Polygon is undeniable one of the world’s biggest blockchains currently built on Ethereum. The team has earned that title throughout the years by constantly innovating and bringing about not only a system that is always attempting to become as secure as possible, as FAST as possible, and as cheap as possible for end users in terms of fees. I won’t be going too deep into the logistics of how they’ve been able to do this but I can tell you that they also used Layer-2 technology to make this possible and I supplied a link for you to educate yourself on that if you choose to.

We decided to choose Polygon as the main blockchain for us to build on top of for a variety of reasons. One being the 3 points I mentioned about it being fast, secure, and cheap. Another is that because it can fulfil being fast, secure, and cheap, that makes it a compatible piece to the puzzle of bringing blockchain solutions to businesses all around the world. In our case, this is a great solution for the retail industry, given that the main products we currently sell are clothing, whether it be physical or digital clothing that are sold as NFT’s.

As I continued to think about which chain we should be positioned on, Ethereum to me was the first option that I had to remove from the equation. Don’t get me wrong, Ethereum is amazing, but not for retail solutions where there’s tons of transactions flowing daily, payments can take very long periods of times to settle (sometimes even multiple hours), and the gas fees can become outrageous when there’s a lot of activity on the network. The only factor that was a reason to think about using Ethereum for what we provide as a business, was primarily only because there’s a lot more attention and money flowing through the Ethereum network, but that didn’t matter much to me personally.

At the time when I was originally planning the move for Polygon, I knew it would be a bigger challenge to get people on board especially because of the way the audience on Ethereum tended to think of Polygon in a negative way. It was odd, people made it seem like Polygon was horrible, when in fact it provided the same solutions as Ethereum but was faster in pretty much every aspect, but then it clicked, they were primarily holding this outlook because their own money was mainly invested in Ethereum anyways.. so I could understand the thought process that may have went on in some of these people being why would they want to promote their biggest competitor when they aren’t invested in their competitor? It’s weird, but that’s how a lot of people think, or at least the investors.. That right there was the moment a light bulb went off in my head. We’re not targeting investors, we’re targeting customers. Customers that are also happy enough to want to become recurring customers, and so if we want people to become recurring customers, then it is in the best interest to make things as easy as possible on their part, and deliver on the expectations that they would have if they went to purchase an item from a traditional brand online.

This meant that I needed to make sure our customers aren’t looking to purchase a $50 garment and end up with a surprise finding out that they need to pay an additional $85 due to gas fees alone. The surprise they SHOULD be getting is that they expected to pay $50 and maybe a few extra cents at checkout to be realistic, and that ends up being exactly what they pay. And if they didn’t know what to expect when making their purchase, they are now shocked at how simple, easy, and fast it was to get their first digital collectible/wearable or physical item from a fashion company built on the blockchain.

That right there, was the nail on the head, I now knew that Polygon would be the community to be a part of & the solution to begin providing that experience, at least for now.

As of right now, there isn’t many tight knit communities built on Polygon that have people engaging with them daily like how for example Ethereum does, but we are aware of this, and won’t let that deter us. If that type of fun, loyal, and engaging audience isn’t yet here, or maybe they just haven’t found that thing yet that they want to be a part of, then we’ll focus on becoming that for them and providing as much value and unique experiences as possible so that they can trust and believe that we ARE that.

And that my friends, is why we chose Polygon! 🙌

Shoot us a follow and stay tuned for our next post!

— Nicholas Reyes, CEO of VOC

Digital Fashion is going to spark a wildfire in the world of fashion pretty soon. I mean seriously, when you’re on the inside looking out, it really does seem inevitable to safely assume that idea.

Some of the biggest companies are already extending their reaches into the digital world and creating digital wearables, assets, access passes, and more.

For example, the YSL Beauty division has recently began experimenting in Web 3 and released their own NFT and plan to continue making more.

Nike purchased RTFKT, a creator led organization which uses in game engines, NFTs, blockchain authentication and augmented reality, combined with manufacturing expertise to create one of a kind sneakers and digital artifacts. The first collection of sneakers were titled “CryptoKicks”.

Adidas is releasing their first drop known as “Unboxed” on 11/16/22 which appears to be a collection of digital wearables based on the previews seen online.

Burberry has not only done an official collaboration with sandbox video game Minecraft this year, but also released digital wearables on Roblox and avatars on Blankos Block Party.

Polo Ralph Lauren collaborated with Fortnite last month and released a collection of wearables and avatars on their marketplace.

This was just a handful, and yet there are so many more reputable brands that are also joining the shift to digital culture.

In my opinion, it is very enjoyable to not only see this happening daily, but to also partake in this ourselves at VOC. It is a wave of water, slowly building up and becoming more and more ready to disrupt the norms of the fashion industry, by a long shot.

Here are a few reasons why:

It’s sustainable, eco-friendly, allows for faster sample times and easy collaboration, and best of all, it empowers the next generations of creatives all around the world to express themselves and create something that they are proud of.

