Digital shoes add flair to social media feeds

Fashion brand Buffalo London has launched a pair of digital-only shoes that users can buy and “wear” on social media

Spotted: Digital fashion house The Fabricant and footwear brand Buffalo London have collaborated on a digital sneaker that can be purchased. The virtual trainer, called BurningFor, is a 3D reimaging of Buffalo London’s iconic platform-soled shoes. But unlike the real shoes, these can only be worn in the digital world.

The virtual trainers appear “on fire” and are covered in a “digital fabric” that makes them appear to be in constant motion. The ad campaign associated with the trainers asks buyers to “share what they are burning for in 2021” on social media. The trainers are being released in a limited edition of 100 pairs in the first drop, which can only be worn in a digital space, and buyers can add a still or moving image of the shoe to their social media posts.

The company is touting the shoes as a “sustainable fashion experience with a vastly reduced carbon impact” which allows “fashion lovers to express their identity despite lockdown restrictions.” Shoppers can buy the digital shoes on Buffalo London’s website at a price starting at €24.95. After supplying a photo of themselves, the company uses 3D software to add the shoes to the picture, tailoring the fit of the trainers to the image, which can then be shared on social media channels. 

The Fabricant co-founder Amber Jae Slooten describes the process as, “a sort of 3D photoshop, but it’s way more complex as it takes the environment, lighting and all kinds of effects into account. Unfortunately, the technology is not there yet for people to wear it in multiple images. However, we do think that this also makes people think about what image they use and more conscious about creating the image itself.”

The coronavirus pandemic has supercharged the growth of digital fashion, with brands like Marc Jacobs and Gucci designing digital clothes to be worn in gaming. The Fabricant has released a wide variety of digital fashions, including a digital dress that sold for $9,500 (€7,890) at auction. Other brands are incorporating the digital world in innovative ways, such as through this AR changing room.

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