At avatar fashion store, Meta to sell virtual clothes for real money

A brand of Meta Platforms Inc. is observed at its booth, at the Viva Technological innovation meeting dedicated to innovation and startups, at Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France June 17, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

June 17 (Reuters) – Facebook proprietor Meta Platforms (META.O) is launching a electronic apparel keep where by buyers can invest in designer outfits for their avatars, Chief Govt Mark Zuckerberg reported on Friday.

Digital outfits created by trend models Balenciaga, Prada and Thom Browne will be available for buy to commence, mentioned Zuckerberg, speaking in a live video clip stream with Instagram’s head of style.

A Meta spokesperson mentioned they would be priced amongst $2.99 and $8.99, a lot less than the real outfits by these designers. Prada’s Matinee ostrich leather bag, for example, sells for $10,700.

Zuckerberg stated he hoped to make the store out into an open marketplace the place builders can produce and sell a vast array of digital apparel.

Avatars have emerged as just one way for Meta to link person identity throughout Facebook, Instagram and its other products and services, as it increasingly ties the platforms together and steers towards building an immersive “metaverse” of shared, interconnected electronic worlds where by consumers can acquire.

Users of the company’s digital reality headsets set up avatars to enjoy video online games, just take training classes and participate in meeting calls, whilst in the beginning the electronic outfits will be out there only on Fb, Instagram and Messenger, Meta explained in a statement.

The company redesigned its virtual truth avatars past yr to be extra expressive and a few-dimensional, then manufactured them offered on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger commencing in January.

Reporting by Katie Paul and Ahmed Farhatha enhancing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio

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