The American sportswear brand appears ready for the creation of digital clothing.
Nike has been taking the first steps needed to start creating a range of virtual fashion products following the filing of seven different trademark applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The company is focused on “downloadable virtual goods” for “online and in online virtual worlds”
The American brand’s easily recognizable checkmark-like logo and basketball player logo have been included in the virtual fashion applications, as has its well known Just Do It slogan. Such augmented or digital clothing could be used within VR settings such as in the metaverse. The digital items the brand is seeking to develop would make it possible for users of the metaverse – a virtual universe in which people have digital VR or AR alter-egos – will be able to wear the brand’s digital apparel.
It would be possible for the company to create all new designs meant specifically for the VR and AR experience. Alternately, it could also create digitally redesigned versions of products existing in the real world, such as the popular Air Max 2090, so an individual could wear them in the metaverse as well.
To support its virtual fashion goals, Nike has also listed a wealth of job postings for VR-related positions.
The brand’s job board now features a long list of different job opportunities that are focused on design in the VR sphere. Among those postings is a position for a virtual material designer. That individual would “combine their experience, problem-solving abilities, and creativity to build the future of Nike Footwear materials.” Though not specifically confirmed by the brand, this does suggest that its footwear is being created or recreated for digital wear.
This is only one of a growing number of brands that are seeking to make their first moves into what many are expecting to be a massively popular digital experience through the metaverse. Nike’s popularity has only placed the spotlight on some of the various angles companies are taking to expand the products they offer in the real world into a digital experience. Moreover, as virtual fashion is not bound by the constraints of reality, it will be interesting to see what types of limitations designers choose to take or to ignore in their digital creations.
