Virtual Fashion on Second Life
Andrew LaVallee writes in The Wall Street Journal about the virtual fashion phenomena that’s taking place in the Second Life online game.
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Second Life is a simulated world with more than 700,000 “residents,” or players, who sometimes refer to their offline existence as their “first life.” As in earlier computer simulation games like the Sims series, the point isn’t to fulfill a quest, and there are no dragons or wizards to slay. Instead, San Francisco-based Linden Lab, the company behind Second Life, has provided a platform for players — median age 32 and 57% male, with 40% living outside the U.S. — to do whatever they want, whether it is building a business, tending bar or launching a space shuttle. Residents chat, shop, build homes, travel and hold down jobs, and they are encouraged to create items in Second Life that they can sell to others or use themselves.
The items and services are virtual, but real money is involved. Second Life’s in-game currency, Linden dollars, is based on U.S. dollars ($1 U.S. buys about 280 Linden dollars). It’s possible for users to play Second Life free of charge, but closely held Linden takes a cut of many in-world transactions (such as uploading a design to the game), and it charges players for “premium” accounts, which offer more flexibility in owning land and displaying merchandise.
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One target customer is Lizbeth Moore, a 45-year-old office manager in Santa Barbara, Calif., who got hooked on Second Life while recovering from knee surgery (”It was the painkillers,” she jokes). She now has more than 15,000 items in her virtual closet and doesn’t mind shelling out as much as 1,000 Linden dollars (about $3.50) for an elegant gown. Ms. Moore says she spends about $15 to $20 a month on Second Life clothes, though she spent about $75 a month when she first became a resident.
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A continuing headache for many designers is the ease with which others can copy their creations, and several have discovered boutiques that sell knockoffs of their clothes. A well-known Second Life designer was recently accused of stealing skin textures and withdrew from Second Life after receiving harassing messages. Linden says it investigates accusations of design theft, and repeat offenders can have their online accounts closed. Some designers, like DE Designs’ Mr. Hester, have taken steps to copyright their work.