Meta-World Rethinking
Gabi Asfour's work gives me a sense of the wild patterns of plants and animals on the body, combined with the structure of the garment. Gabi's patterns are like those in a digital world. His designs use different pops of rainbow colors, so you can see that digital fashion is very psychic and fly-like in his work. He is also willing to experiment with new materials to express this sense of proto-universal presence. I looked at his accessories, and the shoes have a great metallic expression in the colors, while the blockiness of the soles has a futuristic feel.
Gabi Asfour‘s concept of the meta-universe about retail is very good, but the power of this concept to continue to develop is very small because the capital has produced a shift. Therefore, the technological route will develop very slowly due to capital migration. Specifically, “When retailers were forced to reimagine how they do business, a new way of shopping was born; virtual retail or v-commerce. Rather than having to click through photos on a website, retailers meet customers online and showcase products through virtual-retail platforms” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). In my opinion, the fundamentals of retail cannot change. I have lived in both China and the US, and the logistics of e-commerce in China are far more efficient than in the US, but this does not add to the happiness and the model does not add diversity to the brand. The capital effect of the brand would be much more pronounced. In short, about the capital generated by the technology problem, at present, ar and vr's most needed work is how to make the product technology. This is the core of retail development to the end: the key to let the customer touch the texture and material of the fabric.
The article also mentions that, “Some fashion brands have found the v-commerce experience performs better than physical retail from a revenue driving perspective because it broad- ens their customer base, triggering a major rethink around staffing and how stores are designed” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). However, I do not think this is feasible because the meta-universe is already at the end stage of establishment, and the society cannot develop without the power of capital. The capital now flows to AI technology. The change of society has been transformed by the meta-universe into AI, but the development of AI is very uncontrollable. As a result, there is a great possibility of this producing an economic crisis, similar to when the internet was the most prevalent form of capital.
There are many virtual economic products mentioned midway through Redding’s article. For example: “Imagine engaging in an internet that is so lifelike and enhanced, it lives paral- lel to your own physical existence. Fashion brands see the opportunities the
metaverse provides by combining community and a new way for consumers to shop. It represents another channel in an omnichannel line-up” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). Nevertheless, I do not think it is a product that will make society grow in the long run, since the meta-universe, in my opinion, is at this stage in which the value of the concept is most important. After all, humans are carnal animals, and people depend on the development of the real economy. If the meta-universe flourishes, then who will keep the real economy running? There is no way for people to survive long in the virtual world, so the development in the reason has a certain limit. I think now, we have reached a state of stopping; it is the time to produce the specific mode of landing formation.
There are many examples of industries in the article as well, but all these examples are already in the past tense. In order for tech companies to hold their ground and grow in the tech industry, they must embrace the strength of the group, which means pushing together to make AI so that they may advance to make sure AI is productized as soon as possible.
Ideas are always the most important aspect of producing. I very much agree and have said so many times. As Redding states, “Since fashion is the ‘mirror of the time’, consumers who feel shut in by pandemic rules and constraints may indulge more freely in alternate realities. Adding a tech device through AR/VR that offers more realis- tic shopping and entertainment features does not appear to be too far-fetched as fashion brands are now looking heavily to compete in this new market” (Redding 2021: n.pag.). I very much agree with the words here, specifically with the shadow source universe of fashion, because being addicted to the virtual world is a state, but we can use another form of expression to shape the sense of experience, rather than constantly being shaped by the technology of AR or VR. Technology can be replaced, but creation is difficult to replace.
In summary, I like the new ideas brought by the metaverse to the fashion industry, but I do not think the sudden production of technology will bring a far-reaching impact to the fashion industry, since the fashion industry and the internet industry are in a different development scenario, and the fashion industry model is more traditional. It is very difficult to integrate high-speed technology products into the fashion industry and even more so to productize them.
