Who Are We Becoming? Why XR, Avatars, and Digital Fashion Are Rewriting Identity

As XR, AI, and immersive platforms accelerate, the biggest shift isn’t technological — it’s human. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are using avatars, digital fashion, and virtual worlds as rehearsal spaces for identity, confidence, and belonging.

Drawing on her award-winning documentary 48 Hours in the Metaverse and her work designing digital fashion and identity-driven experiences, futurist Briar Prestidge explores how digital self-expression is shaping future consumers, culture, and community.

This session reveals why avatars are powerful tools for confidence and self-discovery, the paradox of young people’s skepticism toward technology, and why many immersive experiences fail to create lasting impact.

A human-centered roadmap for builders and brands designing meaningful, identity-driven immersive futures.