Drest 2.0: Revolutionizing Beauty Gaming with Real-World Fashion and Luxury Beauty

Key Takeaways:

• Drest targets adult gamers with real-world luxury beauty and fashion.
• Drest 2.0 merges editorial storytelling and interactive, shoppable gameplay.
• Partnerships with industry icons like Josh Wood redefine beauty gaming beyond Gen Alpha.

The kaleidoscope of beauty gaming is inundated with innovation. From Roblox to Fortnite, Twitch, and more, the modern age presents consumers with numerous opportunities to reinvent themselves in the virtual realm, as conglomerates and brands leverage these platforms like digital billboards.

GWI reports that 39% of beauty fans also play video games, making them eager to customize their avatars with the latest products from big brands, including Kiehl’s, Sol de Janeiro, and Fenty, among other viral names. 

However, as most of today’s popular beauty-infused gaming moments encourage the inclusion of cosmetics in a virtual fantasy world, a gap is left in the market for a gaming space that positions beauty at its forefront in a real-life-focused manner, for the mature consumer. Drest—founded by Lucy Yeomans, former Editor-in-Chief of Net-A-Porter and Harper’s BAZAAR, bridges this gap, merging the creative worlds of luxury fashion, beauty, and lifestyle with the endless possibilities of the metaverse.

BeautyMatter caught up with Yeomans to discuss Drest’s recent breakthroughs, including its relaunch as Drest 2.0, and its latest venture into beauty in collaboration with hair stylist Josh Wood.

Debuting Democratization

Drest launched in late 2019 as “the world’s first interactive luxury styling game,” built in partnership with investor and tech entrepreneur Graham Edwards. Featuring licensing deals with iconic brands including Burberry, Gucci, Prada, and Valentino, gamers complete styling challenges based on real-life fashion and beauty collections—sharing their creations among peers to compete for the crown.

Since its founding days, Yeomans positioned Drest as a platform to democratize high-fashion and beauty education. “The goal of Drest has always been very different from other gaming platforms,” she said. “Drest is about bringing the real world of fashion and beauty into users’ lives, rather than bringing fashion and beauty into a virtual fantasy area.”

Yeomans recalled her time as Editor-in-Chief, when brands would ask for her guidance on the next big thing for fashion and beauty’s upcoming generation (today’s older Gen Z and younger millennial bracket of 25-35). “That’s when it struck me that people don’t want to just listen and take in content; they want to be part of it.”

Drest infuses sophistication into its gameplay, allowing users from any background to indulge in fashion and beauty’s elite. “Drest is like an engine to a fabulous car that allows people to come and experiment with progress in the world of high fashion. It takes away the nervousness of walking into a store to interact with a £10,000 ($13,455) Oscar de  la Renta dress and puts it into the hands of the gamer.”

Yeomans’ vision for Drest came to life almost instantly after launch, as users flocked to the app to immerse themselves in the innovative world. After four successful start-up years, in 2023, Drest entered a new phase of acceleration, appointing Henri Holm, a seasoned executive with gaming and web3 expertise, as Chief Financial Officer to guide financial strategy and digital expansion. In June of that year, Drest secured a £15 million ($17.4 million) funding round led by the family office of co-founder Edwards, bringing total funding to around £30 million ($40 million) since inception. 

By this point, Drest had achieved 250% year-over-year (YoY) user growth, partnered with over 260 luxury brands, and reported £72.5 million ($92 million) in 2022 revenue, solidifying its position in the booming gaming market. The capital fueled the development of Drest 2.0, an evolution of the app supported by R&D.

Leveling up Luxe

Yeomans described Drest 2.0—which launched in November 2024—as a “second bite at the cherry” that “takes on the learning of the initial game.” The relaunch incorporated feedback from Drest brand partners and loyal users to introduce upgrades, notably the app’s transition into a “fusion of gaming and publishing.”

Drest 2.0 doubles down on Yeomans’ desire to bring the real world of fashion and beauty to gamers. “Drest audiences are absolutely motivated by creativity, self-expression, and getting close to the brands that they love, so we made that happen,” she explained.

The app plays on editorial styles by integrating storytelling modes, curation, and the visual polish of a high-end fashion magazine and embedding it into gameplay. “There’s enough fantasy in fashion and beauty without having to make stuff up,” Yeomans added. “All the stories that we run on the news feed are inspired by what’s happening in the world.”

To elevate the feeling of real-world relatability, the app is designed to the highest caliber. “Drest 2.0 is incredibly sophisticated. We pride ourselves on making sure that imagery is as good as traditional magazine imagery,” she added. This extends to beauty gameplay, which encourages practical creativity. Users can experiment with products in unexpected, real-life-inspired ways, such as repurposing a lipstick as an eyeliner.

Further fusing real life into Drest, 2.0 includes click-through links to brands’ external websites to encourage engagement and purchases. The inspiration for this feature came as a result of the original game’s Beauty Mode, where 80% of users who interacted with Gucci Beauty through challenges wanted to make a purchase, and a further 92% went on to engage externally with the brand.