American fashion house Coach is entering Web3 with metaverse activations in Roblox and Zepeto. The experiences will permit users to traverse three virtual worlds — Colorful World, Summer World, and Floral World — while trying on accessories from the company’s 2024 Spring Collection. The activations start today, July 19th.
The activations are part of Coach’s “Find Your Courage” campaign. It follows a virtual human “Imma” who travels through five virtual worlds to further her journey of self-expression. Each world has its ready-to-wear accessories. The company decided to bring the three worlds mentioned above to the metaverses of Roblox and Zepeto.
In Roblox, the activation will last until August 19th. It will take place in “Fashion Klossette,” the brainchild of Karlie Kloss, and “Fashion Famous 2,” a virtual clothing try-on game. In those worlds, users can participate in a scavenger hunt to win a virtual Coach piece, purchase digital Coach items with in-game currency, and walk runways to garner points from judges.
In Zepeto, users can try on Coach items created in collaboration with Nova, a top creator. There will also be a photo booth where players can create user-generated content, including short-form videos. Like in Roblox, players will be able to purchase Coach items with in-game currency.
“Entering immersive platforms with ‘Find Your Courage'” is an exciting moment for Coach, said Sandeep Seth, Chief Growth Officer for Tapestry, the parent company of Coach. It is their first leap into connecting with a younger, digital first audience and it’s about creating a space where people can express their individuality and style in a place where they feel most at home.
From today until Sunday, Coach’s location on Fifth Avenue in New York City will host a special pop-up for a hands-on experience highlighting these activations and collaborations.
Gen Z Values Digital Fashion: Roblox
While Coach’s activations will focus on the 2024 Spring Collection, it is bringing at least one iconic fashion accessory back: The 1970s Tabby bag, which will be available as an in-game item. Kimberley Wallengren, Coach’s VP for marketing in North America, said that “Gen Z is telling us that our Tabby bag” is an icon bag right now.
If the digital debut of the Tabby bag seems odd, consider these statistics from a Roblox report:
- 84% of Gen Z members report that their avatar styles influence their real-world fashion choices
- More than 50% prioritize their avatar’s looks more than their own physical appearances
With the world going more and more digital, fashion houses have taken notice. In the stories we’ve covered over the past couple of years, the fashion industry has expressed enthusiasm for the next iteration of the internet, particularly NFTs and the metaverse. For instance:
- The Voice debuted a fashion line in HiberWorld, a metaverse
- Fashion designer Christian Louboutin created a collection of shoes with NFTs
- OnlyEver released an NFT-backed boot for Milan Fashion Week
- Philippine Blockchain Week showcased Michael Cinco’s fashion in the metaverse
- Dior debuted IRL sneakers with digital twins
As these stories show, fashion houses and designers are taking to Web3. That these activations and releases still continue amongst an NFT bear market is a good sign and shows that, despite the drop of trading volume, innovation is still occurring.