House of Blueberry Ramps Up Metaverse Fashion Offerings with $6M Fundraising

Quick take:

House of Blueberry has announced a $6 million fundraising for its fashion-focused metaverse business.
According to the SEC Form D filing, the company raised $5,999,999 between Dec.7 and Dec. 21.
The North Carolina-based metaverse company is a personal avatar designer for Roblox and The Mims video games.

Metaverse fashion has become quite the force of attraction for mainstream brands. Such has been the impact that some companies are choosing to concentrate on designing wearables and apparel for the 3D virtual space.

And House of Blueberry’s efforts in the space has not gone unnoticed judging by the North Carolina-based company’s recent SEC filing. According to the filing, the metaverse fashion designer raised $5,999,999 from two investors beginning December 7 through December 21.

The company offers unique personal avatars in the metaverse for Roblox and The Mims video games. The company boasts a team of 20 employees, led by the CEO and founder Gizem Mishi McDuff.

The metaverse became a trendy buzzword in October 2021 when Facebook rebranded to Meta Platforms. Some of the world’s largest retailers and fashion designers have joined the industry.

However, the concept of the metaverse has been around longer, as far back as the year 2003, when the immersive virtual platform Second Life launched. And as it turns out, the platform created by Linden Lab had a part to play in the founding of the House of Blueberry.

According to The Business Journals, McDuff gained inspiration to be a digital fashion designer after attending a virtual concert on Second Life. The platform allows people to create their own avatars, which they can use to interact in a virtual world.

“That was really interesting to me,” McDuff told The Business Journals, adding “So I downloaded Second Life. I went to the concert.”

McDuff said she was so amazed after visiting the virtual world that she downloaded photoshop “and made myself a cute polka dress.” That is what birthed her virtual store, which quickly earned her $1 million, before growing to become the House of Blueberry.

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