Emerging Fashion Designer Nan Hu of Nanknits (IG: nan_knits_official) created a parallel world for its Shanghai Fashion Week AW22 Collection. NanKnits is a futuristic knitting brand and based in Shanghai.

Welcome into the exciting phy-gital world, where real and virtual collide and unify.

Fashion and knitted-textile designer Nan Hu forecasted his parallel world. He created this season’s Autumn Winter Collection under the theme of ‘Future Era of Love’. He did this in both a metaverse rendering of the collection and physical catwalk format. Nan Hu: ‘Future Era of Love’ is inspired by sci-fi settings, where artificial intelligence has also human feelings.  It brings emotional relationships to the virtual world and then uses knitting technology as a way to start the creation process. Similar to nature.’”

The metaverse - a concept only at the tipping point of this new era - is starting to rapidly change and challenge the meaning of fashion itself. According to consulting firm McKinsey & Company: “Interactive, creative digital spaces are a natural evolution of how people use technology, and they reflect the ever-growing amount of time consumers spend online. Gen Z spent an average of eight hours per day on screens in 2020.” For GenZs, as more ‘second lives’ become important, fashion will play a key role in delivering creativity and self-expression in a parallel world.

Because the concept is only at its inception; there is an underestimation of the current market value to individuals who want to express themselves in a virtual world with a virtual product/ persona. The development of the Metaverse technology is inspiring open source innovation and creativity in the fashion industry without having the limitations of using physical materials.

The experimental NanKnits breaks traditional knitwear/ shape rules by combining technology with true craftsmanship in order to create intriguing and fashionable ‘wearable mobile sculptures’. For the first time ever, Nan has transformed its works into digital format for this season's theme of Love. With a physical T stage being absent for this years SFW, the brand used a digital model to present the new collection in the Virtual Space.

The medium of expression is linked to the visual aspects of love in a futuristic fashion environment. The collection also aims to continue the ‘flexible armor’ philosophy started by the 2022 SS "Neon Consciousness" series, with a visual presentation of clothing that simulates the complex emotional swings through color gradients. In terms of craftsmanship, this collection takes the combination of knitted yarn and air layer jacquard to the extreme: the shrinkage of the washed high-grade polyester is combined with man-made fibers to create a product that is different from traditional knitwear.

‘I call the core concept delivered by NanKnits ‘new knitwear,’ which contains three meanings. First, starting by technology, we have adopted advanced knitted fabric techniques to create a complex and diverse type of knitting, where the fabric is significantly different from the traditional knitted fabrics commonly found in the market. The second is vision. We hope to change the common stereotype of knitted fabrics, deepen our understanding of them, and realize that those fabrics can have an enormous variety of shapes. Third, is spirit. We aim to create knitted garments in a futuristic context, demonstrating the technological innovation of traditional knitting technology under a scientific form creating a process similar to 3D printing. We want to use this technology to showcase the concepts that are tied to ‘Future World,’’ says Nan Hu of NanKnits.

PARTNER In terms of technology, Kornit Digital is the partner of this motion design parallel catwalk series. "Metaverse technologies such as 3D, AR, and VR are the major trends in the fashion industry. Kornit is exploring digital, social networking, e-commerce, and games, which are sustainable and non-wasteful in termof water resources and energy. Creating a metaverse environment leads to zero stock hoarding, where we hope to expand to an extended virtual world which meets reality. That’s why we’re working with NanKnits on CGI fashion,” says Ms. Mani Chen, Marketing Director of Kornit Digital Asia Pacific.

On-demand production, waste-free manufacturing channels, and new marketing methods will lead fashion brands challenging the traditional ways and jumping into a phy-gital world , where real and virtual collide and unify.

Kornit are also known for building a part of the sustainable ecosystem for fashions ecological chain. Sustainability is a core value of the company and, for this reason, they invest a lot of energy and resources in reducing fashion's environmental footprint. Kornit's vision for the future of fashion is not limited to an environmentally friendly, high-quality, waterless digital printing, but to have an efficient system that runs through the whole fashion ecosystem- across diverse supply chains.

