Shortly after Facebook rebranded to Meta, the tech company tweeted: "Hey @Balenciaga, what's the dress code in the metaverse?" The query immediately brought to mind the prospect of a Meta x Balenciaga collaboration, a seemingly outrageous crossover that now appears to be a reality.
Mark Zuckerberg and Eva Chen, Instagram's VP of Fashion Partnerships, announced that digital outfits from Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne are coming to Meta's soon-to-be-unveiled Avatar Store.
The feature, which Zuckerberg described as a "clothing store for your Meta avatar," will begin rolling out across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger next week.
Per a press release, digital versions of Demna's biker boots or Miuccia's logo tank top will come at a cost. While the Avatar Store will offer a selection of free clothing options, the designer garms are not among them. (No word on pricing yet.)
"We expect to bring the Avatars Store to VR and introduce more brands soon," Meta added.
While designer fashion has existed in the greater metaverse for a while, its presence on Facebook and Instagram is a new phenomenon.
Back in February, Meta expanded customization options for avatars, and even worked with the NFL to create digitally wearable Super Bowl shirts. Just as we suspected, the move was a precursor to today's news.
The prospect of users shelling out actual money for their cartoon likeness to wear a Balenciaga hoodie in their Instagram profile picture or a Messenger sticker seems like a reach, but hey — every day, people spend thousands of dollars on drawings of apes.
