Image courtesy of Gemma Reynolds
Recently, Fashion Reverie published an article about the Metaverse to understand how the next virtual evolution will impact the fashion industry. The article, “Discussing Fashion in the Metaverse with Fashion Stylists Michaela Leitz and Deborah Ferguson,” is a think-piece meant to foster more discussions relative to the future of fashion and the role of the Metaverse. To understand the Metaverse more concretely, we reached out to Gemma Sheppard, a celebrity stylist and fashion guru who is the world’s first fashion stylist to join the Metaverse through a collaboration with Metaventures and Roblox. Sheppard has worked with highly revered designers like Tom Ford, Alexander McQueen, and Daphne Guinness. She has been involved in many facets of the industry for several decades and is certainly not one to fall behind a rapidly changing fashion landscape. In a press release for her new venture, she said, “I’m never afraid to evolve—call it the chameleon in me,” which is precisely the adaptive quality that makes her so successful in her styling work. In Roblox, Sheppard, or more accurately her avatar, will provide virtual styling services to players through virtual try-ons, look books, and styling showrooms. This spring, Sheppard and Metaventures will also stage the first Metaverse Fashion Week.
Join me as I talk with Gemma Sheppard as she discusses her insight into the Metaverse and details how real life will unite with virtual life. While the Metaverse still seems like a foreign concept to many, Sheppard grounds the idea in our current reality to help you understand what the future will likely become. With developments in e-commerce and pushes for sustainability, the Metaverse, for Sheppard, is quite a natural evolution. Sheppard also presents a unique and positive viewpoint on how our digital avatars will affect us in the real world.
Fashion Reverie: For you, what is the main difference between styling in the digital world versus the physical world?
Gemma Sheppard: In the digital world, people feel encouraged to be much more creative and freer to express themselves. I think this will be demonstrated by how people want their avatars to dress. Once someone’s style confidence grows in this virtual world, it will be fascinating to watch how it may spill over into the real world. Ultimately, I think people will start to embrace and mirror their alter-egos, which means a whole other level of fashion experimentation and confidence!
Image courtesy of Roblox
FR: Can you tell Fashion Reverie a little bit about your upcoming styling venture with Roblox?
Gemma Sheppard: I am extremely fortunate that in my role as Metaventures’ Metaverse Global Fashion Director, I have been given the freedom and incredible scope to explore anything and everything fashion-related in the Metaverse. The initial concept is still being finalized, so for now, I am keeping most of the details under wraps, but I love that it will give so many people access to a whole new world of fashion and beauty, a universe where fashion is ageless and all-encompassing.
FR: What is most exciting to you about the Metaverse and your styling venture with Roblox?
Gemma Sheppard: I will be working with some phenomenal brands that you will have already heard of as well as some new artists who are popping up in the Metaverse. Let’s just say the creativity between us all, now, is on fire and limitless! I particularly love that I am reconnecting archived designs and bringing them into a modern world and introducing them to Gen Z! This blend of fashion history and future is something that blows my mind.
Image courtesy of Roblox
FR: With many luxury fashion brands being at the forefront of the Metaverse, how do you think luxury fashion changes in a virtual world that is more inclusive?
Gemma Sheppard: Since the pandemic, how we go about our everyday lives has changed immensely. It’s made us look at different ways of doing things, and the fashion industry is no different. It has needed a shake-up for a while, and now is the time for change and evolution. In this virtual world of fashion, the garment can look like anything a designer desires with all the limitations normally imposed by market practicalities taken away. I’m passionate about sustainability, and brands will now be able to see behavior trends in the Metaverse that will help to more accurately understand quantities required and, therefore, reduce waste. Brands will be able to look at their archived designs and reissue them as Metaverse-only pieces. I’m also looking forward to exploring the idea of ‘concept drops’ based on demand in the Metaverse that can then play out in real life. Interestingly, recent data presented by e-commerce business Burga indicates that a monthly average of 28 mobile applications added Metaverse to their description, a 460% spike from previous records, which shows how Metaverse is going mainstream. We’re in the midst of a major fashion and lifestyle evolution, and it feels insane to be at the forefront of such excitement in my new role for Metaventures.
FR: On a broader note, aside from Roblox, many are noting the aspirational element of Metaverse fashion, mostly regarding size barriers. Do you think there could be adverse mental health effects in transitioning from the Metaverse to the physical world when people are an aspirational version of themselves in the virtual world?
Gemma Sheppard: I think the beauty of an avatar is that it can be your alter ego. In a world where there is a strong body positivity movement and gender fluidity conversation being had, this is a social playground of experimentation where we can explore different versions of whoever we want to be, which is incredibly liberating. We’re all used to expressing ourselves on social media using filters and retouched imagery—just look at the popularity of SnapChat. Where the Metaverse will be different is it fosters a world of non-conformity rather than encouraging us to conform to dominant social constructs. By allowing us to explore whoever we want to be regardless of race, sexuality, or gender builds inclusivity and empowerment. Some interesting research out of Stanford revealed that the way someone operates their avatar impacts their real-world behavior. Researchers discovered that the more attractive someone’s avatar, the more confident they were in the real world. There’s also an argument that by trialing new identities virtually will enhance our real-world empathy and ability to interact with others while also helping us better understand who we want to be.
Image courtesy of Roblox
FR: In your opinion, do you think the Metaverse is the future of fashion styling?
Gemma Sheppard: I don’t think it’s a case of one or the other. When e-commerce came in, everyone thought it was going to be the end of the British High Street, but the two have been able to work in conjunction with each other. That is the benefit of this virtual world. It’s an incredibly creative playground that we can use to showcase and offer things in a different way. Like anything, one can influence the other, and it’s exciting that we have another fresh, new way of expressing ourselves!
—Tessa Swantek
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