NYFW shuns Web3, but tech in fashion is alive and well

Unlike previous tech-heavy seasons, digital fashion was sparse during last week’s NYFW. Besides the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s push to engage consumers via a new gaming initiative and Grace Ling's collaboration with AI startup Humane, most brands opted out of exploring tech innovation to focus on the physical. It might not be good PR for Web3, but it’s an unfortunate sign of the times. Amid slowing profits and a consumer spending slump, brands are pulling back from investing in tech while they grapple with financial headwinds, Web3 entrepreneur Gmoney told Jing Daily earlier this week. Nevertheless, away from the runway, tech remains alive and well; just this week, the Aura Blockchain Consortium hit a new milestone of onboarding 50 million luxury products onto its private blockchain. While emerging tech at fashion week may have lost its luster, behind the scenes, the industry's digital transformation is still only just beginning. Aura Blockchain Consortium records 50 million products on the blockchain What happened: On Thursday, luxury private blockchain service Aura Blockchain Consortium announced that it had onboarded and registered 50 million products onto its blockchain since the Consortium’s inception in 2021. Products recorded include upcoming collections from Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni, Loro Piana and more. “Reaching this milestone is a testament to the trust luxury brands have in Aura Blockchain Consortium. As we continue to grow, we are not only expanding our membership but also increasing our ability to meet the evolving demands of both the industry and consumers,” Romain Carrere, CEO of Aura Blockchain Consortium said in a statement. The verdict: The milepost update comes swiftly after the Consortium’s previous record of 40 million products, which was announced in May. Established three years ago by LVMH, OTB Group, Prada Group, and Cartier, part of Richemont, the Consortium now boasts over 50 participating luxury brands, each harnessing the Consortium’s digital-product-passport (DPP) and near-field-communication capabilities. An area once marked by its volatility, it’s a major step in the right direction for blockchain-connected products, demonstrating how the tech can be deployed to enable product traceability, security, and confirmation of authenticity. Grace Ling teams up with Humane AI at NYFW What happened: Manhattan-based Singaporean fashion designer Grace Ling teamed up with AI startup Humane for NYFW SS25 last week to debut the Grace Ling x Humane Handaxe Bag – an accessory designed to house Humane’s AI-powered pin. Inspired by the stone-age tools crafted by early ancestors, the Handaxe Bag appeared alongside Grace Ling’s couture and ready-to-wear collection, coined "Neanderthal." The verdict: The second time Humane has presented its new tech wearable on the runway, the startup is transcending its "tech-bro" origins to affirm its position in the high-fashion realm. Its first partnership with Coperni at Paris Fashion Week last year made headlines, with fashion aficionados drawn to the company's sleek pins affixed to model's blazers. This season, however, Humane's attempt at another viral moment seems to have slipped under the radar. Syky Collective designer Pet Liger brings digital footwear to life What happened: Evolving from an internet personality to member of the Syky Collective digital fashion incubator, designer Pet Liger has brought his digital footwear concepts to life for the first time. The "Love Heels," an idea first conceptualized using virtual design tools, will be available to purchase in physical form on a made-to-order basis. Customers can pre-order the shoes now on Pet Liger’s official site. The verdict: Marking Liger’s foray from digital ideas to reality, the collection demonstrates how Syky is leading once-unknown digital designers into the fashion spotlight. Liger is the latest creative to benefit from Syky’s talent-incubator initiative, joining the likes of Berlin-based Taskin Goec and mixed-reality jewelry label Xtended Identity. Now under the creative direction of esteemed celebrity stylist, editor, and industry insider Nicola Formichetti, Syky is establishing itself as a fixture in the fashion realm. As luxury brands pull back on their technological endeavors, their absence is making way for emerging disruptors like Syky to shine.

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NYFW shuns Web3, but tech in fashion is alive and well