ection into the digital world. “Like many businesses during the pandemic, we had to quickly adapt to new methods and platforms,” Homie co-founder and creative director Marcus Crook said. “This has enabled us to explore digital innovation further and it’s a really exciting space that has the potential to have a huge impact on the way we consume fashion in the future.” Crook worked with Reborn designers Chloe Turner and Corin Corcoran, and 3D Artist Ivica Gokchevski to transform four already upcycled, locally designed outfits from the upcoming Reborn range into premium 3D designs and animated characters, which will be sold via new NFT marketplace, Limitd. It’s a fashion experience that appeals to the digital native, fashion-forward consumer.   There are layers to this project that are more complex than it seems.  “The collection designs were under way before we started collaborating with Ivica. His talent and 3D skills are exceptional. Watching his process of using only photos as a guide to create high-quality 3D renders, carefully incorporating stitching, graphics, and panels in the exact position – it was pure artistry,” Crook said. Limitd is the latest player in Australia to provide a full-service marketplace to mint and sell digital assets. It provides a means to amplify Reborn’s unique offering by producing 3D garments as non-fungible tokens.  “We’ve been working on Limitd for some time and to see it in action and connected to such a worthwhile charity, like Homie, is so gratifying,” Limited co-founder Kim Hoang said. “We created Limitd because we noticed there wasn’t a platform for brands to easily create NFTs and for people to purchase NFTs and physical items in a seamless way.”  The fashion industry is one of the largest carbon polluters in the world, as well as being responsible for vast amounts of textile waste. The Clean Clothes Campaign reported that, in 2018, 100 billion garments were produced and it’s anticipated that three in five items will end up in landfill within a year.   Fashion brands and retailers of all sizes are taking responsibility now by integrating new design methods and innovative solutions to ensure a sustainable future in fashion. It’s crucial that fashion businesses become digitally enabled to connect seamlessly with their audience, while designing clothes that reduce environmental impact and champion better conditions for garment workers.   Physical and digital There is a lot of hype at the moment around digital fashion and its place in our wardrobes and businesses. But many reject the new concept’s validity, arguing that clothing will be a physical item that you wear on your body for the foreseeable future.   However, the lines are blurring between the physical and digital realms. Our smartphones are the vehicle to an augmented reality. The next logical step is to ensure we have our best threads with us. It’s not a matter of one or the other. Physical and digital fashion can coexist and provide immense value to people, brands and the environment.   As 3D design and digital fashion start to pick up pace, new roles and teams will form to accommodate change.   “The 3D design and animation fields are becoming increasingly popular in industries beyond film and games.” Gokchevski said. “This unique project provided me an opportunity as a 3D artist to expand into fashion, an area that is growing fast.” Crypto fashion is a new frontier online as we move toward the metaverse. Decentralised systems such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, and smart contracts provide transparency and traceability. Early movers are building platforms to service a decentralised world.   Soon we’ll be conversing and transacting in the metaverse, an interoperable virtual world that will allow maneuverability among digital environments, games, and applications, where people can bring with them their digital assets stored via crypto wallets.