The fashion industry is constantly seeking innovative ways to engage with Gen Z audiences, particularly in the increasingly digital landscape. With traditional retail facing challenges, the promise of reaching a gaming-hungry demographic is incredibly appealing. Gaming has surpassed movies and music combined in entertainment, and luxury brands are eager to tap into its potential for product discovery and consumer engagement. The success of virtual events, like Travis Scott’s Fortnite concert which drew a record-breaking 12.3 million viewers, underscores the importance of establishing a presence in virtual worlds.
There are several avenues for fashion brands to explore within the gaming sphere. These include creating digital outfits or “skins” for existing games, participating in metaverse platforms like Animal Crossing, and utilizing purpose-built fashion gaming platforms. While the latter presents a significant retail opportunity, many platforms struggle to deliver visually compelling experiences and seamless integration with e-commerce, often failing to maintain the exclusivity associated with luxury fashion. ADA, a new platform from Singapore-based Unmatereality, aims to overcome these limitations. Launched initially in China in partnership with Sina Corp, with a global release planned, ADA merges aspects of metaverse experiences and dedicated fashion gaming platforms to elevate the virtual fashion landscape.
ADA is spearheaded by Andy Ku, a Korean entrepreneur with a proven track record in social media and gaming. Prior to ADA, Ku founded MStar, a 3D avatar-based fashion game that achieved significant revenue through virtual fashion sales. He later sold Nurien Soft, MStar’s parent company, to Netmarble Corp and established BlueArk Global, a mobile media and education company that collaborates with major entertainment brands to develop games. Ku’s vision for ADA is clear: “The next big market for fashion isn’t China, it’s virtual commerce.” The initial interest in ADA is evident, with approximately 20,000 beta testers on its launch day.
Unmatereality’s ambition with ADA is to transform luxury e-commerce by integrating gamification, social networking, and immersive 3D visuals with real-time e-commerce capabilities. While not intended to be a full-fledged parallel universe like Second Life, ADA offers fashion enthusiasts a more engaging and persistent form of social media, allowing them to express their style through virtual avatars and explore fantasy personas. Ku describes ADA as “a combination of 3D gaming components and engines, and a 2D web-based social media functionality… Think of it as an ongoing fantasy-driven platform or narrative, not a single play game.”
ADA empowers users to create highly customizable avatars and personalize virtual rooms. Within these rooms, players can explore and virtually try on digital representations of real-world fashion items from participating brands, all of which are available for purchase within the app. Everything in ADA is designed to be a status symbol; virtual rooms can be upgraded, and future expansions are expected to include collaborations with furniture, electronics, and automotive brands. Personal expression is central to the platform’s appeal. According to Ku, “This is about total lifestyle.”
ADA incorporates social networking features, enabling players to visit each other’s rooms and interact via chat. Users can also explore the virtual world, observing other players and their styles, unless rooms are set to private. AI-powered algorithms will analyze user preferences to connect players with similar tastes, fostering the formation of micro fashion communities or “clans.”
Gaming mechanics are integrated through daily styling challenges centered on specific themes or brands, encouraging creative expression and competition. “Mission boxes” offer virtual currency for completing tasks within the game, such as visiting virtual brand pop-up stores. These incentives are designed to encourage brand engagement and advocacy, providing brands with valuable behavioral analytics. Ku explains, “You can earn enough points via these activities that the game will effectively subsidize your eventual cash purchase… We’re trying to democratize the luxury experience. ADA is for people who love fashion but have not had any real opportunity to access or explore it in any form yet.”
Despite being a virtual world, ADA maintains the exclusivity of luxury fashion. While digital versions of items are more affordable than their real-world counterparts (e.g., a $1000 item might cost $1 in-game), they are available in limited quantities on a first-come, first-served basis. High-ranking players, recognized for their style and engagement, may even gain early access to certain items.
ADA redefines the concept of the digital flagship store. Brands can create virtual pop-up shops, showrooms, and even virtual catwalk presentations within the platform. Future developments may include AI-powered virtual sales associates. As app spending continues to rise, ADA represents a significant shift in how luxury brands approach digital retail and customer service.
Brands can populate ADA with avatars of brand ambassadors, fictional characters, or real personalities, allowing for direct player interaction. Unmatereality has already created avatars of figures like Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing and supermodel Natalia Vodianova, who is also an investor in the platform.
Vodianova’s avatar exemplifies ADA’s bridging of the real and virtual worlds. Her avatar can interact with fans in the game, offering photo opportunities and automated responses. She also has the ability to directly engage with players, creating a unique and personal connection.
User-generated content is a key element of ADA. Players can customize their avatars, rooms, and create virtual lookbooks that can be easily shared on social media. Future updates, enabled by 5G technology, will allow for streaming and downloading motion content within virtual spaces. Ku even suggests the possibility of players co-creating 3D designs and uploading them into the game, further blurring the lines between creator and consumer.
Within its first month, ADA has attracted around 35 launch brands, primarily from the Western market. These include luxury giants like Armani, Dior, and Prada, as well as avant-garde and cult brands such as Thom Browne, Sacai, and Marine Serre. The visual quality of ADA is crucial, as users expect high-fidelity digital experiences. ADA aims to meet these expectations, joining other innovative digital fashion houses in pushing the boundaries of virtual fashion.
Looking ahead, ADA envisions brands creating virtual-only collections and enabling avatar portability across different online platforms and games. Ku concludes that ADA “will be an ever-evolving service,” constantly adapting and expanding the possibilities of digital fashion and luxury experiences.
