Fashion in the virtual space and how it can extend your brand in to the real world

Posted by Chris Birch on October 7, 2007 at 11:33am in Media and Marketing

As avatars become increasingly sophisticated people are obviously looking for ways to customise their characters, but in worlds that do not offer this ability how are you creating the fashions that the characters wear?

Fashion is a major part of youth culture (who's age demographic seems to get older with the people defining it!) and should play a vital role in any virtual community where it is another way of defining people's identities

However it is also a potential source of revenue, why not have a collection of clothes and accessories designed that people can pick from and even buy in the real world?

All too often the clothing is games and worlds is designed by people with no knowledge of fashion, it's trends and detail. Colours and styles can be laughably outdated and yet simple planning can ensure your characters are on trend and give the product or world that bit more sophistication and credibility.

Fashion products allow you to gain coverage in mainstream media that would usually never touch a video game or virtual community. They extend brand awareness in to the real world and make a statement of style and attitude. No, I'm not talking about cheap promotional shirts, gone are the days when a brand can give out a rubbish quality t-shirt and get away with it. Do you value your brand? Then value everything that has your name on.

What is the value of a celebrity wearing imagery from your game or world on the cover of a fashion or celebrity gossip magazine? Photographed coming out of a club or performing on stage? The virtual worlds and games of today don't have any faces that can take your brand in to the tv shows and magazines that the majority of your target audience absorb. So the next step is to make sure those who do get into that media are representing your brand.

You can't just slap a logo on a garment either, my fashion label Joystick Junkies has successfully made video games cool to the non-gaming mainstream streetwear market by designing for them, not for gamers and we're now in over 200 of Europe's hottest fashion boutiques.

I'd like to open up a discussion about how you see fashion developing within games and virtual worlds. If you really want to create a true virtual world where people spend a lot of their time you need to consider their needs and desires, and fashion is a major part of anyone's in their teens, twenties, thirties and beyond.

Perhaps you'll allow people to select clothing for avatars from top brand designers collection, or supporting the development of virtual collections by young designers, creating your own, engaging fashion designers to design your own real world collection or licencing out the opportunity. Fashion is big money, if you're not generating revenue from it both in and outside the virtual world you're not fully exploiting the opportunity at hand and it's a PR opportunity that is too good to miss.

Attachments:

junkie-vs-invaded.jpg, 40 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sophrosyne Stenvaag on October 9, 2007 at 12:47am: You've got some great ideas here!

But, I keep getting hung up on one word - in your last paragraph, "allow." Your message is *never* going to reach executives who think of their worlds as places to "allow" users to do anything. Virtual fashion is by nature peer-to-peer, democratic. When we come to virtual worlds, we're making a choice - often, a choice to turn from created, packaged, broadcast entertainment, into worlds where *we* have power and ability. We're not looking to be "allowed" to dress the way your marketers and branders want us to, but in a way that allows us to express *our* identities. If we wanted packaged, branded, pushed-on-us product - there's a whole world full of that already. We don't need new ones.

If you want *real* creative self expression, give us the tools to create. Take credit for our successes. Showcase our talents, discover our designers. But if you don't understand *we* are the creative talent, not your backroom programmers, you will *never* benefit from the creative potential of your worlds.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Birch on October 9, 2007 at 3:50am: Very true but not all virtual worlds allow you to create your own clothing, some just provide lots of options, in fact many games now provide extensive clothing options for your character that have little or no effect on gameplay and yet are well known for these aspects - for example Fable and SSX Snowboarding

Perhaps someone needs to create an outfit tool for avatars that lets you drop in big name brands that you like as well as create your own?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Murray Thomson on October 9, 2007 at 6:05am: One area in which I hope companies may be able to thrive is in the talent scouting that Miss Stenvaag seems to suggest. As she quite rightly says, it's often disastrous for companies to imprint their fashions upon the community as a whole, as while some may respond to their brand well as in Real Life, it's really a minority fringe.

My fantasy suggestion is for fashion companies to foster communities based on talent and showcasing that creativity, somewhat like what other organisations do in virtual worlds. Second Life is a tricky platform for fashion designers to get started in, as competing with big in-world brands and designers like Nicky Ree and June Dion means a stiff upwards climb from the start. Then there are the costs of running a decent establishment, and one placed well enough to attract a good turnover and presence.

