Virtual fashion: What you see online and what you get

Virtual fashion — not just ramp shows but actual designerwear — is obviously the way ahead for those fed up with the pandemic-triggered ‘all dressed up but nowhere to go’ syndrome. e-Fashion makes sense in the alternative cyber universe that people now inhabit, compounded by video calls, meetings, interactions and parties, which has its own imperatives.

Being virtual, not only does it allow people to look exactly as they wish — including those coveted washboard tummies and racehorse legs — dressing up is also a cinch, with none of the associated hassles such as washing, ironing or storing. Which fashionista can resist this option?

The tactile aspect of clothing cannot be replicated on screens, of course, but virtually all else is possible, including exclusive designs for hefty price tags. Couture brands should make the most of this new genre.


However, as working in avatar form is neither feasible nor advisable, some sartorial solutions created by Japanese work-from-home-ers appear to be better suited. Formal shirts mid-chest upwards that ease into comfortable sweatshirts beyond the screen frame or turtleneck-and-jacket ‘pyjama suits’ in weaves designed to fool laptop cameras are certainly as liberating as the avatar fashionwear. Given its emphasis on imagination and convenience, the long-term impact of pandemic chic cannot be discounted.