Web3 × Fashion

Fashion’s questions about ownership, loyalty and collaboration, discussed with the people building the technology.

I helped create Web3 × Fashion through BananaCorp with Sander Gansen and Armin ZadakBar, and joined the Virtual Fashion & Collaborations discussion. On 18 September 2023, BananaCorp, European Web3 Organization and AKQA brought fashion decision-makers and Web3 builders together at Talent Garden Calabiana during Milan Fashion Week.

Relationship: Co-creator
Role: Co-creator through BananaCorp; discussion participant
Period: 18 September 2023
Where: Talent Garden Calabiana · Milan, Italy
With: BananaCorp, European Web3 Organization, AKQA
Attribution: Event organised by BananaCorp, European Web3 Organization and AKQA

Start with the industry’s questions

Digital ownership interested both fashion houses and Web3 builders, but each approached it with a different vocabulary. We created an invite-only gathering inside fashion’s own calendar, so the conversation could start with what mattered to the industry.

Milan was the first implementation of our Web3x[Industry] format. It gave us a concrete setting for a wider ambition to connect emerging technology with established sectors.

Three questions for the room

The programme centred on Tokenization & Traceability, Loyalty & Personalization, and Virtual Fashion & Collaborations. The questions concerned an object, a customer relationship and a creative partnership.

I joined the Virtual Fashion & Collaborations discussion with Jarvis Macchi of EssilorLuxottica, Gianluigi Zarantonello of Valentino, Lorenzo Litta of BRANDIT and Ariel Wengroff of Ledger. Their different perspectives gave the industry question several points of entry.

An international gathering

Armin’s event account reported more than 150 participants from 22 countries: 44 percent Web3 builders, 40 percent fashion-industry participants, 10 percent digital artists and 6 percent investors. Italian reporting gave 150 attendees; Sander’s year-end account described more than 120.

Across those accounts, the mix is the significant point: people working on technology, fashion, art and investment were discussing the same business questions.

The conversation continued

In 2024, The Future Fashion brought a broader programme of AI, AR, 3D and physical and digital fashion into Milan’s calendar. IZY Studio and BananaConf organised that event at a different venue. The industry conversation continued as both the tools and the partnerships evolved.

Films

Web3 × Fashion · public event film · Milan 2023 · published with The Armin Bar event account

Recorded results

22 · Countries represented at Web3 × Fashion 2023: 2023 event figure reported in Armin’s event account; independent of Tallinn and 2024 Future Fashion. Source: Event account · participants section

What I take forward

An industry’s own questions and calendar can give emerging technology a more useful starting point.

Sources

BananaCorpFrom a Tallinn conference to a company connecting brands, builders and communities across borders.
BananaConfA recurring meeting point for builders, brands, artists and communities, developed through BananaCorp.
The Future FashionFashion’s emerging tools brought into one programme, with IZY Studio and BananaConf in Milan.
European Web3 OrganizationGovernance and education for a European Web3 community that needs to be understood beyond its own circles.

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