\nMurphy told FashionUnited. “We are true believers that digital fashion will
\nbe more creative and profitable in the future than physical.”<\/p>\nDesign and manufacturing<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\ntraditional manual processes. 3D fashion design software programmes like
\nClo3D and Optitex are allowing people to design in a more streamlined and
\nsustainable way, cutting down on the waste and carbon emissions traditionally
\ngenerated in the sampling process. In November 2019, Tommy
\nHilfiger’s then-CEO Daniel Grieder announced something radical – that from spring 2022, all the label’s collections would be designed digitally using digital fabric, a pattern and
\ncolor asset library, digital 3D presentation tools and rendering
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
\nneeds faster and in a more sustainable way,” Grieder said when announcing the plans. “The technology has become a fundamental tool in our collection design and has the potential to significantly accelerate our speed to market and replace traditional
\nproduct photography entirely.”<\/p>\n
\nclothing orders with manufacturers, and factories across the world have been
\nforced to close. Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the supply chain by exposing
\npre-existing weaknesses within it, such as the fragility of the supply and demand
\nmodel. But as the dust settles for many countries across the world,
\ncompanies have an opportunity to find new solutions to those issues. One
\npotential solution – and something that has been growing traction in recent
\nyears – is on-demand fashion.<\/p>\n
\nhave a number of benefits over existing models. Firstly, they cut down on
\noverstock, as only garments that have already been bought are being
\nproduced. They also allow for streamlined timelines and offer new levels of
\npersonalisation, allowing consumers to customise garments before purchasing
\nthem. The development of automated technologies such as 3D printing, 3D
\nknitting and laser printing are further enabling this production model.<\/p>\n
\nbrands to offer made-to-order customisable garments. The company has worked
\nwith the likes of New Balance and Christopher Raeburn. CEO Hal Watts said in an April panel talk with Fashion Revolution that during the Covid-19 pandemic, when factories were being forced to shut, its software allowed existing customers to quickly and easily switch production between factories. He also said companies who were in discussions about working with Unmade further down the line were now interested in accelerating that process. “I think they’re seeing that their supply chains are very brittle. They
\nare slow and they involve large amounts of stock – something
\nlike coronavirus just really exposes that reality,” Watts said. “It hasn’t
\nactually created a new problem, it’s just made the problems they’ve had
\nreally visible.”<\/p>\nFashion weeks and catwalks<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\nspectacles where masses of industry professionals flock to fashion
\ncapitals, packing intimate locations to the brim, sitting shoulder to
\nshoulder while gawking at the latest trends. On a list of things
\nnot to do in the new socially-distanced world, it would rank near the top. So
\nof course, the industry had to adapt.<\/p>\n
\nfashion capitals to showcase its fully-digital iteration – a
\nthree-day schedule of films, video discussions and workshops, among other
\nthings. But something was missing. Traditionally the crown jewel of any
\nfashion week, the runway shows, for the most part, were nowhere to be seen.
\nIt was a sensible omission in light of Covid-19, though nonetheless a
\ndrawback. But one brand found a workaround. Taiwanese-born luxury fashion
\ndesigner Malan Breton showcased his SS21 collection, called ‘Immortal’,
\nthrough a virtual catwalk show featuring CGI designed 3D models.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nmonths. Back in April, Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba took to Instagram
\nto showcase the latest collection of her contemporary ready-to-wear label,
\nHanifa. The brand created a video featuring photorealistic digital versions
\nof dresses from its Pink Label Congo collection moving down a catwalk on
\ninvisible torsos, showcasing how the garments would move on a real body.<\/p>\n
\nusing 3D mockups as a way to showcase ideas to her team and was planning to
\neventually take her catwalk shows digital. With the future of physical shows cast into uncertainty, perhaps this is the first glimpse of what one day could be the norm. After All, we’ve already seen the increasing presence in recent years of avatars like Lil Miquela – a digital Gen-Z influencer with an eye-watering 2.4 million followers on Instagram who has starred in campaigns by the likes of Calvin Klein, Prada and Givenchy.<\/p>\n
\nand theatrical than past international fashion weeks (you didn’t see Chanel
\nmodels circling a towering stone statue of a jacket, nor Saint Laurent models
\nwalking on water in front of the Eiffel Tower), the free online show
\nundoubtedly offered a more democratised edition of the traditionally
\nexclusive event.<\/p>\n
\ndelivering a highly interactive event that pivoted away from its
