Billy Berlusconi (Igoodi) talks about the avatar economy in fashion and beyond

"The technology is there and we are ready for it": says Billy Berlusconi, founder of Igoodi, an Italian avatar factory which was founded in 2015. The company now has 21 employees. Igoodi’s goal is to tackle fashion industry challenges, in particular, the "tailor-made" segments. E-commerce, 3D prototyping and fashion shows in the metaverse are also on their list as areas in which the Igoodi avatar can be of use. These avatars, faithful digital reproductions of people, a real "smart" version of ourselves or "virtual twin", join us in everyday life to help us.

The "Avacollection": virtual collections designed and engineered on the virtual body

Instead of going to the tailor to have a suit made to measure, we can "send" our avatar. Instead of taking the measurements to order a jacket online, we can try it on the avatar. The platform developed by Igoodi actually tells us if that garment fits our body and advises us on the right size, identifying any critical points. And if we wish we can even become models and walk the digital catwalks of Paris, Milan and New York in the metaverse.

Igoodi is an all-Italian avatar factory, founded in 2015

The difference with the Second Life avatars of the early 2000s, conceived as our alter egos and protagonists of another life to be consumed entirely online, is the goal and functionality of these 3D soul mates. They are completely identical to us and reveal all our measurements, from the wrist to that of the armpits, from the ankle to the shoulders, from the elbow to the wrist to the waist and knee. "These avatars are smart bodies, with our exact anthropometric measures, measurements previously reserved for medicine, fitness, fashion or education. They can be used to create 3D braces or for mapping moles of in remote tailoring ", says the founder of Igoodi. The name of the product is self explanatory: a real self, "i", which is fine, "good", thanks to the digital "i": Igoodi.

These avatars are smart bodies, with our anthropometric measurements.

Even though the Covid-19 pandemic has given a strong boost to digitalization, few fashion companies are currently able to fully embrace the possibilities of these avatars and there are still many variables that could affect the development of the so-called " avatar economy ”. The ability to combine design and advanced technologies to enhance the uniqueness of each individual and offer him a perfect integration of himself within the universe of digital services is still in its early stages.

How does it work?

To get your avatar you have to make an appointment in one of the two Italian showrooms: in Milan, in via Negri, or in Turin, at the Lingotto, at the Green Pea building, a green retail park dedicated to the theme of respect. The scan costs 69 Euro.

Once in the showroom, customers download the QR code that allows access to the "gate", a sort of huge egg that is nothing more than an innovative automated scanning booth characterised by a technology that is among the most advanced in the industry and which performs a complete 360 scan of the person in seconds and with maximum precision. Once inside the cabin one needs to undress and put on a special tight suit, supplied by Igoodi, and then position oneself in the centre of the gate so that the 128 cameras can capture all body measurements. Igoodi avatars are designed to be able to completely replace a person’s physical presence in a wide range of digital contexts. To achieve this the virtual and photogrammetric 3D copy of the subject also has a smart body.

Within 72 hours, at most, the avatar will be ready in the app with a dataset including all body measurements and relevant size table, wellness index with percentage of fat and lean mass, indication of body shape and related style suggestions and clothing to enhance one's features. From that moment on it will be possible to start using it for some of the features described above or to purchase products on the e-commerce app dedicated to avatars.

With the avatar it is possible to buy the perfect garment, avoiding returns

"In this way it is possible to buy the perfect garment, avoiding returns and safeguarding the planet", underlines Berlusconi, nephew of the former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and the son of his brother Paolo. Furthermore digital prototyping on avatar models can allow a concrete environmental advantage in terms of time, materials and energy saved. "Today's young talents are increasingly using digital prototyping," adds Berlusconi.

“The world of fashion will be increasingly sustainable and futuristic: the first metaverse fashion week is proof of this”, added the founder of Igoodi.

The global green fashion market will reach a value of 8.5 billion by 2023

According to Sustainable Magazine, the global green fashion market will reach a market value of 8.5 billion dollars by 2023 (+7 percent compared to 2020) thanks to the use and availability of new sustainable materials and the introduction of new technologies. This figure will rise to 9.8 billion over the next three years and increase to 15.2 billion by 2030 with an annual growth rate of 9.1 percent. Therefore, there will be more and more room for “avacollection”, i.e. virtual collections designed and engineered on virtual bodies and worn by avatar models parading on the catwalks of the metaverse. This is an innovative approach for the fashion industry that could reduce carbon emissions by 97 percent for each garment produced.

The goal is to create unique digital pieces, reducing waste and consumption both in the production phase by brands and with purchases by individual consumers. The latter, in fact, have the opportunity to choose and buy clothes and accessories remotely that fit perfectly with their physical measurements thus greatly reducing the risk of returns.However many fashion companies aren’t ready yet and must still rethink their approach to production and selling garments online. "The big international groups are certainly at the forefront," Berlusconi noted. After all, they are committed to protect the planet and this technology helps to make huge steps in that direction.