Cow to dress in the 50s? How to replicate a Tudor period outfit? What is sci-fi style? The usual recap provided by Google on the fastest growing searches in 2024 surprised even the most attentive observers. We don’t talk about trends launched from the catwalksnor of memorable moments on the red carpet or of celebrities destined to enter the annals of style. The search volumes instead revealed a unexpected phenomenon: Fashion has moved into the virtual realm, driven by platforms like Roblox and from one of its most popular games, Dress to Impress.
What is it about? From a digital universe where the challenge is to create outfits inspired by themes of the past, present and future. Here’s why among the most searched words of the year themes related to the missions of appear Dress to Impress. Fashion, in the virtual universe of Roblox, is not just a game, but a way to explore eras, styles and impossible worlds. Managing to bring new generations closer to fashion, while having fun.
Let’s take a step back (and a thousand steps forward)
Once upon a time there was Fashion goes aroundan iconic board game from the 80s and 90s that won over generations of young fashion enthusiasts thanks to its simple but brilliant idea: creating unique outfits by combining silhouettes of clothes and accessories through a wheel that mixed the possibilities. Today the very youngbelonging to the age group 8-12 yearsfind their creative space in a very different context, made of pixels and virtual interactions: the universe of Roblox. A online platform which allows users to play, create and share games developed by other community members. The games, known as “experiences“, range between very different genres: adventure, simulation, role-playing, and more, but among its infinite proposals, stands out Dress to Impressa game entirely dedicated to fashion. Here the concept of dress to impress is transformed into a creative challengewith several rounds with the most varied themes, ranging from Tudor dresses to futuristic sci-fi style. Players vote for the best outfits and whoever receives the most votes wins the round. But the goal is not just to win, it is also to express and build your creativity.
Dress to Impress on Roblox is accessible on a wide range of devices, including PC, Mac, smartphones, and tablets.
The most searched outfits from Dress to Impress
Thus, faced with challenges whose theme they did not know in depth, Gen Z began to research online the meaning of styles such as 1950s outfits, dystopia outfit or Tudor period outfitmaking them among the most searched terms of 2024. Each round of Dress to Impress pushes players to transform vague inspirations in memorable looksleading them to discover worlds and eras that are very far away from them. The most daring challenges? The organized chaos of hot mess outfit (in fifth position), where an apparently random mix gives looks with a strong visual impact. Or the excessive glamor of overdressed, over-the-top nature ensemble, or even the Japanese aesthetic of visual kei (characterized by eccentric clothes with an androgynous aesthetic) and gods gyaru (subculture with a bold and flashy look).
In January 2024, Mango inaugurated its first virtual store on Roblox, inside the Outfit Shopping Mall, a virtual shopping center located on a Mediterranean island.
Fashion conquers the metaverse
And fashion, in all of this, certainly did not stand by and watch. In recent years, some of the most prestigious international brands have embraced the virtual universe of Robloxtransforming it into a digital catwalk. From Gucciwith its exclusive digital collections, a Ralph Laurenwhich recreated settings inspired by the brand’s lifestyle, up to surprising collaborations like those of Max Mara And Mangofashion has been able to interpret gaming as a new language to communicate with younger generations.
Fashion knows how to reinvent itself and make people talk about itself, even in the metaverse. Where this summer, as well as on the catwalks and on TikTok feeds, it was all the rage the Brat aestheticthanks to a collaboration of Charli XCX with Dress to Impress offering players new clothing and accessory options inspired by the artist’s irreverent aesthetic.
The future of digital fashion? As long as it knows how to intertwine the past with the present it will remain relevant, far from game over.
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