Is true wealth measured in dollars or attention?
For a few years, we've been at a crossroads of a paradigm shift, fighting with a reality in which our self-worth is increasingly defined by the digital applause we receive. The good or bad news (depending on how you see this change) is that it will happen in the coming years, faster than any of us can imagine. The age-old game of "who wore it best" will transcend fabrics and fringes. We will begin to live our lives more digitally than ever before. Our digital lives will take on greater significance than our physical ones. The digital will triumph over the physical.
Fashion has been our billboard to the world since the dawn of time, a siren call for attention and a banner of our social status. Yet, with this shift, our identities are on the verge of evolving once more, as are our means of expression. But fashion's central role will remain unshaken, especially in the hearts of the young and restless. It could, however, take another form. Fashion’s currency isn’t just about the garb we drape but the eyes we capture and the conversations we spark. The more people stare at our pictures, the higher we will rise in the social hierarchy.
In terms of this hierarchy, wearing an AJ 1 x DIOR, a Supreme X LV Hoodie, or any other exclusive collaboration or pair of sneakers today may signify wealth and place you higher on the social status ladder. But, as our lives become increasingly entwined with the vast digital canvas, what happens to our badges of honor and distinction? Our desire to stand out and belong to something will never fade, but can we take the sneakers, hoodies, or watches that we love in their current form with us into the digital world? I doubt it. Hence, a transformation will occur, and, as in the past, people will resist it at first, only to later embrace it.
They are going to forego the cotton and leather to make room for pixels and code. Let us explore this change that is about to occur in the coveted social status ladder.
The Undisputed Monarch of Social Prestige
Fashion has always been about more than just the clothes on our backs. It has been a symbol of power, affluence, and culture since the dawn of humanity, among other things. Consider the purple robes worn by Roman senators or the intricate corsets worn by European aristocracy. They were more than just fabrics; they were silent yet loud proclamations of rank and privilege. The connection between fashion and power, in my opinion, is not accidental. It has always been and continues to be deeply ingrained in our psychology. Clothes have always served as a tactile and visual representation of our personalities. They were the most visible indicator of our social and economic standing. These things, I'm sure, can still be felt today. They are probably felt more than ever, though I believe they may be exaggerated (but that is a topic for another time).
At its core, fashion is an art form, a canvas on which our personal choices and essence merge with societal norms. This interplay between individuality and conformity — unique for everyone as true conformity doesn't always mean following trends — provides insight into a person's ethos, aspirations, and affiliations. Being "in vogue" goes beyond mere aesthetics; it signifies a sense of belonging, conveying messages about our identity. Beyond fabric and design, fashion tells a story about us, about our place in the world.
So, the next time you see someone wearing the latest clothing or sneakers, resist the urge to pass judgment. Instead, dig deeper and understand that these choices often stem from a desire to be a part of something greater than themselves, reflecting who they are or who they aspire to be.
Regardless of how significant fashion that we know is today in terms of social status, the winds of change are blowing. The world is changing, and we are spending more time and caring more about the digital realm than we do about our reality. We are increasingly immersed in a different world, and whether we realize it or not, we are bringing our fashion with us. Can cotton, as it is today, be a social status definer? I have my doubts. Thus, a transition may be taking place. You may think about digital fashion, which may be the no-brainer of this entire idea. Yet, I'm not going to narrow myself to just it. This transition, I believe, is from the fashion we know today to pixels and code.
I hope you will understand why I am saying this in the lines that follow.
From Cotton to Pixels and Code
As our lives become more digital, our digital possessions, and in some cases, digital avatars, have become more important to us. We now value our digital lives more than our physical ones. This transformation may not be obvious at first glance, but if we look deeper into the decisions we make and the steps we take to show our pride in our digital or even physical acquisitions, we can see this shift. Think about people purchasing new garments or sneakers. Their first instinct is to share them on social media. They want to show them off in the digital world.
Another case in point is the Nike SNKRS app. It is an app that allows you to enter raffles for the latest Nike releases, among other things. Anyone can take part in them, but this app is famous for the "L"s that people took throughout history. The "W" on this app has become increasingly scarce. As a result of the scarcity of this Win, people are more concerned with showing off a screenshot with their "W" on social media than with the sneaker itself. They are more concerned with these digital and intangible things than with the ones they can touch, smell, wear, and so on.
