"My Avatar Wears 'Prada'": Meta Launches Luxury Clothing Sales for Avatars

According to major foreign media on the 18th (local time), Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, announced that it will start selling luxury brand clothing that can be worn by virtual character avatars in online spaces.
[Photo by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, Facebook capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, is moving to secure a lead in virtual clothing. It is starting to sell luxury brand clothing that can be worn by virtual character avatars in online spaces.

According to major foreign media on the 18th (local time), Meta will open an 'Avatar Store' as early as next week and sell virtual clothing for avatars. These clothes are designed by luxury fashion brands such as Prada, Balenciaga, and Thom Browne, with prices ranging from approximately $2.99 to $8.99 (about 3,800 KRW to 11,600 KRW). They will be produced in various forms, including suits, hoodies, and motorcycle racing outfits.

The online store will initially open in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Thailand. Users of social networking service (SNS) platforms operated by Meta, such as Facebook and Instagram, will be able to purchase clothes to dress their avatars here.

This is not the first time Meta has shown interest in digital goods. Earlier in April, according to the Financial Times (FT), Meta was preparing its own digital currency called 'Zuck Bucks.' The name combines Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, and the English word 'buck,' meaning a dollar unit of currency.

This move to issue virtual currency comes as Meta focuses on the three-dimensional virtual world called the metaverse as a core new business and makes large-scale investments. An industry insider told FT that Zuck Bucks is likely to be developed as an in-app token that can be used for payments within apps rather than being blockchain-based. It is described as a form of cyber money used in games or platforms.

Originally, Meta planned to issue a stablecoin called Diem last year. However, due to regulatory pressure, the Diem project was ultimately halted in January. The intellectual property (IP) and payment network of Diem Association, which was responsible for the project, were sold to Silvergate Bank.

In addition, Meta is considering introducing other in-app tokens such as 'social tokens' or 'creator coins.' These would be used by users to reward creators on Instagram or to pay contributors with high engagement in Facebook groups.

Meanwhile, CEO Zuckerberg said regarding the sale of avatar clothing, "Digital goods will be an important means of self-expression in the metaverse and a major driving force of the creative economy." Meta plans to expand the digital clothing store into an open online marketplace so that general developers can also create and sell virtual clothing in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.