Industry Reports

When Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba put on a virtual 3D runway show during the height of the global pandemic, it was a viral moment. Rendering garments in 3D wasn’t new to the global fashion industry. However, it was new for consumers, especially the display of silhouettes for bigger bodies. Such use of technology marked a turn towards digital, signifying the amalgamation of physical and virtual worlds. African fashion designers began adjusting to a new way of creating, playing safe with small digital formats such as live streaming, digital lookbooks, and short films.

With mounting interest in the metaverse and what it means for fashion, different African fashion industry players are spotting opportunities in this virtual world. As a result, an ecosystem has...