Parsons and Roblox partner for digital fashion and trends education

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Nov 2, 2022

Parsons School of Design and Roblox announced on Tuesday a new education partnership including the launch of a new course collaboration and a Metaverse Fashion Trends report.

As part of the course collaboration, students will be equipped with the training and tools to prepare for the changing mediums of the future. In particular, the 16-week collaborative and production-driven course, available to Parsons students for the Spring 2023 semester, will allow students to create hyper-realistic and inclusive 3D digital apparel with a curriculum focused on researching and prototyping digital and physical fashion for immersive environments. 

“Partnering with Roblox offers Parsons students working in creative technologies an exciting opportunity to engage the complex intersection of visual culture and social structure, and to play with how we make meaning when we dress ourselves – in digital and physical worlds,” said Shana Agid, PhD, Dean of the School of Art & Media Technology at Parsons School of Design. 

“We’re excited to see how students’ own diverse experiential knowledge, together with their research, critical thinking, and digital and visual design skills, shape the futures of these spaces.”

Likewise, the 2022 Metaverse Fashion Trends report highlights how important self-expression through digital identity and avatar style is for members of Gen Z who have grown up socializing on platforms like Roblox. It offers timely research and analysis of trends in digital fashion and self-expression among Gen Z consumers who are active on Roblox. 

Key insights from the report show that nearly 3 in 4 respondents say they will spend money on digital fashion, and two thirds are excited to wear brand name virtual items on their Roblox avatars. Respondents also note the importance of diverse customization options, while the majority agree with the importance of digital clothing designs being inclusive.

“Gen Z consumers are spending more time in immersive social spaces like Roblox, where they have been expressing themselves through their creations and digital style preferences for over a decade,” added Christina Wootton, vice president of global partnerships, Roblox. 

“With their growing economic power and influence on fashion, trends from the metaverse are expected to have a profound impact on physical fashion, while trends from the physical world will also continue to move into the metaverse. The data sourced for this report further underscores why the next generation of fashion designers and brands will become deeply immersed in digital fashion – designing digital collections and dressing avatars.”