Critical voices on the topic of “Digital Fashion” are numerous online. I recently watched two YouTube videos of creators voicing their skepticism on certain aspects of digital fashion.
YouTuber “Izzzyzz” offers a critical examination of the digital fashion industry, particularly focusing on the company DressX. Through a blend of humor, skepticism, and detailed analysis, she dissects the lofty promises of this burgeoning field, shedding light on its technological flaws, cultural implications, and environmental contradictions.
In recent years, the tech world has made bold forays into the fashion industry, promising a future where digital clothing would redefine how we dress, consume, and express ourselves. One company at the forefront of this movement, DressX, claims to revolutionize fashion through augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). However, as explored by Izzzyzz, this vision may be more fanciful than feasible, marred by technological shortcomings, questionable environmental benefits, and cultural insensitivity.
Founded in 2020 by Ukrainian entrepreneurs Natalia Modenova and Daria Shapovalova, DressX markets itself as a digital fashion retailer, offering garments designed to be worn virtually—whether in metaverse environments like Roblox and Snapchat or through photos and videos using their Meta Closet app. This app allows users to map 3D-rendered clothing onto their images, ostensibly blending sustainability goals with tech innovation. On paper, the initiative sounds groundbreaking, yet in practice, its execution raises serious concerns.
One of DressX’s primary pitches is sustainability. By replacing physical garments with digital ones, the company aims to address overconsumption and waste in the fashion industry. Influencers, notorious for purchasing fast fashion in bulk to maintain fresh content, are a key target audience. However, the practical limitations of digital fashion—such as poorly rendered designs and awkward interactions with physical bodies—render it a hard sell. Furthermore, the company’s involvement in NFTs contradicts its sustainability ethos, as blockchain technologies are widely criticized for their substantial environmental impact.
Technological flaws also plague DressX’s offerings. The app’s functionality is often compared to basic Snapchat filters, with clothing options frequently clipping, shifting awkwardly, or looking amateurish. These failings are especially jarring considering the high cost of these virtual garments, which range from tens to hundreds of dollars. Even their flagship marketing content, aimed at showcasing the technology’s capabilities, features glaring imperfections that undermine their promise of a high-tech revolution.
Beyond technical inefficiencies, DressX’s broader implications raise cultural and ethical concerns. The app’s clothing frequently appears to favor slim, conventionally attractive bodies, reinforcing harmful beauty standards. Moreover, some of its marketing materials evoke problematic themes, such as the ability to change race or body type through virtual avatars, which risk trivializing significant social and cultural identities.
Despite these challenges, DressX has garnered attention from major brands and media outlets. Publications like Vogue and The New York Times have praised the company’s vision, while luxury labels like Fendi and Diesel have partnered with them to create digital garments. This acclaim has translated into financial success, with the company securing $15 million in funding in 2023. Yet, outside of the tech and fashion elite, consumer reception remains tepid at best. Online forums and social media comments often ridicule the product for its aesthetic shortcomings and inflated promises.
Izzzyzz’s critique highlights a recurring pattern in the tech industry: the promise of innovation often outpaces its practical application. Digital fashion might someday redefine how we engage with clothing, but DressX’s current iteration seems more like a tech gimmick than a revolutionary solution. While the concept of virtual clothing opens intriguing possibilities for creativity and sustainability, its realization requires far greater refinement and cultural sensitivity to truly resonate with the broader public.
Digital fashion remains a nascent field filled with potential and pitfalls. Companies like DressX are navigating uncharted waters, but the road to meaningful impact will require a commitment to addressing technological, environmental, and ethical shortcomings. Until then, the dream of replacing physical wardrobes with digital ones seems more like a speculative fantasy than a viable reality.
Another creator, fashion journalist Bliss Foster highlights in his somewhat critical video “The Problem with Digital Fashion” that he does not have a problem with digital fashion per se, but rather with how it is treated and talked about, as a part of a trend cycle and a technical fad. He acknowledges the value of digital fashion design itself, but also makes the argument that it should rather be treated as a separate discipline altogether. He exemplifies this by discussing a physical shirt that he owns and how all the material qualities and aspects of it are such integral parts of the design that it is impossible to reduce them away from fashion design.
Sources
Bliss Foster. “The Problem With Digital Fashion,” April 4, 2022. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=who1-kptZzo.
Izzzyzzz. “‘Digital Clothing’ Is the Newest Tech Scam,” November 15, 2024. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWKrK91fk2U.
