A little over a year ago, nobody knew what an NFT was. Now, almost everybody does, unless they live under a rock with no WiFi. During the bull run, it was common to hear that ‘x’ fashion brand has partnered up with ‘x’ NFT project to launch an exclusive collection.
It may seem like a strange concept that a brand is now able to make money by selling digital clothing or items that people cannot even wear. A short while ago, this idea would have been shunned. However, fashion brands have been able to use NFTs to offer unique experiences and exclusive merchandise to their customers. As the world moves closer toward being fully digital and online, brands are searching for new ways to connect with their customers. One of the latest trends to accommodate this is the use of NFTs.
With that being said, let’s take a deep dive into my top 5 fashion brands that have collaborated with NFT projects.
1 – HUGO x Imaginary Ones
I’ll start with this one as it’s the most recent. In the first week of October 2022. The global fashion giant HUGO is partnering up with Imaginary Ones to launch an exclusive NFT collection. This will be HUGO’s first step into the Web3 space, and it plans on delivering a 360-degree metaverse experience. By November 2022, the team will drop an NFT collection consisting of 1,001 3D animations called ‘Embrace Your Emotions’ (EYE). The goal is to improve people’s mental health and well-being by encouraging them to connect to their emotions, emphasizing that feeling positive and negative feelings are valid. Given the state of the current market, it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
2 – Nike x RTFKT’s Clone X
On December 13th 2021, the sporting and fashion giant we know as Nike, acquired RTFKT. RTFKT is an NFT studio that blurs the lines between the digital and physical through virtual sneakers and collectibles. This acquisition was a catalyst for the NFT space, and it shot Clone X into the elite ‘blue chip’ tier of projects. In April 2022, RTFKT brought virtual and officially licensed Nike sneakers into the NFT market, which are called the CryptoKicks NFT collection.
3 – Hypebeast x Atmos x Karafuru
In early Q2 of 2022, Karafuru partnered up with Hypebeast, a culture and lifestyle brand, as well as Atmos, a Japanese streetwear and sneaker brand. Together, the team launched the 3D Karafuru collection which consists of 15,555 high-end 3D avatars that ensures all of the genesis Karafuru holders can be “Metaverse ready.” The goal in mind was to take Karafuru beyond the metaverse and digital realm.
4 – Kith x Invisible Friends
Back in May 2022, Invisible Friends collaborated with Kith, a multi-functional lifestyle brand for men, women and kids, to launch the Kith Friends collection. The collection showcases Kith collections and Kith for Invisible Friends Products. The purpose of this collaboration was for an ambitious effort to bridge the digital and physical.
5 – Puma x Catblox
In February before the bear market really set in, Catblox announced a partnership with Nike’s competitors, Puma. The Catblox x Puma collection was launched in celebration of Puma’s iconic legacy and culture. Those who held the token were able to exchange digital tokens for physical apparel items that match the rarity tier of their NFT. Additionally, each NFT extends further opportunities for access to PUMA’s Web3 future experiences and ecosystem.
So there we have it, my top 5 fashion brands and NFT collaborations. The concept may seem a little strange, and really, it is. As we edge closer to a fully digital word, we can expect to see more changes that feel unusual at first, but then later become the norm. NFTs are disrupting every industry, so it’s time to get on board!
