With metaverse gaining more traction, an industry leader said the game development and fashion industries have more opportunities for collaboration that can showcase Filipino culture.
Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) President James Lo, in a meeting hosted by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Tokyo, said the growing metaverse, eSports and cryptocurrency space allows the gaming sector to have more synergies with various industries.
“This of course includes the fashion industry as fashion has always been a core feature in games as it establishes the visual identities of its characters,” he explained. “I expect to see more and more Filipino fashion and culture in Filipino-made games and beyond.”
He said that technology has enabled non-gaming sector creatives to “not only bring their concepts and ideas to life in the digital space but to also profit from them.”
“The gates to digital opportunities are wide open. All we need to do now is step through it,” Lo said.
Philippine Fashion Coalition (PFC) Chairperson Carissa Cruz Evangelista, in the same meeting, agreed that Filipino creative talents need to maximize the opportunities in the digital space.
“As the world learns, transacts, communicates and evolves in the digital space, the Philippines must not be left behind,” she said. “We need to move forward in finding our niche in emerging markets, especially those that will not only generate jobs and income but add to the prestige of our country.”
The PFC official also thanked the Japanese companies that showed interest in teaming up with them for projects in digital fashion and the creative economy.
The meeting was among the recent events organized by PTIC-Tokyo to help the Filipino fashion industry in capacity building and business development through partnerships with Japanese firms.
Dita Angara-Mathay, head officer at the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) field office in Japan, said that—apart from the metaverse and rise of new breed of fashion designers and game developers—the discussion also tackled “how technology will address the present day limits of fashion while preserving traditional techniques of garment construction and design.”
Established in 2020, PFC seeks to support the local fashion industry and its various segments, including textiles, arts and craft; design; and creative services. Its advocacies are hyperlocalization, sustainability and technology advancement in the sector.
The coalition is currently exploring a project involving development of models for skins and accessories for avatars based on the work of local designers and brands, according to the DTI.
PFC is also in talks for a tripartite collaboration with gaming and development stakeholders on the use of digital tools and software to optimize design, fit and fabric.
The local fashion industry, the DTI said, contributes 1.4 percent of the country’s export revenues.