The fashion industry has landed in The Sims

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is only the latest videogame allowing its users to go crazy over their avatars' outfits. Before this quarantine set free the creativity of almost everybody, The Sims was already the best gaming platform to experiment with style. In the past few years, many creatives elaborated a virtual fashion industry parallel to the one in the real world with designers, models, events and fashion weeks, too. 

It's been 20 years since its first appearance, and The Sims already made history. First released in 2000, it was the first videogame of simulation (hence the name) distributed by EA Games, the father of the family of “software games” (those games that don't have neither a winner or a real conclusion). Its only goal was the simulation of real-life, as realistic as it could be. From the original soundtrack (still going viral on Spotify) to all the tricks to torture the characters (the most effectual solution is to burn them alive, but we can't count how many Sims have drowned over the years), there's no doubt that The Sims is a symbol for the entire generation of millennials.

By its very nature, the game gives its players the opportunity to live an alternative reality at its fullest. As it happened in Second Life (raise your hand if you remember it), users have gone through it to realize their dreams and live the life they weren't able to live in the real world. Someone turned into a famous DJ, some other in the perfect Desperate Housewives. Fashion enthusiasts had their slice of cake, too: from the basic looks of the first chapter, today Sims' outfits are as respectable as the ones from the runways. 

The credit goes to all the “virtual” designers who recreate the looks they see online from the actual fashion weeks, as well as the most hyped items from the fashion world. That's what happens with @baddiesims__ and @idsims, who define themselves “The Sims 4 CC Creators” and post their creations on Instagram. Their looks are eclectic: from the tracksuits of the most famous streetwear brands (adidas, Nike) to the Fiorucci tees, they're both very careful about beauty tips, too. Concerning full outfits, you are spoiled of choices: there's the look by Mugler as worn by Bella Hadid, then there's Versace, Dior bags and sandals from Bottega Veneta. 

Every great designer has his favourite models. The Sims provides them as well: there are the Simstigrammers, a sort of virtual group of influencers managed by real-life people who post their stories and pictures on real-life Instagram accounts. They're clearly inspired by the accounts of the top models of our time (most of all, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner). @skinnycleo is one the most famous: she opened the Moschino show at Milan Fashion Week, posed for a campaign by Gucci and she's always wearing some crazy and beautiful designer looks, for example by Marine Serre.

On the same spot, @killerqwin reached the cover of (virtual) Vogue and is the star of many (virtual) red carpets: Grammys, British Fashion Council Awards, she was even front-row at the Dior show by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Embracing all these elements from the fashion world, Simstigrammers don't create just looks but are the protagonists of all the most-waited events of the fashion world, even the fashion week. Tumblr account Voguesims4 is in charge of the design of the events, then they are lately downloaded by users who want to participate. To schedule this calendar, there is an alter ego of Anna Wintour. The most important fashion event of this season is the MET Gala (on the contrary of the real one, this one was not postponed). 

In this time of crisis, virtual reality is slowly becoming a great alternative for the fashion industry. Somebody may think that the “let’s go digital” mantra is already obsolete, but since today it's been the solution that pleased the most the industry itself - as confirmed by the decision to turn Tokyo and Shangai into the first entirely digital fashion weeks in history. Furthermore, last year Moschino already unveiled a virtual capsule collection for The Sims itself. 

Following this path, high-fashion is giving up to its natural exclusivity: virtual reality is available for a larger public, even to those who can't afford a certain lifestyle in their real life. Virtual design is cheaper - at least, for now, it is.