The British Fashion Council Is Getting Into The Metaverse With Its 2021 Awards Show

The gamification of the fashion industry continues and with the rise of the immersive metaverse taking over, it’s bound to be even more prominent. On Monday, Nov. 29, the British Fashion Council, or BFC, announced two new ways to honor this new foray in fashion ahead of its 2021 ceremony of The Fashion Awards.

Partnering with Roblox, the award show will debut on the online gaming platform’s virtual world for the first time ever, along with the launch of its new award category titled “Fashion Award for Metaverse Design.” Five nominees have been selected for the title, including cSapphire, GENKROCO, inkwaves, Reverse_Polarity and Sparklings, with 2-D designer cSapphire taking the crown. The winner was selected by a panel of judges, including BFC’s Chief Executive Caroline Rush, supermodel and Kode With Klossy founder Karlie Kloss, former Highsnobiety Editorial Director Christopher Morency, Dazed Fashion Features Director Emma Davidson, and W Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Sara Moonves. The new award will be presented by none other than Gucci’s Alessandro Michele.

From Gucci’s latest collaboration with XBox to Balenciaga’s digital fashion collection on Fortnite and even launching sustainable fashion on Animal Crossing, the gaming and fashion crossover is only just beginning. With our social lives drastically impacting how we communicate and essentially live our lives, this shift comes as no surprise and even our favorite celebrities and brands are taking advantage of this new “digital” platform.

Along with a virtual awards show, the BFC made sure to create an immersive experience on the Roblox platform, which will be available starting from Thursday, Nov. 29, up until Friday, Dec. 7. The launch not only celebrates its newest award title and winner, but also allow fans to take part in the event. The experience will transport guests into the Royal Albert Hall, where they can walk the virtual red carpet along with other users, explore the award nominees’ displays, try on digital clothing items, and watch the full video footage from the 2021 Fashion Awards show. Not to mention, visitors can also purchase an array of virtual pieces created by Gucci, with proceeds from the event’s sales going towards the BFC Foundation, a charity that focuses on the growth of the British fashion industry.

“As we continue to reposition The Fashion Awards as a global entertainment platform, we are so excited to announce this project with Roblox,” BFC’s chief executive Caroline Rush shared in a press statement. “By awarding the platform’s creators we are recognizing the powerful global impact of digital fashion on communities around the world, its ability to create new trends in fashion, as well as the incredible opportunities it provides for talented young creators.”

Roblox’s VP of global brand partnerships Christina Wootton further commented, “The next generation of designers are dressing avatars, and they are doing it on Roblox where anyone can be a creator, starting with their own digital identity. Fashion is about what’s next and finding new voices with clear visions, and this talent is emerging in the metaverse.”

“Having the chance to not only review the incredible designs from our talented nominees but also support and empower the next generation of designers at the intersection of fashion and tech has been thrilling,” said supermodel Kloss. “Not to mention I’m also personally excited to explore this space with my own avatar. This unique metaverse space BFC has created in collaboration with Roblox represents the future of fashion, and it’s been so fun to be a part of such an innovative experience.”

You can now get a sneak peek of BFC x Roblox’s virtual fashion awards show, which will be available for viewing from Monday, Nov. 29, to Friday, Dec. 7, through the official images, below.