Imagine, then, if a Real World fashion designer offered up floor space to a monthly turnover of clothing they deem to be worthy. It seems that Residents come from all over to see how the Real World companies they know are fitting in to Second Life. If those users are then faced with new designs in such a familiar environment it could, I hope, foster a lot of opportunities. The designers who've worked hard enough to earn their spot get their name out there, hopefully a little revenue from the sales they can now enjoy without having paid for land, and gain a real morale boost. The customer is exposed to designs they may have missed otherwise, and could well find the self-expressive suit or gown they so craved. The company hosting all this would then, I hope, maintain a presence inside the world well beyond mere texture-based branding. If the events are extravagant enough, I could also see contest turnovers becoming a popular must-see event.

Granted, mine's a very Second Life-centric idea, but I've no idea where virtual worlds could be going in future where fashion is concerned. If there is any opportunity wherein struggling designers are being held back by simple things like land ownership (or, in the case of gaming, the ability to make clothes), perhaps there's a real opportunity for an organisation with more clout to open some doors. At least, that's my naiive two penneth on the idea.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Birch on October 9, 2007 at 6:58am: That's a good idea, because as Sophrosyne suggested people don't always want real world things shoved in their face by brands. I like the idea of fostering new talent, we always look for new designers for our label for graphics. Perhaps the best sellers (and most practical) could be turned in to real world garments?

It's actually a similar model to a concession in major store where it is your responsibility to stock your little part of the store but you share the revenue with the retailer in return for the space. They get stock with no risk and you get a space in a major store. Now would you just allow designers space and leave them to it, or would you have a similar revenue model where all the sales go through 'the store' and designers are paid a share? In return i would see the store being more responsible for marketing the location and getting traffic in, however the simplest option is probably to let people just do their thing?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sophrosyne Stenvaag on October 10, 2007 at 10:28pm: Wonderful ideas, you two!

The concession space model is one that can readily be adapted, and yes, if *I* were going to enter into that deal, I'd want to see an advertising package that included my stuff - but, I wonder how readily *that* translates? It's one thing to include the boutique fashions in your junkmail catalog or circular, but in a synthetic world? Blog space? Interesting issues...

And, Murray, your idea's got a lot of potential for expansion: a major FL brand could sponsor a runway show of SL designers, select the winners for floor space - or even offer, as Chris suggests, a contract for licensing the designs for atomic-world stores. That would be front page copy...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vint Falken on October 20, 2007 at 4:39am: All too often the clothing is games and worlds is designed by people with no knowledge of fashion, it's trends and detail. Colours and styles can be laughably outdated and yet simple planning can ensure your characters are on trend and give the product or world that bit more sophistication and credibility.

I think our Second Life fashion scene is not doing bad at following trends. Same as in Real Life, if half the population buys ugly things, are the designers to blame or the 'general taste'?

I would go with 'hire some SL designers'. Give them the textures they need to work with, and the same 'guidelines' for the collections. (Color, kinds of fabrics, ... ) Pick the best, feature those those in your shops, and make sure they get the profits of what is sold there. A solic presence and some engaged people that will make sure the presence stays solid? ;); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Birch on October 20, 2007 at 6:42am: Yes from what I've seen there's some truly fab designers who are pushing the boundaires, but SL is not the only virtual world let's face it, and also it's one thing to be famous in SL but what about the real world, wouldn't it be amazing to see SL designers get their viable designs made in the real world and become hits?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vint Falken on October 21, 2007 at 7:49am: Yep, of course. I'm not an SL fashionista / hot shot fashion designer and even I think that would rock. =d The risk capital needed for RL clothing is far higher, though? ;)

When retrieving my threadless tshirts at home, I did think 'woot! those would be neat to have in SL too!'. And as it's just printed design, easy to be created in both worlds. As for most SL designs, it would be tons and tons more harder to do so? Yet, if you ever succeed at pulling that off, please let me know. I often suffer from the 'what is the human going to wear tonight, ow yes, the cute tshirt... only to remember I own that only in SL' syndrom. ;)

I've considered though, for a while. Of creating a matching RL shirt to go with every SL outfit I make on shirtcity or whatever. But abandoned the idea, figuring not that many would be interested. (And because of the limits that come with using print design services such as shirtcity or cafépress.)

Example of the shop: here on shirtcity.

The orange one is one I wanted for myself, the white ones with the cute poseballs (really, I did find it funny on the guy's underwear) I bought myself for a RL friend who's also in SL as funny b-day present. So I guess it's possible. But still...

