The pandemic's singularly significant impact lies in its revelation of an undercurrent truth: our world is amidst a transformation. Social norms have shifted. Isolation has become increasingly prevalent. Nevertheless, our craving for solace, connection, and entertainment has amplified. In our isolation, separated from the palpable world and longing to fill our desires, we've found refuge in the expansive universe of the digital realm. Therefore, technology has exceeded its role as merely a tool. It has become our gateway to more immersive experiences, a portal to realms constrained only by our imagination.
The changes brought about during the pandemic, more pronounced than ever, show no signs of diminishing. Our engagement within and the time dedicated to digital spaces have widened both in range and profundity. We find ourselves more engrossed in, and influenced by, our digital existence rather than our physical one.
Today, if a definitive boundary exists between the physical and digital worlds, given the swift changes in our landscape and people's aspirations, this line seems set to fade. Our yearning for novelty and innovation continues to push the boundaries of the feasible, propelling us into exciting, uncharted domains. Digital Fashion is one such captivating field.
Yet, this article goes beyond a closer look at the concept of digital fashion or a discussion of its potential applications. Rather, it delves into the deeper, often overlooked narrative underlying this nascent industry.
Fashion, in its most familiar perception, immediately evokes images of garments. Both physical and digital fashion have been narrowed to this limited scope – the latter perceived merely as digital attire with various traits like flames. Yet, fashion embodies so much more...
The cornerstone of both physical and digital fashion lies in storytelling. Only by looking beyond the garments can we uncover these narratives and, more importantly, discern fashion's true essence. Although both “types” of fashion spring from the same seed, they manifest a notable difference. One has always been intertwined with art, while the other embodies art itself.
To better comprehend the foundation of these timeless concepts, let's explore the relationship between fashion and art.
The Essence of Art and Fashion
My intention to go deeper into the essence of these enduring concepts stems from a belief: only by doing so can we truly comprehend their endless intertwining, yet their special uniqueness.
With this in mind, allow me to pose a question: What triggers such profound resonance within us towards these concepts, even when we aren't always aware of their significance? I believe that each of you holds a unique answer, and I trust the following words will elucidate why.
From the earliest ages, art and fashion have been integral elements of our lives and societies. At first glance, they may present themselves merely as pigment on a canvas or threads interwoven into a graphic, but a closer look reveals potent reflections of our identities. Our values, beliefs, and experiences are all reflected in them.
Art stands as a testament to human creativity and imagination, serving as a conduit through which we leave our inner thoughts, emotions, and perspectives out in the world. It breathes life into our feelings, reaching into countless hearts and homes. Art has consistently offered an essential medium for self-expression, mirroring our values, beliefs, and experiences while resonating with people across diverse cultures and generations.
On the other hand, fashion serves as our tangible identity. In the realm of fashion, words yield to the expressiveness of the garments themselves. Each piece we adorn communicates a story about our nature, tastes, ideologies, or social status. This has been the case since humanity's early ages. Whether consciously or not, people have utilized fashion to signify affiliations, challenge societal norms, or simply showcase their unique style or narrative. Over time, fashion has evolved into our chosen armor, a visible testament to our identity; a reflection of our core essence.
Art is the mirror to our soul, curated and displayed but never worn. Fashion, contrarily, is the manifestation of our identity, worn as a testament to our narrative, our core essence.
This interplay underpins the profound intertwining of art and fashion, despite their personal uniqueness. The fine distinction between reflection and representation draws a subtle line between these two concepts. Yet, this boundary is on the verge of becoming obsolete. The two pillars of our lives are poised to unify under a single tapestry of expression, thanks to the flourishing realm of digital fashion.
The Unifier
Digital Fashion refers to the practice of designing, distributing, and wearing clothing in virtual environments. It's a field where the limitations of physicality, materials, and societal norms are lifted. Within this realm, our imagination remains the only boundary.
Rather than repeating this definition, let's delve deeper into its essence. By considering the above phrase, we feel that digital fashion resides in a realm where creation and “decoration” are solely bound by our creativity.
Gifted with the limitless nature of the digital realm, digital fashion empowers us to wear anything that echoes our identity. If a painting strikes a chord with us, we can wear it. If we find an affinity with a sculpture, we can wear it. The array of possibilities stretches into infinity, highlighting the endless possibilities for self-expression.
By surpassing the confines of the physical form, digital fashion invites us to explore and articulate our identities without limitations. It ushers us into a realm where the canvas for self-expression is as unbounded as our imaginations.
Therefore, we find a reason to support the main argument of this article: Digital Fashion is Art. By allowing us to wear the very elements that mirror and express our identities, digital fashion is erasing the line between self-reflection and self-expression.
Nevertheless, there may be something more to say to fortify the initial claim of this article.
