Arthur Greene
Gucci’s sneakers regularly sell at a retail price of well over R7,000, but this week the designer company launched a pair for only R265.
A virtual steal, you might think.
However, the Virtual 25 sneaker is just that – virtual. They can only be “worn” via augmented and virtual reality.
This means that they will appear on your feet through a special camera filter which can be purchased through the Gucci and Wanna apps.
Suddenly, R265 doesn’t seem like such a bargain after all, especially when you consider what the shoes actually look like…
Designed by Allessandro Michelle, the slime-green foot filters look like something which has been fished out of a barrel of nuclear waste.
However, if you have a soft spot for horrible shades of neon green, “low-top, high-top hybrids,” and a “dial” instead of laces, then the Virtual 25s are also available from VR Chat, a massive multiplayer online game, and Roblox, a gaming platform.
While virtual clothing may seem like an odd concept, many experts believe that this is the direction the industry is heading.
Wanna CEO Sergey Arkhangelskiy told Business of Fashion, “In five or maybe 10 years a relatively big chunk of fashion brands revenue will come from digital products.”
Picture source: @wdaldn
