You may know Nicola Formichetti as the curator behind Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress or the creative dreamer who brought Diesel's ad campaigns to life, but his latest chapter began with a question—'What's next?'—sparked by the standstill in the fashion world during the pandemic and his drive to reinvent himself.
Now, as the artistic director of SYKY, he brings his avant-garde style into the digital realm. SYKY is a luxury digital fashion platform founded by industry veteran and CEO Alice Delahunt. Formichetti's clear mission is to merge technology with high fashion, firmly planting his flag in the future of design while also bringing in emerging designers.
On January 2, SYKY launched a new digital magazine and editorial series aimed at changing the way people interact with fashion. The first issue features Yasmin Gross, a Parisian artist born in Frankfurt, who reinterprets New York designer Kate Barton's signature metallic and watery themes using artificial intelligence.
This issue of the magazine also highlights Barton's perforated leather bag, which is now available on SYKY as both a physical accessory and a digital collectible. This bag is limited to 20 pieces and retails for $495, sold exclusively at syky.com until January 9, 2025.
In this Q&A, Formichetti shares his views on the creative possibilities of digital fashion, the evolution of luxury in the digital age, and the significance of SYKY's bold new projects.
Note: This record has been edited for conciseness and clarity.
OpenSea: First, how did you transition from the fashion world to the web3 space?
Nicola Formichetti: I've always been fascinated by the future, especially the future of fashion. I grew up in Tokyo and Rome, where Japan is very futuristic yet traditional. As a child, I loved comics, video games, and science fiction.
Throughout my career, I've tried to mimic digital aesthetics in the real world. Later, the pandemic forced me to sit in front of a screen exploring the digital realm, which in some ways made me an expert. The world was collapsing, and my friends in fashion were losing their jobs. I asked myself, 'What can I help with? What can I do for this industry?'
The answer is digitization. I searched Google for 'digital fashion' and 'blockchain.' I researched everything and connected with people doing big things. It felt like starting from scratch, learning everything from the ground up. I began dabbling in everything and created my own NFT—just those common things. I started collaborating with digital artists, and eventually, I wanted to be part of a platform.
It was then that I connected with Alice from SYKY. Her vision resonated with me, and everything went smoothly. SYKY is the project I feel most connected to sensibly because a few years ago, everything I saw in the digital world had its obvious 'digital' aesthetic, while what Alice creates is more human. You know? It has this naturalness; it's a beautiful world. So, technology and nature coexist in a beautiful way.
At that time, I thought, this is the future, right? So we started talking, and I said, let's do something together, and then I joined the company. It's been almost a year now, which is crazy, but we haven't stopped. Alice wants to create a place where the most exciting digital things happen, making it feel like the future.
OpenSea: You mentioned that your collaboration with Lady Gaga helped you transition from print design to 3D design, and now you're working in the virtual world. How has this creative shift developed?
Nicola Formichetti: I love constantly evolving and trying new things. Gaga brought my fashion to life by turning static editorials into 360-degree experiences, always performing, living, and transforming on stage. That excitement carries over into my digital fashion work.
The digital space feels like stepping into a new dimension, where you can blend 2D, 3D, virtual reality, and multi-sensory experiences. For example, with Apple Vision Pro, we created a fashion app that brings the fashion show to your living room. It’s incredible.
OpenSea: I have an embarrassing confession—I haven't tried Apple Vision Pro yet, but after seeing the amazing SYKY project on Apple Vision Pro, I want to give it a try.
Nicola Formichetti: You have to do it! The first time I used it, a little dinosaur appeared in front of me, and it was so close I felt I could touch it and feel it. Then, a dinosaur mom came running out, screaming—it was incredible! I thought, 'We need to create a fashion show experience like this.'
So, we collaborated with the Japanese designer Anrealage, who designed a pyramid dress. In the app, this dress comes to life—you can touch it, feel it, and even change its colors and materials. We also incorporated robotic arms and sound effects, creating a fully immersive front-row fashion show experience.
What's even better than a physical show is that afterward, you can click to see interviews with the designer, sketches, inspirations, and behind-the-scenes content. It's a 360-degree interactive experience.
Technology is breaking boundaries in ways we can't imagine. At SYKY, we are constantly evolving, and I feel we are now in an amazing position.
OpenSea: That sounds incredible.
Nicola Formichetti: Yes, SYKY has become a platform where exciting creators and designers can collaborate, create, and produce unique works for people to collect and purchase.
We launched SYKY Presents, which is a curated series on our platform showcasing fashion works from a new generation of talented designers. Here, we highlight outstanding designers we love and want to feature. We also have SYKY Collective, where we guide artists.
For example, one thing we recently did was the JUSTUS x FVCKRENDER collaboration, which combines FVCKRENDER's stunning digital art with Calvyn Justus's sharp, futuristic streetwear style. They created FVYN // pants, which are super fashionable and high-performance. This is their first step into physical fashion.
