As the digital revolution sweeps through the fashion world, transporting online masses, influencers, and traditional fashion communities into a virtual utopia. Pet Liger remains ahead of the curve. Recently partnering with Gucci, a brand that has been particularly instrumental in the integration of digital fashion. With success among its very own Metaverse powered by Roblox - an online game platform and creation system that allows users to program games. It would be in Gucci's very own cyber-ecosystem where the resale of one of their iconic bags would sell for $4,115; staggeringly more than its original retail price. Burberry and Farfetch have also launched 3D platforms dedicated to elevating exclusive fashion accessories. Soon followed by Prada, utilising AR technologies to provide users with a digital changing-room experience powered by Snapchat.

The integration of AR is providing brands with exponential capacities to expand on activations. Further engaging their users into a realm of experimentation that extends beyond the tangibility of our IRL world. This would be the very foundation on which the Gucci Vault x Pet Liger's joint development of several NFTs would be built. Initially remodelling the classic Gucci loafer with a heavy dose of Pet Liger's design DNA, creating a hybrid of never-before-seen proportions and catapulting an item steeped in timelessness into the future.

Cross-pollination remains at the apex of the 3D motivated brand. The name itself was originally coined for a record label Constantinos began back in 2011. Since then, Pet Liger has travelled through the decade. Conceptualising the arrival of Panayiotou's new venture in virtual footwear. The name of the brand is deeply rooted in a crossover of sorts; specifically related to the hybrid of Tigers and Lions. "It’s an abomination, a monstrosity that shouldn’t exist. Prefixing Pet gives it a little playfulness and makes it sound cute. A domesticated anomaly, a little contradictory and odd, reflecting my creativity...'' With the rapid development of the brand, Pet Liger has attracted mass audiences; garnering a diverse following of 62.2k on Instagram, among which Julia Fox is included as a fan. As social-media engagement remains a high-stake counterpart of social culture in 2022, users find themselves at a crossroads in the digital world, juxtaposed with a desire for genuine connection. Tired of premeditated perfection. What sets Pet Liger apart from the crowd is the draw towards a revolution spanning across the horizon of digital life. Panayiotou navigates this space with an infectious positivity, pioneering the democratisation, sustainability, and decentralisation of high-end fashion. Firmly in-tune with the evolution of the multiverse with his finger on the pulse. Panayiotou embraces the changes to come. Foreseen by Citibank for 2030, the Metaverse could be worth up to $13 trillion and counting 5 billion users within its framework; which would account for about 60% of the world's population. In the next few years, it may be time to embrace the idea of transitioning from Web 2.0, releasing society from the clutches of targeted advertising; as a move towards life in Web 3.0 renders users owners of their content.

The dawning of a global pandemic has given us time to process these changes as they lay in wait. With a tentative approach to a deeply emersed existence in the digital world. Pet Liger welcomes us with open arms, and who else to better fit the bill? After all, before the Metaverse's conception, Pet Liger was already designing for it.

Tagen Donovan //
HOW DID YOU FIRST APPROACH DESIGN? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR VISUAL LANGUAGE AND CREATIVE PROCESS?
Constantinos Panayiotou, Pet Liger //
I'm just having fun like a child playing in a sandbox. Experimenting and playing with extremes is something I enjoy. Discovering that nuanced middle-ground where miracles happen is the balance between extreme simplicity and complexity.

Being in pursuit of beautiful anomalies. The narrative of the artwork is influenced by everything from shape, colour, texture, and mood to the naming of the artwork itself. To me, narrative, mood, feeling, and atmosphere are everything. This is especially true when it comes to how it makes someone feel. As a result, my visual language has been significantly influenced by all of these factors. The process has taken years of play and laser-focused intent to develop. I would describe it as a dance between myself, technology, and a higher power. For me, it is nothing short of miraculous, since I have to pull something relevant and relatable, innovative and exciting, that will endure and also remain relevant in the future.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WORK? DO YOU THINK YOUR UPBRINGING IN THE UK INFLUENCED YOU IN ANY WAY?
100% the UK was a huge part of my life. My parents migrated from Cyprus when I was five years old with nothing but four suitcases. When we arrived in great Yarmouth, all I could remember was how grey everything was. Grey skies, grey buildings, grey roads, and even grey politicians on the tv. In a sense, it was like going from colour television back to black-and-white. After a year in great Yarmouth, I moved to London. North east London is where I grew up, met most of my friends, attended school, and worked.

