Digital Couture

A blue knife in Counter-Strike can sell for $1.5 million. A skin in Fortnite generates more revenue than a blockbuster movie. Tech writer Eric Chan explores the bizarre, booming world of virtual cosmetics in "Digital Couture." Chan argues that skins are not just "pixels"; they are the primary way we express identity in the digital spaces where we spend our lives. He traces the history from "Horse Armor" in Oblivion to the complex skin-gambling markets of today. The book analyzes the psychology of scarcity and the "flex." Why do players pay for items that give no competitive advantage? Chan draws parallels to the luxury fashion industry (Supreme, Gucci) and predicts that as we move toward the Metaverse, digital fashion designers will become as famous as Versace. A fascinating look at the economy of pure aesthetics.