Kornit Digital aims re-imagine and assemble the entire process, from design to production. The overall network of supply and demand, not only makes fashion more efficient and environmentally friendly, but it’s also oriented to create a better and more sustainable world through innovation.

“Metaverse technologies such as 3D, AR, and VR are the major trends in the fashion industry. Kornit is exploring digital, social networking, e-commerce, and games, which are sustainable and non-wasteful in term

of water resources and energy. Creating a metaverse environment leads to zero stock hoarding, where we hope to expand to an extended virtual world which meets reality. That’s why we’re working with NanKnits on CGI fashion,” says Mani Chen, Marketing Director of Kornit Digital Asia Pacific. On-demand production, waste-free manufacturing channels, and new marketing methods will lead fashion brands challenging the traditional ways and jumping into a phy-gital world, where real and virtual collide and unify.

KNITWEAR BRAND NANKNITS X KORNIT IN THE METAVERSE & REAL LIVE

 Opkomend modeontwerper Nan Hu van NanKnits creëerde een collectie als een parallelle wereld tijdens de Shanghai Fashion Week met trends voor komende winter. NanKnits is een futuristisch breimerk en gevestigd in Shanghai.

Mode- en knitwear designer Nan Hu creëerde een winter collectie met als thema 'Future Era of Love'. Hij voerde de collectie uit in zowel een metaverse weergave als voor de fysieke catwalk. Nan Hu: ‘Future Era of Love’ is geïnspireerd op sci-fi-settings, waar kunstmatige intelligentie ook menselijke gevoelens heeft. Het brengt emotionele relaties naar de virtuele wereld en gebruikt vervolgens breitechnologie als een manier om het creatieproces te starten. Vergelijkbaar met de natuur.'”

De metaverse - een concept dat op het kantelpunt van dit nieuwe tijdperk staat - begint snel te veranderen en daagt de betekenis van mode uit. Adviesbureau McKinsey & Company zegt hierover: “Interactieve, creatieve digitale ruimtes zijn een natuurlijke evolutie van hoe mensen technologie gebruiken. En weerspiegelen de steeds groter wordende hoeveelheid tijd die consumenten online doorbrengen. Gen Z bracht in 2020 gemiddeld acht uur per dag op schermen door.”

Voor GenZ’s, wiens ‘tweede leven’ steeds belangrijk zal worden, zal mode een sleutelrol spelen bij het leveren van creativiteit en zelfexpressie in een parallelle wereld. Er is trouwens een onderschatting van de huidige marktwaarde voor individuen die zich willen uiten in een virtuele wereld met een virtueel product/persoon.

De ontwikkeling van de Metaverse-technologie inspireert open source-innovatie en creativiteit in de mode-industrie zonder de beperkingen van het gebruik van fysieke materialen. Het experimentele NanKnits doorbreekt traditionele regels voor breigoed en vorm, door technologie te combineren met echt vakmanschap om intrigerende en modieuze ‘draagbare mobiele sculpturen’ te creëren.

Omdat er door corona geen mogelijkheid was om fysiek te showen op een catwalk tijdens de Shanghai Fashion Week, transformeerde Nan voor het eerst zijn werk digitaal.

PARTNER Op het gebied van technologie is Kornit Digital de partner van deze parallelle catwalkserie met motion design. ‘Metaverse-technologieën zoals 3D, AR en VR zijn de belangrijkste trends in de mode-industrie. Kornit onderzoekt digitale, sociale netwerken, e-commerce en games, die duurzaam en niet-verspillend zijn op het gebied van waterbronnen en energie. Het creëren van een metaverse omgeving leidt tot nul stockhoarding, en we hopen uit te breiden naar een uitgebreide virtuele wereld die aansluit bij de realiteit. Daarom werken we samen met NanKnits aan CGI-mode’, zegt Mani Chen, Marketing Director van Kornit Digital Asia Pacific.