My childhood was spent on a council estate in Archway during the 1990s and 2000s. When I was growing up, I was very involved in the urban culture of the time. Hip-Hop, Grime, UK garage, and bass music were my primary genres of interest at the time.

The peak of millennial-futurism was when I was very active among the DJ scene and had many friends who were also DJs. We were always out raving and going to house parties!

In terms of influence, living in the UK was crucial. First and foremost, I probably wouldn't be able to speak and understand English if I hadn't moved to the United Kingdom. For my technical skills, I’m primarily self-taught via Youtube tutorials that were mostly uploaded in English.

American culture and Japanese culture are also big influences. I remember watching the Syfy channel as a child (pre-internet). It was the only place where I could find Mangas. We didn't call them animes then, or at least my friends and I didn't. I used to subscribe to a magazine called manga mania, it was my monthly highlight. At the time, I was 10 years-old, and probably shouldn't have been reading it.... Despite this, I'd get my pencils and sketchbooks out to try and copy the illustrations, falling in love with it all. After experiencing Akira, ghost in the shell, Fist of the north star, Campire Hunter D, and Ninja Scroll, all I remember is wanting to make T-shirts with stills from the comic strips.

HOW DID PET LIGER COME TO BE? WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME AND ITS ETHOS?
For those who don't know, a Liger is a hybrid between a Tiger and a Lion. It’s an abomination, a monstrosity that shouldn’t exist. Prefixing Pet gives it a little playfulness and makes it sound cute. A domesticated anomaly, a little contradictory and odd, reflecting my creativity. Pet Liger started out as a music record label that I founded in 2011. Despite the change in medium, from audio to visual. The ethos has remained the same. All of those years ago, I’d posted three words on the website, and they still hold true today: “imagination, intent, integrity.”

RECENTLY, YOU PARTNERED WITH GUCCI VAULT; A VIRTUAL CONCEPT-SPACE THAT HOUSES ITEMS FROM THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. HOW WAS IT WORKING WITH A COMPANY SUCH AS GUCCI? HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THE DESIGNS FOR THE VAULT?
Gucci is such a legendary fashion house, and I loved every minute working with them! Creating the artwork was fairly straightforward. Being that I’m known for making virtual footwear, it was pretty much a no-brainer. Imagine the GUCCI Loafer with Pet Liger DNA. I then created about ten different variations. After selecting the top three, the rest is history. Working with GUCCI was a pleasure and I hope to work with them again in the future. To see a pair of these Loafers as a real-life shoe would be killa ...

WITH AN EMPHASIS ON WEB 3.0-BASED INITIATIVES INCLUDING NFTS, GUCCI VAULT EXTENDS GUCCI'S PRESENCE WITHIN THE METAVERSE. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU ENVISAGE NFTS AND THE METAVERSE'S FUTURE EVOLVING? DO YOU ANTICIPATE PET LIGER EVOLVING WITHIN AND BEYOND WEB 3.0'S FLUIDITY?
A lot of credit has to be given to GUCCI over the past year or so for their forward thinking. With Roblox, their gaming academy and Gucci Vault. They truly understand what’s coming. I am reminded of the cliche that "the possibilities are endless" when talking about the Metaverse and Web 3.0. I see Pet Liger wearables in every Metaverse. Interchangeable between worlds. Animated and dynamic. Evolving and reactive. Imagine someone being able to use their PL assets with full utility anywhere they choose, without restriction. The PL metaverse is what I envision. Our own unique place that LIGERS can call home. With DAOs, infrastructure, Governance, and AR technologies that can bleed into the real world. Again the possibilities are endless ...

GIVEN THAT YOU DESIGN FOOTWEAR AS YOUR MAIN OUTPUT. DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO PUSH THROUGH FROM ONLINE CONCEPTS TO REAL-LIFE PRODUCTS? WOULD THESE ITEMS SERVE A BROADER PURPOSE OR BE PURELY COLLECTABLE?
They would offer both collectibility and utility. No matter where you are, either in reality or in the Metaverse. In keeping with the spirit of experimentation, I would want to try everything. There are no rules. As long as premium quality is not compromised, I’m open to having fun with it. Personally, I'd love to see some silhouettes made into real products. Who wouldn’t want to wear their own artworks?!

