Fashion is the epitome of self-expression and can reveal a lot about a designer, including the issues they care about as well as the world they live in. Todd Hessert, the Asian-American creator of the New York-based fashion label Todd Hessert, revealed his passion for the environment and for the new possibilities we will all enjoy with the arrival of the metaverse when he partnered with tech giant Xiaomi Civi to present a virtual fashion show.
Todd is concerned about the impact of real-life clothing on the environment. “The carbon emission of a real-life jacket is 27 kilograms, and it consumes 1,400 liters of water,” Todd explains. “I believe that virtual fashion can be instrumental in dramatically lessening the impact today’s fashion industry has on the planet. Consider this: the carbon emission of a virtual jacket is only 1.2 kilograms, and there is, of course, no water consumption. Virtual fashion, then, can help to prevent further damage to the Earth, which is why I have made it the focus of my designs.”
Todd says that the metaverse, whose incredible technology will allow users to experience the Internet three-dimensionally, can be leveraged to make virtual fashion even stronger. “It is definitely the trend in my industry,” he states. “You’re seeing metahuman, virtual scenes, and virtual clothing, and I expect that as the metaverse evolves, this track in fashion will continue. I plan to be at the forefront of it with my designs.”
Todd teamed up with Xiaomi Civi, one of the world’s largest designers of cellphones, to present the virtual fashion show on October 28. Xiaomi Civi is well-known among consumers for its mobile phones. “I love the baby-pink color that Xiaomi Civi uses in its products,” he says, “and we could both see that by combining that color with hyper-realistic tech scenes, our fans would be treated to a visual feast not found in other fashion shows.”
Viewers agreed. The feedback received by Xiaomi Civi and Todd has been that the “Futureland” vision presented in the fashion show captured the best of Xiaomi Civi’s products, today’s fashion trends, and the metaverse.
Using digital technology, Todd and his team designed a pink sky, planet, desert, and lake, an unusual but compelling background for a fashion show. The overall effect was that of a captivating future, one in which gentleness and science fiction were intertwined.
Todd believes that the public will be treated to more virtual fashion shows in the months and years to come. “The technology is developing every day, and I am excited about its possibilities. Xiaomi Civi’s designs, coupled with my own fashion designs, will offer viewers even more imaginative shows and will redefine how fashion is brought to them.”
About Todd Hessert
Todd Hessert has become one of the fashion industry’s most recognized designers. In addition to being the founder of the fashion label Todd Hessert, he is an official fashion week designer for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. He has twice shown his collections at New York Fashion Week and has been featured in The New York Times, WWD, WGSN, MR Magazine, ELLE, Marie Claire, Vogue, and GQ China.
Todd has earned the respect of hi-tech brands, including PUMA, Alienware, Li-Ning, and Honor, and was the finalist of the 23rd FGI 2020 Rising Star Award in the menswear category.
Behind Todd’s designs lies a positive, “all possibilities” mindset. He derives his inspiration from the cognition and interpretation of the complex social culture, especially the intersection of sustainable design and technology. Todd attaches his sense of design to the mysterious and cosmic universe, deeming that our inner world is an empowered and explorative existence. He believes our perception of the world is the echoing of our evolving heart and conscience.
The designer captures the essence of existing social and environmental elements, embodying his own insightfulness and observations with the creation of genderless pieces. He references his collections as an emotional come-back to his true roots. The rationale behind his work includes his past experiences, gained knowledge, and scientific reflection.
About Xiaomi Civi
Xiaomi is a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an IoT platform at its core. Xiaomi Civi is a new trendy series launched by Xiaomi for young people around the world, focusing on fashionable and diversified design, and innovative imaging technology.
Embracing its vision of "Make friends with users and be the coolest company in the users' hearts," Xiaomi pursues innovations, high-quality user experiences, and operational efficiency so that everyone in the world can enjoy a better life through innovative technology. Its products and service have led the company to make the Fortune Global 500 list three times.
Todd Hessert: The Future of Fashion
The most exciting trends in fashion tend to come from those designers who think outside of the box and who are not afraid to test limits. With his commitment to environmentally safe fashion and embrace of the metaverse and its possibilities, Todd Hessert is taking all of us to a new frontier, one in which anything is possible and the only limitations will be our imaginations.
