- Date
- 30 APRIL 2024
- Author
- DANIEL FACE
- Image by
- SEAMM
- Categories
- Interviews
How Seamm.io is Refining Fashion Futures
The fashion industry stands at a crossroads, where tradition meets innovation, and digital pioneers like Alexandra Maslova are leading the charge toward a new frontier. In an exclusive interview with SEAMM’s Co-founder & Co-CEO, Alexandra Maslova reveals to RED-EYE the journey that led her to the forefront of digital fashion innovation.
From her early ventures in e-commerce to co-founding SEAMM, Alexandra's path has been guided by a vision to bridge the gap between traditional fashion and cutting-edge technology. Recognising the untapped potential of digital advancements, Alexandra shares how her experiences across retail, marketing, and e-commerce revealed a crucial need for change within the industry.
SEAMM isn't just another fashion platform; it's a trailblazer pioneering the transition from web2 to web3 in the fashion sphere. Through innovative strategies and groundbreaking initiatives, SEAMM is redefining the way brands interact with consumers, leveraging digital twins and blockchain technology to ensure authenticity and sustainability.
But SEAMM's influence extends beyond traditional fashion avenues. By partnering with virtual events and gaming platforms, Alexandra and her team are expanding the reach of fashion into new territories, connecting with audiences in innovative ways.
As sustainability becomes increasingly vital, SEAMM remains committed to promoting eco-friendly practices and driving positive change within the industry. With initiatives focused on customisation, blockchain integration, and AI-driven insights, SEAMM is poised to shape the future of fashion.
Join us with Alexandra Maslova and the SEAMM team on their journey to revolutionise the fashion landscape, one digital innovation at a time.
Your journey in the fashion industry has been remarkable, from creating your first e-commerce website at 17 to co-founding SEAMM. What pivotal experiences shaped your decision to focus on digital fashion innovation?
After working for many years across different parts of the fashion industry, including retail, wholesale, marketing, and e-commerce, I've seen a big gap in how the industry adopts new technologies. At one point, it felt like fashion was stuck in its old ways, not fully embracing the potential of new technologies. Despite its deep traditional roots, fashion can gain a lot from modern tech. Digital and traditional fashion shouldn't be separate: they should work together. That's why I've made it my goal to bridge these two worlds and help fashion embrace these new opportunities. I also believe that we are just at the beginning of digital fashion innovation. There's a huge opportunity to transform the industry by integrating technology, which can improve sustainability, enhance consumer experiences, boost brand sales, and more.
SEAMM aims to bridge the gap between web2 and web3 in the fashion industry. Could you elaborate on how SEAMM is pioneering this transition and what sets it apart from traditional fashion platforms?
SEAMM sets itself apart from regular fashion platforms by helping brands make the most of digital fashion technology. We are a fashion tech firm that combines the best of technology and traditional fashion. Our team excels at merging these two worlds, and we focus on helping brands use new technologies to their advantage. We use our knowledge from both areas to create innovative strategies that help brands build and make money in the digital space. We also believe that consumers are looking for new ways to shop and interact with fashion, like AR try-ons and digital skins. That's why we created the first fully Phygital Marketplace, where users can easily buy both physical and digital items all in one place.
The concept of digital twins is intriguing. How does SEAMM ensure the authenticity and quality of these digital representations, and what benefits do they offer to users and the environment?
SEAMM is the first fully Phygital Marketplace of its kind. Each digital twin we create features a high-quality, detailed 3D render that allows customers to view, rotate 360 degrees, and explore every detail and angle of the product. These digital twins come equipped with the latest in digital fashion technology, including AR try-ons, customization options that let users experiment with patterns and colors, and the ability to order specific phygital or digital assets. They also facilitate virtual realm skin transfers for platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, all accessible from a single location. To ensure authenticity, we register all digital twins on the blockchain, enhancing transparency in the process. This enables brands to track the lifecycle of an item post-sale, including any issues related to quality control, repairs, resales, and more. Additionally, end users can access detailed information about the product’s production, care instructions, sustainability efforts, and other forthcoming details. Upon claiming their digital twin, users are automatically enrolled in a loyalty program, helping brands attract and retain more customers. Some brands have made the mistake of viewing digital fashion as a short-term marketing tactic. At SEAMM, we realize that this can be a long-term strategy designed to help brands acquire new customers and deepen their understanding of customer needs.
