Philipp Batura did not originally plan to build a fashion company when he joined Roblox (NYSE:RBLX) in 2020 during the pandemic, but his three-person startup Topcat has grown into one of the platform's largest digital clothing creators, selling more than 1 million items in July alone, according to Forbes.
Roblox has 111.8 million daily active users, most of them teenagers or young adults. While many creators on the platform focused on blocky, cartoon-style gear aimed at kids, Batura noticed older players were searching for more realistic apparel and turned his attention to digital streetwear.
Topcat now runs three separate fashion brands on Roblox: Gatas Only, Coast UGC, and Chibi Couture. Batura credited consistency as the key to success, telling Forbes, "We publish one to three new items a day. That consistency, and a structured process driven by trend analysis, is what allowed us to grow 1,500% over the past year."
Don't Miss:
- The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — and you can too at just $2.90/share.
- They Sold Their Last Real Estate Company for Nearly $1B — Now They're Building the Future of U.S. Industrial Growth
Scaling Roblox Fashion Into a Seven-Figure Business
Roblox assets are priced between $0.30 and $1, with creators typically keeping about 30% of each sale while Roblox and its marketplace retain the rest. The split has drawn criticism from creators, but Batura argued the trade-off is worth it. "Roblox takes care of distribution. Marketing costs are close to zero," he told Forbes.
The economics work at scale, and Topcat leverages that advantage. By releasing hundreds of items every month and maintaining a high frequency of uploads, the company benefits from Roblox's algorithmic marketplace that rewards activity and quality. Seasonal surges also matter. "Christmas is absolutely huge," Batura told Forbes. "Parents give kids Robux and devices, and the whole economy surges."
Only about 60 creators operate at Topcat's level, while thousands of others create a handful of items for fun. Topcat differentiates itself with a professional team of 3D modelers who have experience in triple-A and mobile games, giving the company a competitive edge in design and execution.
Trending: 7 Million Gamers Already Trust Gameflip With Their Digital Assets — Now You Can Own a Stake in the Platform
Expanding With Partnerships and Brand Collaborations
Topcat has already begun to collaborate with outside brands and influencers. A Care Bears holiday tie-in gave players the chance to role-play as beloved characters, while a campaign with YouTuber Euina converted her Roblox audience into paying customers.
Batura sees major opportunities in long-term partnerships. "Luxury brands have tested Roblox, but always with short campaigns," he told Forbes. "Nobody has built a consistent relationship with players. That's the gap we want to fill."
Still, risks remain. Roblox maintains control over its algorithms and revenue policies, creating uncertainty for businesses built entirely on its platform. "We're at the mercy of Roblox," Batura said. "But they're also the ones bringing us millions of customers we'd never reach on our own."
See Also: Kevin O'Leary Says Real Estate's Been a Smart Bet for 200 Years — This Platform Lets Anyone Tap Into It
Roblox Fashion and the Metaverse Identity Economy
Industry leaders view digital apparel as an essential part of online identity. Raffaella Camera, a gaming and entertainment strategist who has worked with Epic Games, Sony Pictures, and Accenture (NYSE:ACN), told Forbes that "gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite are digital hangouts where people meet friends, join live events, and craft their identities."
She added, "Inside these virtual worlds, what you wear is who you are. Skins, avatars, and digital accessories serve the same function as outfits in the physical world: self-expression, belonging, and status."
Batura agreed, saying, "Digital apparel already sells in volumes comparable to physical fashion. The cultural influence is enormous. It deserves recognition as every bit as important as real-world clothes."
Read Next: Bill Gates Invests Billions in Green Tech — This Tree-Free Material Could Be the Next Big Breakthrough
Image: Shutterstock
