The Rise of Phygital Fashion: Owning Clothes You Can't Touch

Once, we could touch, wear, and flaunt fashion on the streets. However, a new era is now dawning. Phygital fashion, a revolutionary blend of physical and digital clothing, is set to redefine the industry in 2025. Imagine owning a stunning dress that exists only in the digital realm, yet you can showcase it on Instagram, TikTok, or even in the metaverse.

Image Credit: The Fabricant/HighSnobiety, as cited in Hirschmiller (2023)

What does "phygital fashion" mean?

Phygital fashion is a versatile blend of the real and digital worlds. Picture this: a customer purchases a digital dress from a high-end brand like Gucci, Prada, or Balenciaga, to adorn their avatars in popular games like Fortnite or Roblox. But that's not all. They also receive a physical version of the dress at their doorstep. It's a fashion system that transcends platforms, screens, and streets, offering a unique experience.

Why is it going up now?

1. Sustainability: In a world where environmental responsibility is paramount, digital clothing emerges as a solution. It significantly reduces waste from fast fashion and minimizes the likelihood of returns, making it a responsible choice for the fashion-conscious.

2. Gen Z Behavior: Young people want to post pictures of themselves in unique outfits online more than they want to wear them in real life.

3. Tech Integration: NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and blockchain technology provide a secure way to own and sell digital items, while AR (augmented reality) enhances the digital experience, making it possible to own and sell digital items safely.

4. Exclusivity: Digital drops, a marketing strategy where limited digital items are released at a specific time, like limited-edition sneakers, make things seem rare and exciting.

   
   

Examples in Use

• Dolce & Gabbana put out a digital couture collection that made millions.

• Nike's RTFKT Studios makes shoes that can be worn in real life and in digital form.

• The Fabricant, a pioneer in digital-only fashion, sells dresses that influencers can "wear" online without ever actually existing.

What This Means for Brands and Customers

Phygital fashion is about having an identity in both the physical and digital worlds. It provides brands with new opportunities to generate revenue and a direct path to enter the gaming, social media, and metaverse markets. We're entering a time when half of your clothes might be in your closet and half might be in the cloud.

Our Fashion Marketing & Management program at Raffles Jakarta gets students ready for the new era of digital-first fashion business. In the phygital age, it's essential to understand how people think, how new technologies work, and how to utilize innovative marketing techniques.

Arman POUREISA

Marketing Manager

Business Management Lecturer

Raffles Jakarta

References

Enxoo. (2025, February 10). Going “phygital”: Retail trends for 2025. Enxoo. https://enxoo.com/going-phygital-retail-trends-for-2025

Fashion Dive. (2025, July 17). Digital product passports may double fashion’s lifetime value: Report. Fashion Dive. https://www.fashiondive.com/topic/technology

Hirschmiller, S. (2023, June 24). How brands can use phygital retail to deliver immersive experiences and cut costs. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniehirschmiller/2023/06/24/how-brands-can-use-phygital-retail-to-deliver-immersive-experiences-and-cut-costs/

Massi, M. (2025). Toward D2A: Enhancing luxury fashion with seamless phygital strategies and immersive omnichannel retailing. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 49(3), 70045. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.70045

Vogue Business. (2025, September 8). The Vogue Business 100 innovators: Tech innovators. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/technology/the-vogue-business-2025-100-innovators-tech-innovators

WeForum. (2025, June 20). Digital fashion: Where technology, culture and creativity collide. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/06/digital-fashion-where-technology-culture-and-creativity-collide

Wharry, G. (2025, July). Biotech is the new digital: A fashion wake-up call. Geraldine Wharry Futures. https://www.geraldinewharry.com/getinspired/biotech-new-digital-fashion-wake-up-call