\ntraditional industry audience and towards a consumer one. Visitors watched
\nreal life models walk down virtual catwalks with CGI backgrounds, could ask
\nrealtime questions to designers about their collections and, tapping into
\nthe growing trend of ‘see now, buy now’, could see which items were
\nimmediately available for purchase. SHFW brought together over 150
\ndesigners and brands to showcase their collections via livestream and
\nreportedly drew 11 million viewers and sold 2.75 million dollars worth of
\nclothes and accessories.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nicon with the ‘i’ for more information. Click on the arrows to navigate
\nthrough the slideshow. Image: Screenshot Tmall Shanghai Fashion Week. Multimedia
\ncreated by Weixin Zha for FashionUnited\n<\/p>\nTrade fairs and showrooms<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\nevents, which traditionally see large crowds of exhibitors, retailers,
\nagents, designers and the press congregating to network and showcase the
\nlatest products and services, have instead been forced to pivot to entirely
\ndigital formats. The world’s leading trade fairs such as Florence’s Pitti
\nUomo and Berlin’s Premium have announced upcoming digital iterations, while
\ndenim trade fair Kingpins has already debuted its first fully-digital
\nshow.<\/p>\n
\nmanaged to transform the fair into an online format in just 30 days and 75
\npercent of its original exhibitors attended. But the digital edition of
\ncourse had its flaws. Aside from all-too-familiar issues with internet
\nconnection, attendees said they struggled to make meaningful contacts like
\nthey could in person and the inability to feel and interact with the
\nproducts and technologies on show was a drawback. But there were also
\nupsides. Like we noted with fashion shows, the democratisation of the
\nevent allowed companies to attend who
\nwould otherwise not be able to budget for the trip. Other companies noted
\nthat the money they saved from the trip (or lack thereof) could then be
\ndirected elsewhere, on research or product development, for example.<\/p>\n
\nGroup, which owns brands Diesel, Margiela, Marni and Viktor and Rolf, . From SS21
\nonwards, all the group’s collections will be digitalised with high-quality
\n360-degree images and videos and 2D close-ups. Buyers will be able to explore the
\nvirtual spaces and will be guided through remote buying sessions by vendors
\nconnected live.<\/p>\n
\nformat. French luxury label Balmain and Copenhagen International Fashion
\nFair (CIFF) have launched their own virtual showrooms in recent months
\nto help buyers who face travel restrictions. Welsh tech firm Brandlab
\nFashion is one of the companies working to digitalise the showroom
\nexperience and envisions a future where trade fairs and showroom attendees
\nwill meet in a virtual reality world to do business, a solution which makes
\nfor a nimble alternative to physical showrooms, while cutting down on costs and
\ntravel.<\/p>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\ntravel make virtual showrooms even more important in the future as a way of
\nsupplementing existing showroom business,” Brandlab Fashion founder Dan
\nO’Connell told FashionUnited. “Brands can finally break free of the
\nrestrictive fashion calendar and do business with more retailers, more
\noften.”<\/p>\nNew ways of shopping<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\ntrend that will likely only be accelerated by new and globally-shared
\nconcerns about social distancing. A study by ‘buy now, pay later’ provider
\nLaybuy found that 38 percent of UK shoppers were feeling nervous about
\nreturning to stores prior to them reopening last week. At the same time,
\npeople don’t want to turn their back on the exclusive in-store shopping
\nexperience. In this space between convenience and engagement, new
\nopportunities for brands to reimagine the shopping experience are opening
\nup.<\/p>\n
\nduring its first livestream shopping event in Europe and North America. The
\n30-minute broadcast featured special guests and influencers and allowed
\nviewers to add their favourite styles to a virtual shopping bag and
\npurchase them after the broadcast. Viewers could also ask live questions,
\nvote on their favourite pieces and take part in trivia quizzes. Tommy
\nHilfiger has been pushing this ‘see now, buy now’ strategy for the past
\nseveral seasons, and said this latest move “builds on the next generation’s
\nincreasing desire for more social and interactive digital shopping
\nexperiences.”<\/p>\n
\nvirtual shopping service to give its customers a virtual in-store
\nexperience from the comfort of their own home. Called Gucci Live, the
\nservice works by connecting clients via video call to a Gucci employee
\nworking from a special store, called Gucci 9, in Florence. In fact, Gucci 9
\nisn’t a store at all, it’s a set made to look exactly like the luxurious
\ninside of a Gucci store. The service is reportedly still in its trial
\nstage, according to ChargedRetail, but the label intends to open five
\nsimilar stores in New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\na digital makeover in recent years is the fitting room. While trying on
\nclothing might seem like an inherently physical process, more companies in