So many tools and software are being released to empower creatives to create whatever they desire right in front of them.. As I like to deem it, fashion is the art of expressing yourself through appearance, and I also feel like fashion is one of the main ways which we as humans express ourselves. This alone is another reason why digital fashion is so important, especially for those who find it hard or don’t like to do all the work of sewing and making traditional/physical garments.

With introductory 3D fashion design software available to the public like ‘Jinny’ which is currently available for free to all users, this is the perfect starter for people that are curious and of all ages, which will allow them to find an outlet which they can express themselves and create cool pieces that they are not only proud of, but will also be able to see it come to life and wear it themselves in games/virtual spaces.

Digital Fashion limits the creator only as far as as the imagination can stretch, and from what it seems, the imagination is a limitless pool of wonderful ideas just waiting to be pulled from and utilized. This means that there is no holding back, people will be able to show their MOST AUTHENTIC expressions if they so chose to create it. That alone is extremely powerful and life changing for many people all around the world.

I envision a future where these people will be able to export their file and import it into an avatar system where they can instantly wear their own creations in game while they play with their friends. Simple and Intuitive.. Something which will be so effortless and as easy as importing a room or object into a virtual social platform like Spatial IO, which if you don’t know, is a browser and mobile based “metaverse” where users can create “rooms” in 3D that anyone can join and roam around in. Users can talk with voice chat, throw their camera on if they want, meet new people, and hang out with their friends.

And there you have it folks, thank you for taking this walk with me on a glimpse of the future of digital fashion. Can’t wait to catch you on the next post! See you soon 👋

— Nick Reyes, CEO of VOC

A Labyrinth is a complex maze with loads of different pathways, some leading to nowhere, and some ultimately lead to progress.

Because of this, we decided to use the term “Labyrinth” to signify our never ending pursuit for progress and desire to overcome all obstacles thrown at us. Especially due to the sector we are currently operating in, and how there is much to learn and adapt to in this space if we want to triumph for years to come.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely, Nick! — CEO

As we all know, Fashion has been around for ages.. longer than anyone currently alive on this very earth we stand on. This goes as far back as the day a human decided to wear something, whether it was to cover their body or to show a trophy of their battles (bones).

This very act of picking something and deciding to wear it or carry it is a form of our very own individual self-expressions of who each of us are, and what we identify our personalities with.

This self-expression has evolved throughout time and ranges from a load of factors such as our culture, beliefs, preferences, imagination, creativity, and even our environments.

This is why cultures all over the world have such vast differences in their appearance and what they wear, from Japan, India, China, Kenya, all the way down to even France. It’s all unique and distinct in their very own ways.

The marvelous act of taking one thing and finding another thing, then combining those two to create another thing..

Taking that concept of using 2 things to make another thing is what allows us to take pieces of fabric and thread, and utilize those to create a sweater with it. Then, we can take it a step further by slicing through the middle and adding a zipper to turn it into a completely different wearable.. This is the beauty of utilizing our own imaginations to create the very things we see in our minds, whether it’s by making things from scratch completely, or by modifying already existent objects.

Fast forwarding to our present day is a whole new world of possibilities with all of the resources we currently have available to us..

100's of fabric mixes just waiting to be utilized by the next creative that sparks an idea to use them for.

Tons of talented designers are popping up everywhere in the world in this current age…whether young, middle aged, or old, they are never restricted from the space inside them which manifests their creativity.

Taking into account where our current state of technology is at, this is where things start to take a turn, a turn which takes us from this world of possibilities and has now allowed us to enter into a new UNIVERSE of possibilities and opportunities.

Things that were only able to be drawn or thought of can now be sculpted, textured, animated, and recorded to your EXACT liking.. And to top it all off… you can add physics, gravity, and all other elements with the click of a button. Mind-blowing right? This allows you to bring WHATEVER idea it is you may have to LIFE and visually be able to see it. This allows for benefits stretching across many industries such as architecture, engineering, manufacturing, and many more.

However, in this post we’ll be sticking to the industry known as Fashion, or how I like to call it, “The art of expressing yourself through appearance”. Specifically, how the industry will be heading towards a digital takeover in time. Though if I’m wrong about this and the industry doesn’t move its reaches into the digital world, then no worries.. Because VOC will, because I believe in this 100%.

Now, let me unravel a quick disclaimer for you. You might not know about some things such as Web 3, NFT’s, and the Blockchain just yet, so I highly recommend that you search on google about what it is so that you can gain a deeper understanding about where I’m coming from and how this all ties in together. Lets Begin.

Though I do agree that physical clothing will forever be a thing and will never lose its shine because we all need clothes, I do however see that we are hitting a point in time known as the Digital Era.. and that’s where the interesting part comes into play. Right now, we are all already interacting with the digital world every single day, by looking at social media, playing games, educating ourselves through videos, and even by you reading this right now.

