Parsons and Roblox collaboration brings to life the first-ever Metaverse fashion showcase featuring students’ exploration of designs wearable in immersive 3D environments

NEW YORK, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The New School’s Parsons School of Design, one of the world’s leading institutions for art and design education, is once again redefining the boundaries of creative education by bringing digital fashion to the main stage at the first Roblox Course Preliminary Showcase. The event comes as data from the Roblox x Parsons trend report found nearly three in four Gen Z consumers said they spent money on digital fashion. With this showcase on Tuesday, May 16, Parsons students will set the stage for digital fashion designs at the Welcome Center of the school’s New York City campus.

The first-of-its-kind event features hyper-realistic, 3D digital apparel created for the Metaverse by student artists participating in a course collaboration between Parsons School of Design and Roblox, a global immersive platform where more than 66 million people connect and communicate daily. The 16-week course focused on exploring trends, and creating innovative digital fashion that will be on display at the showcase and available for millions of consumers on Roblox to wear on their avatars today.

“We are thrilled to showcase our students’ work and how they are bringing inspirations from various creative backgrounds and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Metaverse-only garments and accessories that can reach millions of consumers globally at lightning speed on Roblox,” said Kyle Li, Assistant Professor of Communication Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design. “This is a new milestone for user-generated content and digital fashion design at the University, and our students are at the very front of it.”

“We are very inspired by the students’ fresh perspectives and excited to welcome them to our global community that includes native creators alongside fashion luminaries and top brands,” said Christian Bayley, Director of Marketing, Roblox. “With over 1.8 billion digital fashion items sold by this community on our platform last year, its influence on the broader fashion trends continues to grow as millions of people wear their designs daily while connecting and expressing themselves. The 70% of Gen Z consumers saying that their avatar fashion on Roblox influences their IRL fashion choices further underscore why the next generation of designers and brands will be deeply immersed in digital fashion. Parsons is ahead of the curve, helping students learn important skills and innovative technology to future-proof their careers.”

Students’ digital designs and apparel will be featured in the showcase on Tuesday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at The New School’s Welcome Center located at 72 Fifth Avenue. The main event includes three interactive experiences that explore the presence of digital fashion in both digital and physical spaces. Additionally, all of the student’s artwork will be available to purchase through the Roblox Marketplace at the same time.

At the end of last year, Parsons and Roblox Corporation announced a multi-faceted partnership that included a course collaboration and the release of the Metaverse Fashion Trends Report. Parsons and Roblox will continue working together to expand access to design education through their licensing partnerships. The collaboration is part of The New School’s N Ventures enterprise that expands access to design learning by establishing unique partnerships with organizations, on-demand learning programs and licensing opportunities.

About Parsons
Parsons School of Design is one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century. For more information, please visit www.newschool.edu/parsons.

SOURCE Parsons School of Design