H&M Enters The Metaverse With A Merging Of Reality And Fantasy

The latest collection in H&M’s ongoing innovation stories is the Metaverse Design Story line. Here, the brand’s design team merges the craftsmanship of high fashion with virtual reality and fantasy realms as the line between IRL and URL life is becoming blurred. The end result is a collection that includes both real, ready-to-wear clothing and digital clothing that was created in collaboration with the Institute of Digital Fashion. 

The metaverse, a realm free from the restrictions of gravity and conventional norms, served as the inspiration for the collection. At the same time, the tactile beauty of the natural world serves as a point of reference for pieces that draw inspiration from microscopic cells, vivid wildflowers, and satellite photographs of the planet Earth.

A few of the pieces were created with circularity in mind and include recycled polyester fibres generated from textile waste gathered in collaboration with H&M’s garment recycling programme. The collection also makes use of cutting-edge fabrics like REPREVE®, an OceanTM recycled polyester created from plastic bottles that are headed for the ocean. After years of research, 100% recyclable sequins created from waste plastic bottles are now utilised to adorn a variety of styles.

Women’s key pieces include a puff-ball mini dress in fuchsia that  has an appearance of a flower in blossom. Along with that,  a maxi dress with a trompe l’oeil print and a halter neck party dress decorated with 100% recycled sequins, a neon yellow dress with a dramatic tulle skirt also commands attention. In the meantime, future jewellery is inspired by liquid metal that winds around necks and wrists in the shape of chokers, bracelet cuffs, and ear cuffs. This metal has the appearance of having been plumped by pixels.

A new perspective on personal style and the possibility of infinite, constantly changing wardrobes are provided by the metaverse. With a variety of 3D filters created by the Institute of Digital Fashion in its digital atelier, the collection explores this frontier. One dress features shifting water droplets that wrap around the torso, while another features aquatic flowers with shimmering, algae-inspired tips. Onyx stone clusters, a twirling metallic gown, and a molten headdress that flashes with lightning are some of the other filters.