INSTAGRAM HAS BEEN CRITICISED FOR BREAKING AWAY FROM ITS IMAGE-CENTRIC IDENTITY IN RECENT WEEKS. ITS SIMILARITY TO TIKTOK HAS DISENCHANTED USERS. AS AN ACCOUNT WITH A SIGNIFICANT FOLLOWING BUT NOT A HIGH REEL COUNT, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THIS DIRECTION?
In terms of Instagram's recent changes, I have no problem with them. My numbers have never been this great. As of now, I'm posting reels, so it's all good. That’s the amazing thing about 3D assets! They can be either stills or videos.

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE NAYSAYERS WHO RESIST THE MOVE TOWARDS A MORE TECHNOLOGICALLY ORIENTED LIFESTYLE?
I don’t think there is a need to convert anyone. The 4th Industrial Revolution is already here and it’s inevitable whether we like it or not.

THE METAVERSE STILL REMAINS TOO FUTURISTIC FOR AVERAGE CONSUMERS, DESPITE ITS EGALITARIAN ETHOS AND DECENTRALISATION OF INDUSTRY ON THE INTERNET. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE CRYPTO-CURRENCY, BLOCKCHAINS, AND NFT'S MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC?
Over the next 10-years or so all the buzzwords are going to disappear. It won't be NFT shoes, it'll just be shoes. Children will be born into a world where they cannot imagine life without the Metaverse. Just like today we can’t imagine being without the Internet or mobile phones. It’s a gradual drip-drip that will end up becoming an ocean.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WAY PEOPLE INTERPRET YOUR DESIGNS? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CONVEY TO THE VIEWER, OR DO YOU FACTOR IN YOUR AUDIENCE'S SUBJECTIVITY WHEN FINALISING A PROJECT?
My goal is for the viewer to feel a sense of wonder! I want people to feel like they want to put the shoes on because it speaks to them, the same way a poem would, or a grand ballad. They are artworks before they are anything else. All great art should evoke a sense of timelessness.

AS TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE CONTINUE TO MERGE AT AN EXPONENTIAL RATE, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?
As for AR, I'm excited to see what happens. In the near future, Apple will be releasing glasses, and I'm eager to learn what this entails. Will we be navigating a world of avatars instead of people? Or will people be wearing their digital wearables? It will be compelling to see how this develops in the future. There is also the whole avatar rabbit hole in general. For rights, identification, etc., what does it mean? Is there going to be a legal arm for avatar rights in the future? Interesting times are ahead ...

HOW CAN PET LIGER MAINTAIN ITS AUTHENTIC NATURE AMIDST ITS RAPID GROWTH AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS?
By remaining honest and transparent. Creating quality artworks and experiences is at the core of what we do. Maintaining close communication with the LIGER community. Our passion and dedication speaks for itself.

WHEN IT COMES TO PET LIGER'S GROWTH, HOW DO YOU SEE IT EVOLVING IN THE NEAR FUTURE? IN TERMS OF THE BRAND, WHAT'S NEXT?
For the next year or so, PL will focus on collaborations and real-world events. Connecting and networking is massively important, it’s an evolving space; making friends and sharing experiences is crucial. In the long term we have very ambitious plans! I can’t give away too much right now but it’s a lot!

TO NEWCOMERS LOOKING TO BREAK INTO PRODUCT DESIGN AND NFTS, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?
The best advice I can give is to learn-to-learn. The more you do it the better you get at it. I’ve had to reinvent myself countless times. Learning new skills along the way and every little bit helps. 3D would not have been possible without my knowledge of fine art, graphic design, music production, photography, and videography etc. Every one of these skills I've learned from scratch, and each one has led to the next. Learning is the common thread.

Consistency is the second most important factor. Be disciplined and have a routine. It doesn’t have to be a great routine, as long as you have some structure and you stick to it. Keep churning out the work! Just like in sports, if you want to be the best, you have to train hard and often!

.artist talk
Constantinos Panayiotou
speaks with
Tagen Donovan

first published in
Issue Nr. 33, 01/2022