\nthe fashion industry are looking at ways to change that. And it makes sense
\nwhen you consider consumers’ growing tendency to shop online compounded by
\nnew concerns over the safety of using fitting rooms. In fact, a recent
\nstudy by auditing firm EY found that 80 percent of UK shoppers said they
\nwere unwilling to try on new clothing in stores ahead of them reopening.<\/p>\n
\nfashion brands to work on a solution for this when it introduced its
\nAI-powered virtual styling suite, called YooxMirror, in 2018. The feature
\nallowed users to mix and match looks on a digital avatar called Daisy. Fast
\nforward a year and Yoox launched a new version, this time allowing users to
\ncreate an avatar of themselves by taking a selfie or uploading an image. A
\ncombination of artificial intelligence and augmented reality (AR)
\ntechnology then converts that image to a personalised 3D avatar. Fashion
\ncompanies like Asos and Gucci introduced similar AR try-on features in
\n2019, allowing shoppers to see what they’d look like wearing certain
\nItems of clothing.<\/p>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\nwas revealed the US retail giant had created a patent, seen by The
\nTelegraph, for its own ‘virtual changing room’. The tool would reportedly
\ncreate a ‘virtual mannequin’ of the user from images taken from their
\nsocial media photographs. It could then dress the virtual avatar in
\nclothing it has found online, similar to the way social media sites already
\nshow us products we might be interested in based on previous searches. The
\nuser can then swipe left or right depending on whether they like or dislike
\nthe look. The feature will also reportedly request access to the users
\npersonal calendar and suggest outfits based on upcoming events such as
\nweddings, job interviews or sports.<\/p>\nEducation<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\nhas been especially problematic for inherently tactile subjects like
\nfashion, whose move to remote teaching meant focus was forced to shift away
\nfrom the hands-on garment production side of the syllabus and toward things
\nthat can be done from home, like working on portfolios or illustration. But
\nstudents and educators alike have found resourceful ways to persevere.
\nElisa Palomino, senior lecturer of BA Fashion Print at London’s Central
\nSaint Martins that she challenged her
\nstudents to create garments by upcycling materials they could
\nfind at home. The “Couture in Confinement” brief saw one student draping
\nand sampling with two old shower curtains and another crafting her own
\nversion of the Japanese tradition of washi paper making using bed slats,
\nscavenged old tissue, dead insects, hair and pieces of soap.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nshowcase their work to the industry – have also been massively disrupted,
\nwith universities scrambling to offer digital alternatives. Take Kent State
\nUniversity for example. Normally, its students would be heading to New York
\nCity for the annual Portfolio Showcase in Spring, but this year that
\nceremony was transformed into a digital showcase, where recent fashion
\ngraduates from the school could present their portfolios to alumni and
\nindustry leaders. Other schools have hosted virtual career days.<\/p>\n
\nmethods such as hand-drawing and manual pattern cutting, though it has
\nslowly been embracing digital tools. Digital design software programme Clo3D,
\nfor example, is used by some of the world’s leading fashion schools such as
\nLondon College of Fashion (LCF) and New York’s Parsons School of Design. It
\nallows users to design true-to-life 3D garment simulation, though it is
\nonly used in a small part of the curriculum in these schools. But that
\ncould change in the not-too-distant future, considering the sudden
\nneed for students to work remotely. Design lecturer at LCF Samuel Membery
\nsaid in a panel show hosted by Fashion Revolution in April that before the
\nCovid-19 outbreak, almost none of the 500 students at the college used
\nClo3D. “But now, around 50 percent or more are teaching themselves how to
\nuse it – and very quickly, with really impressive results,” he said.<\/p>\n
\neducation will radically change in coming years, it stands to reason that
\nas the fashion industry inevitably becomes more digitalised, fashion
\nstudents should be provided with the resources to keep up, resulting in a
\nfuture where digital tools and traditional manual methods are taught hand
\nin hand.<\/p>\n
\noutbreak, but the pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated that process and
\nforced the industry to quickly adapt. It’s yet to be seen how big a role
\nthese digital innovations will play in the long-term future of the industry
\n– perhaps the virtual trade fair experience will one day be practically
\nindistinguishable from the real thing, perhaps digital fashion, like Murphy
\npredicts, will be more profitable than physical fashion. Only time will
\ntell. And while it’s hard to see an upside in what has been a very bleak
\nfew months, it is reassuring to know it has brought a sense of urgency to
\nsome of the biggest sustainability issues the industry has been tiptoeing
\naround for a while, which many of these digital solutions could certainly
\nmitigate.\n<\/p>\n
\nFabricant<\/p>\n<\/p>\n