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After a long hiatus from major brand deals, virtual influencer Miquela is back. First created in 2016 by Brud Labs, Miquela (formerly known as Lil Miquela) garnered the attention of technologists, creatives, and fashion brands alike. After taking over Prada’s Instagram account in 2018 and fronting a Calvin Klein campaign with Bella Hadid the year after, she is now partnering with teen retailer Pacsun, as part of their push into Web3 and the metaverse.
Miquela will be spotlighted across Pacsun’s back-to-school and holiday campaigns to promote customers’ navigation of their virtual and physical selves, according to the brand. With the rise of digital avatars and NPCs within the metaverse, and Pacsun’s own efforts in their Roblox world Pacworld, this partnership seems to be well aligned. Previously, Pacsun partnered with Youtuber Emma Chamberlain, featuring her body in AR store window displays and creating her own avatar for Pacworld.
It’s widely expected that virtual influencers will soon steal the shine from “IRL” creators and models, simply due to ease of use. Think about it. Real people have personalities, schedule conflicts, and can only be in one place at a time. Avatars can be multiple places at once, with multiple outfits (that cost pennies on the dollar compared to physical clothing), and come with a fraction of the drama.
An embodiment of the ideal Pacsun customer persona, Miquela was the perfect fit for the brand’s next step in their metaverse exploration, says Pacsun president Brieane Olson to Vogue Business.
“When you create a new digital avatar, you have to work on creating that personality. Miquela, having that long-standing history, known for her street style and partnering with some of the best luxury brands, was a natural fit for us.”