Paris Does Couture…Digitally

The final leg of Digital Fashion Week 2023 took place in Paris on 28th & 29th September. After making waves in New York and London, director Clare Tattersall put on a two-day event that hosted panel discussions, networking and a catwalk presentation in the heart of the French capital.

Earlier in the month, the London edition saw digital designs by Blanc de Blanc and Stephy Fung in collaboration with PhygitalTwin physically modelled on the catwalk. These digital concepts were brought to life at Fashion-Enter Ltd’s (FEL) micro factory in North London. From printing, via Kornit Digital, to cutting and stitching, the FEL team turned around this unique order in a matter of days.

During the Paris catwalk show the PhygitalTwin X Blanc de Blanc designs were re-shown along with couture outfits by Republiqe – the metaverse ready digital fashion house. The designs, one called Soufflee, comprising of an oversized puffer jacket with bulbous sleeves and printed mini-skirt, and another called Pierrot, a statement ruffled gown featuring Republiqe’s signature print were also developed in collaboration with PhygitalTwin. Republiqe create designs that are 100% digital for anyone to wear in the digital realm. However, for Digital Fashion Week Paris these outfits were physically created for the fashion show by Fashion-Enter Ltd’s incredibly talented team.

Louise Laing, founder of PhygitalTwin said: “We are super proud to have turned Republiqe’s amazing digital designs into physical runway pieces during Digital Fashion Week in Paris. This groundbreaking collaboration between Republiqe and PhygitalTwin not only defies fashion norms but also ushers in sustainability and a glimpse into the future where digital and physical worlds converge, offering unprecedented creative freedom and profitability for both gaming enthusiasts and investors.”

Fashion-Enter Ltd CEO Jenny Holloway added: “It has been brilliant to work on these designs, such tight deadlines but the team did it! These garments are so intricate, they are luxury couture pieces, I hope attendees at the show could appreciate how much work is in the construction of these amazingly designed garments. They are masterpieces.”

The Republiqe outfits closed the catwalk show, emphasising how digital fashion can successfully bridge into the physical for designs that are custom made to demand. Digital design supports sustainability by minimising waste and empowering the consumer in terms of choice and fit, and as demonstrated by Fashion-Enter Ltd the micro-factory business model can provide production as and when required with efficiency and skill.

JoJo Iles