AVATAR AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY OF THE ATTIRE IN THE METAVERSE

Over the past few years, the metaverse has been attracting more and more users, especially between 17 and 24 years old (Roblox, 2021), and also the investments of leading technology companies such as Facebook (which rebranded itself Meta) and Microsoft (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2022). In this context, the most successful brand events hosted in the metaverse are those organized by fashion houses (e.g. Gucci, Nike) (Roblox, 2021), which have also often collaborated by proposing clothing, accessories, etc. in the metaverse. At the same time, the perception of oneself passes also through clothing (Liskey-Fitzwater et al., 1993) and according to the concept of enclothed cognition (Adam & Galinsky, 2012), the symbolic meaning of the clothes and the physical experience of wearing the clothes influence self-expression, including cultural expression (Citdandi et al., 2018; Shaari et al., 2003). New trends are emerging such as the Chinese "Guochao" or national wave, whereby consumers are expressing a preference for local luxury brands that incorporate traditional elements of the culture (myths, horoscopes, symbols, etc.) (Daxue consulting, 2021), coherently with the increasing interest for traditional or cultural clothes online and offline (Athala et al., 2021; Tadros, 2011). Previous research addressed identity characteristics and adherence or detachment to features such as gender and age (Diehl, 2008; Martey et al., 2015). In the field of gaming, the creation of identity has been associated with fantastic and creative expressions (Gyioto et al., 2019) and cultural expression (Nardi, 2010). Avatar features are relevant as they might influence the perception, evaluation, and behaviors of those who maneuver them and also those with whom avatars interact (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2022). Indeed, one out of five active users update the avatar every day (Roblox, 2021, 2022).