By Radha Khera
Radha Khera is a researcher from India at the Thinking Watermill Society. She pursued her Masters in Fashion Law from LUISS Guido Carli, Italy. She is a Managing Associate at Remfry & Sagar, an IP Boutique in New Delhi NCR, India and arguably the second oldest IP Firm in the world.
The fashion industry is one of the most innovative industries creating varied collections multiple times a year. With its pace of innovation, it also experiments constantly with different and newer ways to attract GenZ whether by way of tying up with gaming platforms, or promoting slow fashion addressing environmental concerns with young conscious minds or even engaging with wearable technology. What is also being referred to as the alter ego of our real world, the Metaverse is gaining traction for increased opportunities to the fashion industry. From celebrities dropping NFTs (Non-Fungible tokens) to brands launching their virtual collection, to collaborations with gaming platforms, an additional consumer base is on the rise. Virtual fashion weeks are all the rage including in India. At the same time, aptness of the current legal framework globally, is being reviewed to cater to newer challenges being posed on a daily basis. The fashion industry in India is also beginning to dip its toes in the new virtual world. Apart from the meta-plunge and legal implications, whether consumers in India are willing and ready to take up fashion in the virtual world, remains to be seen.