This is the new trend that agitates social networks. Cartooncore, an aesthetic inspired by virtual worlds, is about to invade our dressing rooms. Decryption.
Oversized, rounded red boots. Here is the unidentified fashion object that has been buzzing on TikTok and Instagram in recent days. Imagined by the New York collective MSCHFthese Big Red Boots, reminiscent of those of Astro Boy, manga heroes of the 60’s, will, according to the label’s website, soon be available for $350. Of the “Cartoon boots for a cool 3D world“, says MSCHF, which gave birth to a new trend: the Cartooncore.
For MSCHF, those red boots are already synonymous with success. The fashion search platform Stylight notes that the number of searches for the collective has increased by 1,021% on Google in recent weeks. On TikTok, the hashtag #bigredboots meanwhile totaled 1 billion views the week of February 6, 2023.
In fact, MSCHF isn’t the only label having fun with the dimensions. During its spring-summer 2023 show, the Spanish label Loewe, led by JW Anderson, unveiled a series of pixelated pieces. Thanks to skilful plays of shadows and materials, these clothes seemed straight out of the wardrobe of a Sims of the 2000s. On their feet, the models wore curvaceous pumps, similar to those of Minnie, the Disney character. Shoes that have seen their number of clicks increase by more than 1,000% on Stylight. These real cartoon shoes, like the Big Red Boots and the pixelated clothes, skilfully confuse virtual and IRL mode to disturb the genres. A new market for luxury?
Fashion and the virtual, an infinite playground
The metaverse isn’t fashion’s first foray behind our screens. In the virtual world Second Life launched in 2003, the brands were already offering clothing to users. AdidasDior or even jean paul Gaultier had for example invested the video game of the beginning of the 00’s. Since then, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok have accustomed us to spending a good part of our days on our smartphones (3h30 on average in France in 2021 according to a study by the Annie application cited by the media 20 minutes) and use dozens of filters on our selfies. As a result, when Facebook decided to rename itself Meta in 2021 and to invest as much as possible to offer its users the most immersive metaverse possible, brands quickly invested in this new universe. Their idea? Offer entire wardrobes in the boutiques of this new world to dress up as many avatars as possible. Sign that for luxury, it’s serious, the house Balenciagawhich collaborated with the video game Fortnite in September 2021, has three months later a director of the Metaverse Business Unit.
New actors are also entering the game. This is the case of DressXa company founded by Daria Shapovalova and Natalia Modenova in 2020. The two Ukrainian entrepreneurs have a clear vision: “We want to show that some clothes can exist in their digital version only. Don’t shop less, buy digital fashion“. On the platform, it is possible to afford iridescent ankle boots at $50, a gathered sweatshirt at $30 or even a transparent trench at $40. Virtual original pieces, imagined by 3D designers, which are, according to the logic of the founders of DressX, much less polluting than cloth clothing. An argument that stands up, but which fails to specify that ultimately, the most responsible thing is to don’t buy anything at all.