The big room at Spring Studios filled with people, all of whom came for a reason: “Vivienne Tam is sending everyone to the metaverse today,” people whispered.
Not everyone knew what the metaverse would be like, but many of them found it interesting to be a part of the fashion show.
The final preparations were completed, and the camera operators and photographers were ready. The hall plunged into darkness, the screen lit up, and the models began to come out.
The audience found themselves at the pinnacle of fashion, modern futuristic Hong Kong, digital technologies and their own emotions. In this space, everyone wanted to live, learn and melt away into the energy of the event.
“I am still learning myself,” says Tam, “but I wanted to bring the modern future to fashion and do something meaningful. I was inspired to bring not just technologies but also my culture to fashion.”
And her vision is undoubtedly the reality. Tam brings new technologies to traditional fashion, playfully adapting them for each customer — an excellent quality for a metaverse ambassador. She offers new ways to use technology through access to special events and opportunities, giving birth to a new realm of possibilities.
But that’s not all: People who did not have the opportunity to attend the show physically were invited to a special metaverse where they could walk down the red carpet, interact with other virtual guests and watch the show, but in a completely new world. Tam wanted to bring her core audience of Web2 customers to the Web3 experience, most of whom had never seen Web3 or the metaverse. Guests were given exclusive metaverse experiences, such as backstage access to the world premiere of her 2023 fabric pattern. They had never before been granted access to her design inspiration and mood boards, and the attendees could see and engage with it all before anyone else.
Tam also wanted to expand her customer base in Web3. According to her, “It’s all about digital transformation, and no one has figured it out in fashion… yet.”
Swan Sit, Tam’s metaverse partner, was previously the head of digital marketing at brands like Nike and Revlon and has consistently asserted that people do not want pixelated fashion. Her goal was to recreate an identical digital show to democratize access.
“I had been toying with the idea of a mirrored metaverse fashion show for a year, and when I met Vivienne, I knew I’d found the perfect partner,” says Sit. “I wanted to integrate both worlds seamlessly and equally, so we had to replicate every detail — from room layouts and the New York City skyline to even paparazzi photos and lighting. My hope for the future is that you are an equal, wherever and however you choose to show up.”
WOND3R founder Kerry Chrapliwy has worked with Tam on her Digital Clutch with HP, NASA-inspired fashion line, NFT-centric collaboration with Gemini, and now, the metaverse. “Vivienne’s design language is limitless,” says Chrapliwy. “We always want to push the fashion industry, whether through technology or experience and now Web3. It’s what we do.”
And that’s just what Tam’s event did, from the proof-of-attendance nonfungible tokens featuring her signature Dragon zodiac symbol given to all the guests to the portals with celebrity host Hard 8 Working Group artist Ari Abdul. Web3 personality Crypto Megan interviewed guests on the digital red carpet, while DJ Rhea Raj kicked off the livestreamed afterparty.
“We are so grateful to our strategic adviser Meredith Morris, metaverse platform Vatom, and designers Aleph Branch, Luby and Propy for helping build a ground-breaking experience,” says Sit.
The guests did not want to leave until the last call from security. It’s likely that not all of them even understood that they had been in the metaverse, but they definitely felt it and connected with it.
After all, new technologies are only valuable once they are put into practice. And it’s great that there is a designer doing just this.
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About Vivienne Tam
Vivienne Tam is an international designer known for her culture-bridging, East-meets-West approach to design and pioneering global collaborations marrying fashion with technology. Tam effortlessly blends her cultural roots with a modern design vocabulary recognized for its artistry. She is the author of the award-winning book China Chic, and pieces from her collections are housed in the permanent archives of the world’s most prestigious museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her most recent exhibition at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art was “China: Through the Looking Glass.”
About Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York is the official representation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on the east coast of the United States. Its mission includes promoting and strengthening the economic, trade and cultural ties between Hong Kong and the 31 eastern states.
About Cyberport
Cyberport is Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship and incubator for entrepreneurship, boasting over 1,900 members, including over 800 onsite and close to 1,100 offsite startups and technology companies. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government. With a vision to be the hub for digital technology, thereby creating a new economic driver for Hong Kong, Cyberport is committed to nurturing a vibrant tech ecosystem by cultivating talent, promoting entrepreneurship among youth, supporting startups, fostering industry development by promoting strategic collaboration with local and international partners, and integrating new and traditional economies by accelerating digital transformation in public and private sectors.
About Swan Sit
Swan Co is a consulting firm specializing in integrating Web3 into brands and mass adoption. Swan Sit was named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “100 Women of Impact,” NFT Now’s “NFT100,” Unstoppable Domains’ “Most Inspirational Women,” Blockster’s “Top Women in Web3” and Brand Innovators’ “40 Under 40.”
- Instagram: @VIVIENNETAM
- Twitter: @VIVIENNETAM
- www.viviennetam.com