society & digital fashion
INTERSECTIONs
As a child, I would cut out beautiful outfits from fashion magazines and place them over a photograph of myself. I genuinely believed it was real, feeling immense fulfillment from this act of imagination. It didn’t need to be real to bring me joy. Looking back now, I see how those childhood fantasies and beliefs have evolved. Through digital fashion, using a digital twin of a garment—a collection of pixels and data—I can transform myself into anyone I desire. In virtual spaces, I can express my identity as authentically as I would with any physical outfit.
Self-Curation in Digital Realms
I grew up in a country under a communist regime, where life was “equal,” colorless, and stripped of creativity and beauty. As a student, I was forced to wear an unattractive navy polyester uniform adorned with a school badge sewn on the sleeve. Exceptional students were given a second badge—a red one—to signify their academic achievements. That was the extent of individuality in a sea of sameness.
But I was born a dreamer and a rebel, unwilling to submit to the status quo. I yearned for beauty, sought to forge my own identity, and resisted blending into the masses. I taught myself how to read patterns and use a sewing machine. I frequented warehouses filled with discarded clothing shipped from Western Europe, where unwanted garments formed mountains of possibility. Those piles became my goldmine. I would sift through them, searching for beautiful fabrics and potential treasures to alter and tailor to fit my vision.
Fast forward to today: after decades in New York City, immersed in its fashion scene, I find it as uninspiring as the monotony of my childhood. Fast fashion feels cheap and unoriginal, retail shops are in rapid decline, and luxury brands cater to an exclusive circle of celebrities and influencers. These garments are flaunted like peacocks on social media and TV, leaving the rest of us feeling undeserving and dissatisfied. This stark contrast reignited the rebel in me.
During the pandemic, isolated and yearning for connection, many of us sought new outlets for creativity and self-expression. That’s when I discovered digital fashion—a revolutionary medium for exploring identity in both the virtual and physical worlds. Digital fashion became my escape, a platform for empowerment where I could become whoever I wanted to be. It allowed me to transcend cultural boundaries by remixing heritage and history into a future-facing lens. Through this medium, I’ve explored my most authentic and creative self. My digital persona isn’t a fabricated version of me; it’s an amplified expression of who I’ve always been.
Digital fashion offers a profound psychological tool for self-actualization. By revealing hidden aspects of our identity, it encourages honest self-discovery and fosters authentic interactions. Online, self-curation can bring us closer to our emotional cores. In the digital world, I can wear couture, feel extraordinary, and embrace my uniqueness guilt-free—all without wasting precious resources.
In the physical world, I now approach fashion with the same intentionality. The Salvation Army warehouses of my childhood have been replaced by curated online consignment stores like TheRealReal, which I treat as galleries for discovering wearable art. My wardrobe has become a collection, not just of garments, but of stories and expressions of self. I’ve transitioned from being a consumer to becoming a collector, cherishing pieces as timeless works of art.