You mentioned SEAMM's involvement in virtual events and gaming platforms. How do these partnerships enhance the user experience and expand SEAMM's reach beyond traditional fashion avenues?
We believe that fashion can go beyond its traditional limits, using platforms like games and virtual worlds to reach new audiences. The global games market is estimated to be worth US$189.3 billion in 2024, offering a big chance for fashion brands to connect with new customers. This includes young kids who play these games and grow up with these brands, as well as adults who see these products placed in their favourite games. This approach helps brands meet potential customers early and maintain that relationship as they grow.
As someone deeply involved in sustainability efforts within the fashion industry, how does SEAMM promote eco-friendly practices, and what impact do you anticipate this approach will have on shaping the future of fashion?
Designing in digital spaces is becoming the new standard. It removes traditional limitations and manufacturing constraints, making digital fashion increasingly appealing. New technologies share a common goal of enhancing sustainability. They allow brands to produce fewer unnecessary garments that end up as waste and show users what it's like to own a garment by letting them try on a digital twin with augmented reality (AR). Users can even see how these items look in virtual realms or on social media without needing to buy the physical product. Meanwhile, brands are becoming more responsible with their production by analyzing what sells well, helping them avoid future overproduction. Although it might not always be obvious, these advancements are gradually making a significant impact on the industry. When we look back, the changes and progress become clearer, showing that we are indeed making a substantial difference.
SEAMM operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and sustainability. Could you share some specific initiatives or features that exemplify this integrated approach and its potential to transform the industry?
Our platform has several standout features, and I’ll highlight two of them:
Firstly, there's a customisation tool. Users can pick different patterns and colors for their items and then order them. This helps brands make only what's needed, so they don't end up with too much stock. This approach is great for reducing the excess production that's common in the industry. Secondly, we use digital twins registered on the blockchain. This lets users track the history of an item, including how and where it was made, and where the materials came from. This information helps users make better decisions before they buy.
Looking ahead, what upcoming developments or initiatives can we expect from SEAMM, and how do you envision the platform evolving to meet the changing demands of the fashion landscape?
Looking ahead, we plan to further evolve our platform to meet the changing needs of the fashion landscape. We'll enhance our customization and AR tools to allow users more options for personalizing fashion items, helping brands meet the growing demand for customization. We're also incorporating AI and machine learning to better predict trends and improve the shopping experience, enabling brands to anticipate consumer needs more effectively. Additionally, we're expanding our digital twins feature by enhancing our blockchain integration, providing deeper insights into product lifecycles and boosting consumer trust in brand sustainability efforts. As sustainability becomes increasingly crucial, we'll introduce new tools to help brands quantify and showcase their sustainability practices. We also aim to extend our reach by partnering with more international brands, adapting our platform to meet diverse market needs. Furthermore, Seamm is committed to educating people about different technologies, with several educational projects set to launch soon. These initiatives will position us as leaders in merging technology with fashion, driving innovation across the industry.
Finally, could you elaborate on the role of startups and visionaries in shaping the future of fashion, and how SEAMM is positioned to catalyse this ecosystem through innovation and collaboration?
SEAMM proudly sits at the crossroads of traditional fashion and cutting-edge digital engagement and creation. We use our innovative tools like phygital marketplaces, AR try-ons, and DPP integration to help traditional fashion brands and guide independent designers and startups who are exploring digital fashion possibilities. From our debut of the first fully phygital fashion marketplace at Digital Couture Summit MFW FW’24/25 organised by fashion advisor Nikki Cikaluk and digital designer Olska Green, we started positioning ourselves as the bridge between emerging designers and well-established brands. It was strategically important for us to present ourselves publicly for the first time at the 1st digital luxury event during traditional fashion week in Milan to showcase that digital fashion is more than just about innovation. Large brands such as Prada, D&G, Gucci, and LV demonstrate that traditional companies are interested in innovation, yet it's often the startups that pioneer their next major technological breakthroughs. Digital fashion is opening up endless possibilities, where creativity leads the way in setting trends that numerous brands might follow. At SEAMM, we're excited to help newcomers find their place in this evolving industry by providing them with the support they need to explore big ideas in a fashion world driven by innovation and technology. I also believe that the role of startups and visionary thinkers is crucial in shaping the future of fashion. They are the ones moving the industry forward and making it a better, more innovative space.