But, if we take a closer look into this industry that is currently growing every single day known as the Blockchain.. we get to see a whole ecosystem of other digital areas that come as a result of the blockchain and its decentralization, such as: Crypto Currency, NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens) and a new expansion of the internet known as Web 3.

Just a quick throw of numbers to keep you from thinking who would even put money in any of that: “According to SkyQuest Technology, the Global Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) Market was valued at USD 15.70 Billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach USD 122.43 Billion by 2028”

(We’ll mainly be talking about NFT’s only so don’t worry, I’m not gonna overload your brain with too much unknown topics.)

NFT’s are used as a means for proof of ownership of a digital asset. Think of it like a digital certificate that shows information such as who created it, when it was created, and who currently owns it now. That token can also display whatever you want it to show once uploaded (if you’re the one who created it).

Meaning you can create an artwork and upload that artwork as an NFT, then list it online on an NFT Exchange such as OpenSea for anyone to buy it using Crypto.

Companies such as the Sandbox and Decentraland have used the power of NFT’s to sell them as PLOTS OF LAND for their digital worlds. The owners of these plots of land can log onto the game with their digital wallet and gain access to code or place already made objects on their plots of land to create experiences for other people like you and me to go explore, hang out, play games, listen to music, and more, on these plots of land.

Now, why this is important or even related to fashion is because what do ALL of these companies that own games have in common where you can create an avatar to fit YOUR liking and move around/interact with other people?

Its the CLOTHING and ACCESSORIES that they WEAR!

The same way we tend to express ourselves through our appearance whether consciously or subconsciously in the physical world, is the same way we express ourselves in the digital world. Starting with our avatars who represent our digital identity, down to the clothing, which explains who we are, what we like, or even how we feel.

Use Cases

Digital clothing won’t be as big and exciting if it were just something to do and then have it sit and collect dust in your hard drive (unless you’re a clothing designer for digital characters in games). BUT, the whole idea of NFT’s and the utilities/uniqueness behind them give a whole new breath of fresh air to the space. It allows fashion houses to build a new layer of loyalty and even exclusivity for their businesses.

What I mean by that is, Louis Vuitton could announce an NFT Release of lets say only 100 NFT’s (Since their big on exclusivity as well), and it could be of a never before made dress. The utility part comes into play when that dress is optimized for lets say a platform such as Decentraland, where you could actually wear the dress on your character and use it.

If they wanted to take it a step further, lets use this fake scenario: LV announces that owners of the Dress NFT will get FREE SEATS to their 2023 Fashion Show with VIP access to meet the house’s current Creative Director and get food. Now I think we ALL know what type of hype and situation this would cause online because of how big LV is and how cool it would be to get access to those things just from owning that digital item.

To get the tickets to the show LV could just create a token-gated page on their site where the NFT owners would connect their wallet and because they have the NFT, it’ll allow them to get to the checkout page where they add their information to either get sent the ticket or print the ticket.

Do you see where this is going now?

This will all be huge in the digital space. Games won’t be leaving, digital hangouts won’t be leaving anywhere, and for that reason, digital fashion wont be leaving anywhere either. It’ll be consistently growing each and every day. Offering lots of new careers, creative paths, and inspiration, to not only big design teams but even to individuals who know how to use the software’s to create digital garments and build their own portfolios of amazingly creative twists to fashion because of the fact that you are no longer bound to things that “make sense” or that are “possible” in the physical world, whether that be geometrically, through laws of gravity, or even by the material that is being worn.

The Radical Idea

That previous statement is one of the reasons I love the idea of digital fashion so much. It really stretches your mind a bit and makes you think “Wait…I can create anything?”, the answer is yes, you can.

My top statement I tell people when I’m speaking about this topic is this next sentence, and it always blows their mind when they think about it. You ready? Okay, think about a shirt that is made out of glass. I mean it, pure glass. Like how your car windows are. Now think about it laying on your skin as easy and smooth as if it were cotton. Boom. I’ll give you a moment to process that sight in your mind.

Crazy right? What’s even crazier is that it’s possible. I was on like day 2 or 3 of learning how to use Marvelous Designer when I did it and realized how funny it was but at the same time how out of this world that was to make. That’s when I realized that there were no limitations on what could be made, it just needs to be thought of.

These very examples are some of the reasons that make me passionately feel that fashion will end up playing a big role in what is known as the Metaverse. Now, like I said earlier, before this turns into a book, I’ll give you time to process everything I spoke about today before I release more info for you. But, just know, VOC is immersed and is in full support of Web3/Blockchain Technology in the fashion industry.

Conclusion

Now, I hope you enjoyed this very detailed yet long but nonetheless exciting and informative piece of writing. This offers a small insight into what is in store for the fashion/web3 industry, why it will be important/inevitable, and some breadcrumbs of the vision I have for VOC, the 1st physical/digital fashion powerhouse born in the city of Philadelphia. I can’t wait to see you on the next post, enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for reading til the end.

Sincerely, Nicholas Reyes — CEO