Happy hump today!

Today it’s time for the digital fashion edition. So, as I sit here in my activewear, let me bring you the weekly roundup of all things fashion, luxe, and phygital.

Let’s get fancy.

Writer: Vineet
Curator: Koko

Things looking a little different? Well, we have switched things up! Here’s a recap for you:

TL;DR:
Old To The Moon - daily recap of the previous day’s top stories
New To The Moon - Five curated edits focusing on all the Metaverse, NFT, Digital Fashion, AI, and Blockchain Gaming news of the week.

Looking for something more in-depth? Take a look at our premium newsletter Non Fungible Explorers for our monthly investment guide.

📈📉Big Brands in Digital Fashion

Digital Fashion Landscape: While there are still digital-fashion naysayers who question why anyone would put their hard earned cash towards something you can’t physically wear, big brands are still embracing the movement. From Nike to Gucci and LV, these brands are paving the way for adoption. With respected fashion houses and labels creating in the digital world, this adds legitimacy to the space as a whole.

🌚Full Moons - Of Crocodiles, Gucci Bags, & No-Code Fashion

OG Crocodiles Swim In The Metaverse

Lacoste was the first brand ever to feature a logo on its clothing (look it up!), and today it’s embracing (and exploring) a future-proof fashion experience. Lacoste, originally La Société Chemise Lacoste, was founded by French tennis star René Lacoste in 1933. This 90-year-old brand is still embracing new tech. Now, you can shop in the metaverse, as holding a Lacoste NFT now let’s you wander it’s fire new virtual store and gain exclusive perks!

• Firstly, you literally step through the croc's mouth into a stylish tiled store, take the elevator up to a beachy pool vibes area, and start scrolling the fresh apparel.

• Then, if you're lucky enough to have Lacoste's UNDW3 tokens, you get VIP access to an exclusive collection co-designed by community members, with NFT versions of each garment. You can even unlock AR features by scanning QR codes on your clothes. There's a members-only scavenger hunt with weekly prize giveaways all summer too!

Between the limited-edition community gear, the adventures, and the tech integrations, Lacoste is fully merging fashion, blockchain, and phygital experiences into its … Crocoverse? 

This virtual boutique is the definition of innovative retail.
Happy scavenger hunt shopping!

Pumping Gucci Bags

No place like home, no bag like Gucci! Gucci is literally handing Gucci Vault NFT holders with free physical merch. The luxury fashion juggernaut surprised holders of its 2,896 Gucci Material NFTs minted in March by letting them redeem their tokens for either a chic Gucci wallet or a limited edition Gucci x 10KTF duffle bag. Peeps can even sell their NFTs to interested buyers and snag the exclusive physical rewards.

• At present, the Gucci Vault Material NFT has a floor price of 0.22ETH (~$412) on OpenSea. In-store, a similar-looking Gucci wallet costs $460, and a duffle bag, $1790. But of course, you’d be smarter grabbing the duffle, since 3 NFTs cost way less than the $1790 retail bag price. (But you knew that already ;-)).

Gucci's alluring Web3 moves are the best way to attract mass attention and adoption. They stealth-dropped this IRL redeemable, and as we know, everyone loves a good surprise.

This isn’t just a way to enter digital currency, or virtual fashion, or flip bags, or support art - this is all of it combined. Their commitment to engaging communities through storytelling sets them apart from other luxury brands eyeing NFT rewards. Gucci Vault holders are living the dream with these free phygital perks. The duffle bags and wallets will be dripping in real life, but extra rare thanks to those NFT keys. Well played, Gucci!

…but here’s where things get better…

You Can Be The Next Gucci With IMVU’s New Feature

3D Avatar Social App IMVU dropped it like it’s hot this week and launched a NO-CODE fashion design and NFT minting app! It’s hundreds of thousands of creators can design, mint, and sell their own NFTs and control the process from start to end. This fully decentralized virtual economy lets users autonomously monetize digital fashion without coding skills.

• During beta tests, over 100 creators made NFT versions of avatar effects, nails, clothes, and more.

• The first creator-minted NFT - a rare white Bunny Hat - quickly sold out its 200 copies.

Powered by Together Labs' blockchain branch MetaJuice, this self-minting service gives creators total control to price, list, and profit from Limited Edition NFTs. IMVU bucks industry trends with a majority women community, advancing diversity in web3. Now, you can create your own fashion, from your own home, and make a profit. It’s a new era for fashion designers.

🔭The Scope

It seems that with every passing week the digital fashion spaces grows. Firstly, with Gucci’s bag drop, they are further cementing themselves as creators in Web3. The duffle bags are co-branded with 10KTF - bringing the fictional digital fashion store into the real world with one of the world’s biggest luxury brands. Plus, Lactose’s virtual store showcases how IRL fashion brands can utilise emerging tech. Finally, IMVU’s new feature opens up a new wave of creator economy for fashion designers. We are bullish on the future of digital fashion.

🌓Half Moons

Argentinian pop star Tiago PZ is ready to disrupt digital fashion with the latest DRESSX collab! They’re pulling out all stops to engage and connect with the fans, and Web3 is the perfect messenger. Fans can now cop his signature chains, shades, and fire red fit from the music vid "Asqueroso" to rock Tiago's urban style in the metaverse. The Asqueroso Collection reflects the high-fashion street vibes of the Warner Music Latina artist. Tiago is hyped to see his fave accessories digitally recreated. This pioneering crossover between music and digital apparel powered by DRESSX continues its mission to redefine fashion boundaries.

The future is phygital with MNTGE. MNTGE introduced Patchwork NFTs. These patches feature custom designs by 11 different artists (including Jen Stark). The digital patches can be redeemed for NFC integrated physical patches!

Luxury legend Valentino is decking out metaverse avatars in high fashion drip. Following Balenciaga and other elite brands, Valentino just launched digital-only styles for Meta's Avatars Store. The 6-piece gender-fluid capsule features Valentino's signature elements - those iconic red and pink hues, the V logo, and studded kicks.

🔭The Scope

We all know web3 is for the people, and the power to brand yourself competitively with the same resources as big brands is what allows this space to grow. As brands keep vying for metaverse fashion dominance, Valentino stays on the cutting edge. Plus, with Tiago PZ, you can steal his style in the metaverse. We use fashion to present ourselves IRL - so why not URL, too?

⚪Total Eclipse

💫Shooting Star

This week’s shooting star is Anna Dart

Cabaret Corset

Inspired by the historical Parisian Cabaret Nights, sensual, powerful and forbidden. The creator of this piece is Anna Dart. Anna Dart is a multidisciplinary artist, riding traditional art and the metaverse. She promotes cultural, ecological, and social sustainability at the intersection of new technology. Anna is also a recipient of the first AI Art Claire Silver Award!

🌚Dark Side of the Meme