Exploring the Digital Fashion Award by GARDE and Tokyo Mode Academy to Shape Future Trends

The Launch of the Digital Fashion Award

GARDE, a company known for its global total services in interior design, consulting, and coordination, has partnered with Tokyo Mode Academy, a specialized school that cultivates professionals not just in fashion and design, but also in industries like interior, graphic design, and beauty. Together, they have kicked off a new project termed the Digital Fashion Award. The inaugural event will occur on October 21, 2025 at the Tokyo Mode Academy’s A Hall, featuring a public program titled “Current and Future Developments in Digital Fashion.”

About the Digital Fashion Award

In recent years, the fashion industry has increasingly adopted 3D development tools, most notably CLO. However, the usage hasn't adequately shifted from sample creation and internal checks to exploring novel revenue opportunities in marketing, e-commerce, and the metaverse. Through the Digital Fashion Award, GARDE and Tokyo Mode Academy aim to propose secondary uses and monetization possibilities for digital assets, driven by the creative ideas of the next generation of designers.

The theme for this award is “Casual Party on Metaverse,” inviting students to submit approximately 80 design sketches. Ten works will be selected, digitalized into CLO data, and showcased during the seminar with a mid-term review involving participant voting. The top five designs voted during the event will find their place in Fortnite, a widely popular online game managed by Epic Games, merging gaming with fashion through a unique virtual runway, with the most outstanding piece being awarded. For more details, visit the official Fortnite website: Fortnite Official Site.

Background to the GARDE and Tokyo Mode Academy Collaboration

This initiative reflects both organizations' strengths, indicating new possibilities for fashion in the era of the metaverse. Tokyo Mode Academy has established an educational program that utilizes CLO, enhancing students' practical skills in digital fashion. Graduates are not limited to the apparel sector; they are now also targeting the expanding fields of digital, gaming, and IT. On the other hand, GARDE has generated a wealth of expertise through its spatial design achievements across 11 global locations, including the COCOWARP metaverse museum, which blends real and digital experiences. The Digital Fashion Award includes implementing designs into Fortnite and venue design, allowing for intricate detail representation of costumes.

By merging student skill development with GARDE’s technical capabilities, the award moves beyond educational purposes to deliver practical, real-world experiences for participants. This collaboration also facilitates a connection between students and businesses, providing a platform for the industry to explore new models for digital asset utilization. More about COCOWARP can be found here: COCOWARP Official Site.

Panel Discussion: Current and Future Developments in Digital Fashion

A panel discussion featuring leading figures in the metaverse industry will take place, shedding light on “Current and Future Developments in Digital Fashion.” It will cover industry trends, addressing how to transition previously adopted 3D data and development tools from merely being cost-reduction measures to generating revenue through marketing and further metaverse deployments. Questions such as “Are you still letting that 3D data linger unused in-house?” or “Are you hesitating to take the next step due to the inability to realize its benefits?” highlight crucial issues that will be tackled, discussing practical applications and new revenue models. This event is a promising opportunity for those invested in digital fashion to envision a future where it becomes a significant revenue stream, creating a collaborative environment to strengthen industry competitiveness and market innovation.

Panelists: CLO Virtual Fashion Japan / Emily Choi, Aimi Kamiyama from GARDE / Takushi Tsunoda.

Event Details

- Target Audience: Apparel companies, Digital/metaverse development-related businesses
- Date & Time: October 21, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (Doors open at 12:50 PM)
- Venue: Tokyo Mode Academy A Hall, Address: 1-7-3 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023
- Access: Access Information
- Program:

12:50 - Doors Open
13:00 - Greetings & Introduction of GARDE x Tokyo Mode Academy’s collaboration
13:30 - Panel Discussion on “Current and Future Developments in Digital Fashion.”
14:10 - Networking/Interim Review of Award
14:50 - Closing Remarks

Note: Program details are subject to change.
Participation Fee: Free
Registration Form: Sign-Up Here

Spaces are limited and will close once capacity is reached.

About Tokyo Mode Academy

Located a mere three-minute walk from Shinjuku Station, Tokyo Mode Academy is dedicated to nurturing each student's unique personality while training them to become immediately employable professionals. Through its direct industry-oriented curriculum, as demonstrated by achieving a 100% job placement rate for 18 consecutive years (since 2007), the school offers guarantees for job placement, national qualification for beauticians, and salary guarantees. More information about Tokyo Mode Academy can be found at: Tokyo Mode Academy Official Site.

About GARDE

GARDE specializes in branding and design, focusing on creating spaces for sectors like luxury retail, office, and hospitality. Utilizing its global network, GARDE materializes client visions through consulting, design, and coordination - intertwining exceptional design with functionality. Besides its headquarters in Tokyo, it maintains locations across major global cities, including Milan, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Dubai, New York, and Los Angeles.

GARDE Metaverse Division

The GARDE metaverse division expands into digital solutions, developing ventures like the COCO WARP virtual museum. This team leverages extensive 3D data, industry networks, and creative prowess, opening avenues in spatial design alongside collaborations in regional revitalization and tourism.

For further details about GARDE: