Meta launches Avatars store where users can buy designer brands like Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne for their virtual selves

• The Meta Avatars Store will launch in the next few weeks in the US, Canada, Thailand, and Mexico.
• "Part of how people express themselves is through what they wear," said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Meta is launching an Avatars Store where users can dress their avatars in designer threads.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Friday that customers will be able to buy outfits from high-end fashion brands such as Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne.

Items will range from $2.99 to $8.99. The store also offers hundreds of free outfits as well. The customizable avatars are meant to act as a visual representation of a user on their social media accounts.

Zuckerberg joined Eva Chen, the vice president of fashion partnerships at Instagram, to discuss why avatars in the metaverse should reflect the users behind the screens.

The billionaire CEO said the marketplace will allow creators to design and sell clothing. "A huge part of how people express themselves is through what they wear," he said during the Instagram Live event.

To make an Avatar on Instagram, users can tap on their profile picture, go to edit profile, and then navigate to the "create avatar" option at the top.

In a press release, Balenciaga CEO Cédric Charbit said the partnership could create new territories for the luxury market. "When Meta tweeted "Hey @Balenciaga, what's the dress code in the metaverse?" we were instantly into it," Charbit said.

The Meta Avatars Store will launch in the next few weeks in the US, Canada, Thailand, and Mexico on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.