// sorry for the ranting, organised business talk is not my strongest point; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Birch on October 21, 2007 at 8:29am: I guess speaking from the point of view of being in the fashion business, and yet loving digital worlds and games it's a little easier to see both sides of the story.

For me what would be exciting is turning that stunning SL evening dress in to a real catwalk sensation, that hot tailored men's shirt in to something men want to wear everywhere or yes even a t-shirt design in to a mass market hit. Even that t-shirt though doesn't need to be a 'merchandise web shirt' though, even t-shirts should be tailored, designed and high quality. A fashion label with confidence in the potential populartiy of real world designs could put this in to practice. As a label that loves and is inspired by video games I'm toying with where this could go as both a means of finding new young designers for us, as well as creating an exciting cross over.

My first challenge was to make video games icons so cool that non gamers would want to wear it, we've done that, now if we could successfully turn virtual fashion in to real world inspiration wouldnt' that be fun!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vint Falken on October 21, 2007 at 9:37am: A fashion label with confidence in the potential populartiy of real world designs could put this in to practice.

Indeed. Although at the moment the fashion labels with an SL presence are importing their clothes in our Brave New Virtual World, not doing the reversed? :(

I think there will always be a RL market for SL clothing style, as well.. SL clothing style is mainly based on RL style. Besides the kick ass armoury made by Juliet Ceres and such, most of the in-world styles are just 'derivatives' of RL clothing. I dare to say with some searching I will find everything I own in SL as it comes to clothing more or less the same in RL. The benefit with SL is that it is cheaper and one can always wear it, despite it being cold outside. But indeed, I'm sure that amongst the SL designers there are design talents, that would do great in RL too when given the chance. On the other hand, there are also some major designers who are good at one thing: photosourcing perfectly to our SL mesh. So it will take some searching effort from your side, but if you pull this off, I'll be the first to send my human to your website and tell her to shop! ;)

As a label that loves and is inspired by video games I'm toying with where this could go as both a means of finding new young designers for us, as well as creating an exciting cross over.

Well, I think it could be a perfect match. Although neither of us all are used to the restriction's of fabrics, prints, producing costs and 'is that actually doable'. (But they are used to restrictions, all right, designing in SL. :d) Anyway, if your label has the 'guts' (read: interest, time, effort, ...) to actually try this, I bow humble before you and will await the end products with excitement. Please, keep me posted!

make video games icons so cool that non gamers would want to wear it

Just a silly question, but do gamers like that non-gamers walk around with that stuff? For instance, when I would see someone with a Bubble Bobbles tshirt, I would make sure to talk to that person. But if I then would discover he doesn't even know what a Commedore is, I'd be highly disappointed. =d

PS. You do know the fashionplanet.worldofsl.com ? Although not all is aggregated there, it's a neat small overview. =); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sophrosyne Stenvaag on October 21, 2007 at 10:03am: Vint - while much of SL clothing style probably is derivative of FL - ordinary street clothes, designer knockoffs and couture - there are markets that could cross over.

At the Metanomics lecture last Monday, Raven Pennyfeather of RFyre implied that there may be an FL deal in her future. How big the goth/period-derived market may be in FL, I have no idea. But if her elegance of design and richness of texture can translate, she'd certainly have a boutique success.

OTOH, the Bare Rose formula I think *could* translate very effectively: it's a global-style version of what Target and Macy's are doing: bringing really spectacular design to a mass market. They're the brand I could see crossing over most effectively, and the one I'd love to see: elegance, multiculturalism and quality at a great price? That's gotta win!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Vint Falken on October 21, 2007 at 10:49am: There definitely is a big RL market for goffic clothing. I remember we being very supprised that we could suddenly find Bikkembergs pants with 'leaches' hanging from them or that the neo-folk ties, shirts and short skirts for females were suddenly fashionable. (Which led to a wide selection of ties to choose from.) And look at the more recent bohemian/russion 19th century style fashion that was (and still is, partially) popular, I'm sure there is a market for that.

Target? Macy's? *should google those* As for elegance multiculturalism and quality at a great price, I'd mention H&M as a good example? Or am I misunderstanding? As for Bare Rose though, although I own four outfits from that shop (two were gifts, one I spend ages to find), I would present that shop as a mix & match of fashionable RL styles, not as a brand or a designer that has a distinct style...

Thank you for the link to the transcript at metaversed. *goes to read*; ▶ Reply to This