Similarly, the filters we use to adorn ourselves on social media, which are becoming increasingly popular, aren't just for beauty or whimsy. They serve as our digital accessories, mirroring the role of a flashy necklace or designer handbag in the real world, but they usually take on new forms. If our IRL closets used to resemble trophy rooms, it is now these digital possessions that have replaced them.
I am sure you can see and understand how our lives are becoming progressively digital. We are beginning, consciously or not, to immerse ourselves more in these digital worlds, from a simple screenshot with a "W" posted on social media to show off digital garments and accessories. But what we have now is not ours.
Every image we post online, every screenshot we share, and every digital garment or accessory we wear online does not belong to us. They are owned by the specific social media platform or the creators. They are not ours, no matter how much we believe they are.
Hence, NFTs will gain enhancing traction. The concept of digital ownership is becoming a reality thanks to NFTs. These digital assets are redefining the concept of ownership in the digital world. The authentication of NFTs grants exclusivity and genuineness to its digital equivalent, much like the tag of a luxury brand on a physical item conveys a sense of prestige.
NFTs may not appear to be as important in the transition that we are discussing to some. However, I would argue that they are central to this shift for the same reason that an original Dior or Chanel is valuable in the physical world. Authenticity. Ownership. Distinctiveness. NFTs enable us to do more than just passively consume digital content; they enable us to own, trade, and flaunt it as our own, much like how one might wear or display an exclusive sneaker or piece of clothing.
As our lives become more digital, NFTs are poised to become the next monarchs of social status, but they will not come in a single form. A rare virtual art piece, a digital garment, or even a PFP will all be echoes of one's social status. The act of "wearing" will shift from what we know today to something less familiar, but more powerful and meaningful to us.
What I love about this shift in monarchs is that, even though the lines between our physical and digital lives are blurring and we believe fashion is fading from this aspect, fashion is still the monarch of social status. It's only the expression that has changed. Think about it. Fashion is not and has never been about garments. It's always been about us; our story, our essence. Consider PFPs (Profile Pictures). They are narrowed to images, but they are digital masks that signal our affiliation with specific communities, what we stand for, our preferences, and the list goes on and on. All of the digital assets that we can think of are actually elements of something bigger. We tend to confine them to the surface, similar to how we did with fashion. Yet, if we dig deeper, we will discover that they are still fashion.
One thing I'd like to point out is that NFTs are not pixels. They are not images. They are a token, a code that can represent anything. The reason I call them pixels is that the things through which they are expressed will be regarded as social status definers rather than the "NFT" themselves. People will be more concerned with the digital sneaker, hoodie, or PFP than with the fact that they are an NFT. Long-term, I believe people will be unaware that they are purchasing or using NFTs (even though I believe they should - at least some). They will be just using them.
Hence, in this paradigm shift, NFTs aren't just assets. They are the next generation of fashion. They are the new social status monarchs. Yet, as we walk down the digital runway, we will realize that NFTs are as much a part of our identity as fashion is today, and we will come to realize that it is not NFTs that define social status. It's just another form of fashion. Because, at the end of the day, NFTs are fashion.
In this piece, I mentioned cloth, leather, and even pixels as the past, present, and future of social status. But it's not about them; it's never been about them. It is about human nature's inherent desire to stand out, belong, and climb the social perception hierarchy. (I believe that we all have this desire in ourselves, yet tailored to our stories; to who we are). Fashion is and has always been our canvas for this intricate dance of identity and aspiration.
Whether we don AR garments, showcase digital images of Apes or Punks, or interact with any other digital asset you can imagine, each becomes a defining symbol of prestige. Yet, if we strip away all of the tech, we will discover that the soul of fashion remains untouched - it is an eternal expression of who we are; of our essence.
Fashion, in its many forms, has always served as a compass, pointing us toward our place in society's vast mosaic. And as we progress in this new world, one truth remains unchanged:
Fashion doesn’t change; it evolves. And in its evolution, it reflects the zeitgeist of every age.
Thank you for reading!
Have a fantastic day!🌹
Eduard🌹
