A Vertigo of Reality

The metaverse and its companion technologies, dubbed as the next iteration of the internet, have been important milestones in the digital era. Synonymous with the metaverse are jargons such as interoperability, virtual reality, NFTs and Blockchain. While these inventions will undoubtedly bring forth many solutions to modern-word issues, the impact of increasingly losing touch with reality cannot be overstated.

In 2019, the world’s first piece of digital couture, “Iridescence”, was sold for $9,500. Created by The Fabricant in collaboration with Johanna Jaskowska, an artist and creator of futuristic filters on Instagram, this dress exists solely in the 0’s and 1’s of the digital space. In light of the unchecked growth of fast fashion, digital fashion may be the solution for a more sustainable future in fashion. However, it does raise questions regarding its very concept– its existence, or rather, a lack thereof. Can a couture garment, meant to be an artistic extension of the wearer’s personality and being, painstakingly crafted by hands using techniques perfected over years,truly reflect all of its beauty when converted into its digital counterpart? Are we, as a society, moving away from ideologies that gave birth to breath-taking artifacts crafted over extensive periods of time,only to embrace a computerized version of the real thing?

Fig. 1, JohannaJaskowska - pre digital couture JULIEN BOUDET Fig. 2, Johanna Jaskowska in ‘Iridescence’ by The Fabricant JULIEN BOUDET