In the following section, I will introduce you to a platform epitomizing our discussion's essence. This platform exemplifies digital fashion as art in its purest form.
DRAUP: The Epitome of Unification
Daniella Loftus has breathed life into Draup, a Web3 native digital fashion house, in 2022, with their first collection launched earlier this year. Dani is a true visionary, one of the pioneering people who not only perceived the potential of digital fashion but also passionately emphasized her belief in this art.
If you're curious about the future path of fashion, stay close to Dani ( Twitter for knowledge and insights, and Instagram for knowledge and insights, as well as a lot of “on-body” digital fashion ), as insights gleaned from her will keep you ahead of the curve. Now, let's refocus on Draup.
While it might be perceived as a Web 3 marketplace for luxury fashion, a digital fashion platform, or a digital fashion house, Draup transcends these “titles”. It's a creative space that enhances the value of digital fashion for its consumers and creators alike. It's a place where technology shapes our worldview, our self-perception, and naturally, our garments. Draup embraces the digital screen or the code as an integral element of the new-age attire, revolutionizing how we perceive and engage with fashion.
DRAUP's commitment to revolutionizing the perception, value, and engagement with fashion becomes obvious through its inaugural collection, "SEEN ON SCREEN." This collection was curated in collaboration with visual artist Nicolas Sassoon, renowned for his work exploring the construction of digital imagery through early computer graphics' visual qualities. The magic of this first release lies in its pure embrace of the digital screen as an integral part of the new clothing paradigm, exploring what unfolds when we entirely embrace our clothes' digital nature.
If you've ever believed that the creation of digital garments isn't similar (albeit executed differently) to the crafting of physical garments, you were mistaken. DRAUP stands as proof of this point. When creating digital garments, DRAUP leverages digital layers as material. The designs for each 3D garment are fashioned using various tools, playing on the visual tensions of the moiré pattern— between depth and flatness, the 2D and the 3D. This approach brings new dimensions and contexts into each moiré pattern, further erasing the lines between art and fashion. (This technique was employed for the first collection "SEEN ON SCREEN". I believe that the process remains consistent for each creation, albeit the patterns and their implementation vary based on the garment being created – These are just my thoughts, so if you have more insightful information, please share your thoughts )
A moiré pattern is a visual effect that occurs when two sets of lines or dots, often in a grid pattern, are laid over each other and one of them is rotated or shifted. The interaction of the two patterns results in the formation of a third "interference" pattern that can resemble waves, spirals, or other complex shapes. It's like looking through two window screens at the same time and noticing a wavy pattern that wasn't present on either screen alone.
The final element bringing the "SEEN ON SCREEN" collection to life is the generative production process. Dani Loftus is not only a trailblazer in the digital fashion space but is also pioneering the concept of generative fashion. DRAUP has reimagined traditional couture (unique garments, yet part of a wider collection) and, by leveraging the power of code, has given birth to digital couture. Each garment's digital layers determine every element of the piece: patterns, shapes, folds, materials, cuts, and color. In this process, each layer's characteristics are randomly determined and algorithmically assigned, resulting in a unique piece of digital fashion art.
"SEEN ON SCREEN" is the collection that cements DRAUP as the living embodiment of the statement "Digital Fashion is Art". DRAUP is a platform that doesn't just blur the line between fashion and art but obliterates it entirely, creating a novel world where these two concepts merge into one.
DRAUP is the epitome of the convergence of self-reflection (art) and self-expression (fashion).
In the universe of Dani's platform, art isn't just reflected or represented—it's worn. DRAUP is bringing to life a fresh paradigm where fashion isn't merely a visual narrative of our essence; it's a realm where fashion forms the art of our identities. DRAUP's creations offer the most compelling evidence when one questions the statement: "Digital Fashion is Art."
Worth mentioning, the artistic prestige of DRAUP’s creations has been authenticated by one of the most esteemed auction houses globally, Christie’s. Antheia, the first digital fashion piece ever to go under the hammer at an auction house traditionally dealing with art, underscores the entire digital fashion space's significance. More than this, it reinforces the statement: "Digital Fashion is Art".
I encourage you to follow DRAUP on social media to stay up to date on its journey, as well as to visit its platform to truly understand why it is the embodiment of today's discussed idea.
Art – the reflection of our soul, collected and displayed but never worn.
Fashion – the expression of our identity, worn as an embodiment of our story, our essence.
Always intertwined, yet never the same.
Yet, in today's journey, we've unearthed the entity that blurs and erases any difference between the two, making them one: one sketch, one form, one tapestry. In the world of digital fashion, the canvas for self-expression is boundless, and the threads of creativity weave an inspiring mosaic of identities.
So, with awe and wonder, we can affirm:
Digital Fashion is Art.
Thank you for reading!
Have a blessed day!🌹
Eduard🌹