Six months ago, we launched SYKY Drops, introducing limited-edition capsule collections designed by top digital designers, curated personally by me as the artistic director. We started with digitally-focused designers like XTENDED iDENTiTY and Marc Tudisco, who initially did not design physical products but later began collaborating with physical elements.
We collaborate with KWK, their experimental 3D printed works commemorate key moments in pop culture and fashion history. Now, we are showcasing Sammy Does' fun digital nails and preparing to collaborate with one of my favorite New York designers, Kate Barton.
OpenSea: Yes! Her perforated leather bag is very bold and futuristic, yet surprisingly soft in blue. It's adorable and a striking piece. What drew you to Kate's designs for SYKY? How do you see her style breaking boundaries in the realm of digital fashion?
Nicola Formichetti: She already has a futuristic aesthetic, but what surprised me was how soft and beautiful her clothes were when I touched them. The models felt incredibly comfortable in them, blurring the lines between looking metallic and actually being processed wearable material.
OpenSea: What is the process of bringing designers from the real world into an immersive digital space?
Nicola Formichetti: Yes, I'm in between. I'm not tech-savvy, but I understand enough about technology, and I'm fluent in the language of fashion, so I act as a translator, helping designers see the possibilities for collaboration.
Kate already has an incredible aesthetic but hasn't done anything digital yet. The videos on her website look AI-generated, but they're not—they're made with real models. So she is already exploring surrealism, and her visual preferences have always been futuristic, but this is her first time creating digital items.
We support her by introducing her to different ideas—not just in aesthetics but also in business, production, and other practical aspects. This is actually very helpful, not only creatively but also in production. It's a fantastic tool we can offer.
With digitization, it has become much easier to make samples, intuitively test different colors, and sketch in a realistic manner. Clients can even see digital designs before actual production. Therefore, you can know which products will get orders before going into production. This is sustainable and beneficial for young designers facing budget and business constraints. This technology helps them operate more smoothly.
OpenSea: Have you noticed any new aesthetic frontiers or style preferences in virtual spaces compared to physical spaces?
Nicola Formichetti: Of course, people are becoming bolder and more willing to try new things. Mistakes can create miracles. With AI, you can input data and then see what happens. I use mood boards to actually do this—sometimes putting two mismatched photos together creates magical effects.
AI excels at this—it can create strange, unexpected things and become engaging. Designers can play with their imagination in the digital space while making items wearable in the real world. However, sometimes I like to create items in the digital world that look real. Not everyone wants to look like a futuristic game character. SYKY embraces all identities and styles, providing a mix of creators and aesthetics.
OpenSea: Virtual spaces allow for a lot of exploration of identity. Do you think virtual avatars represent our idealized versions of ourselves, or are they just tools for trying on different identities?
Nicola Formichetti: I haven't found one answer—it depends on the situation. Sometimes, you want to be a better version of yourself, a digital twin. Other times, you might want to transform into something completely different—like a frog. That's the beauty of it; it's about exploring the possibilities of different realms, whether it's gaming or digital fashion. SYKY is very focused on digital fashion, but we are also exploring gaming and other fields.
OpenSea: This is interesting; online modes of expression are indeed evolving. Terms like 'fishing' have been invented to describe false expression, but we are still exploring how to discuss expressing oneself in acceptable ways in different contexts.
Nicola Formichetti: Exactly, it all depends on the context.
OpenSea: Yes, for example, LinkedIn profiles are quite polished, while Instagram might be more casual. Have you ever used MySpace?
Nicola Formichetti: Yes! A designer once told me we met on MySpace, and in the end, I used their work. I completely forgot about it. MySpace had a vibe that we are missing now.
OpenSea: Fashion is influenced by luxury and desire. Digital design is essentially a medium that is easier to access and less scarce. How do you retain that 'must-have' factor in digital design?
Nicola Formichetti: The term 'luxury' has evolved. In the early days of the fashion industry, especially high fashion, everything was about scarcity—creating a buzz around rare and hard-to-get items. When people see a bag, they think, 'Oh my god, I need it.'
Today, luxury means unique and special, but unlike exclusivity, digital fashion has changed this dynamic. These incredible unique items are now accessible to everyone. We have opened the doors, which is why SYKY focuses on being a luxury platform—not in an elitist way, but as a curated space showcasing unique items with our quality mark.
We want to create a place that feels like home, where you can find thoughtfully designed and carefully selected items, making it easier and more enjoyable to browse the digital world. We won’t overwhelm you or rush you; we will take care of the curation so you can explore and enjoy at your leisure. Ultimately, it’s all about taste and curation.
OpenSea: This conversation has me so excited! Is there anything else you want to say as we prepare for Kate Barton's exciting upcoming collection?
Nicola Formichetti: We are proud to collaborate with outstanding artists. SYKY merges the essence of the digital world and the real world. I hope people enjoy the joy of creating it just as much as we do.
OpenSea: Thank you so much for taking the time today, Nicola.
Nicola Formichetti: Thank you, Megan. Have a great afternoon.
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