The CFDA is bringing some of the biggest names in fashion to Web3. Marking its 60th milestone anniversary, the organization has teamed up with metaverse platforms Brand New Vision and The Sandbox to transform the work of seven renowned American designers into NFTs.
“The CFDA project is the ideal opportunity for BNV to work with a range of designers and stakeholders and help guide them on this journey,” Richard Hobbs, founder and CEO of Brand New Vision, told Jing Daily. “BNV has always presented itself as a fashion first company…We are able to talk the same language while understanding and managing expectations of brands and creatives who are looking to enter this new world.”
Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera, Coach, DVF, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Vivienne Tam, and Willy Chavarria are all leveraging their digital efforts as part of the initiative. Each renowned fashion house is set to release their own branded non-fungibles, complete with extra-special additional benefits. For example, owners of the Vivienne Tam token — which features motifs from the prolific NFT collective Bored Ape Yacht Club — will also receive a front-row seat to Tam’s next show, alongside backstage access, meet and greet privileges and the opportunity to participate in the design process for the brands next collection.
“Vivienne Tam leverages the label’s signature qipao design with a Web3 twist to explore and inspire possibilities in the metaverse,” Tam announced on Instagram. “The dress takes the form of a very traditional Chinese garment showcasing her heritage, to bring the past, present, and future together in one design.”
Vivienne Tam isn’t the only fashion label using the project as an opportunity to redesign its heritage for the metaverse. Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) is bringing its timeless prints and silhouettes to the digital realm in the form of its iconic wrap dress, celebrating the brand's DNA of print mixing and bold colors. DVF’s token will start at an opening bid of $25,000.
Metaverse front-runner Tommy Hilfiger — which has made full use of the virtual space this year — will also provide owners of its NFT with an all-expenses-paid visit to its next showcase, alongside a selection of exclusively signed products. Meanwhile, Coach will present holders of its token with two tickets to a special Coach Holiday event at the Rockefeller Center, plus a tour of the Coach archives and a Coach ReLoved Bag (valued at up to $650).
The team at Brand New Vision were at the core of the collaboration. The platform appointed its leading 3D artists to work alongside the fashion houses, utilizing Web3 technology along the way to bring to life the concepts envisioned by the designers. The result? Each experimental NFT is its own cultivation of distinctive house codes and pioneering technology, bringing something entirely unique to the fashion landscape.
The collaborative project will also host a digital metaverse exhibition, where guests can explore the CFDA’s archives and its longstanding history in fashion. “Fashioning the Shades of American Design” simultaneously opens in The Sandbox, featuring 60 looks from across the CFDA’s six decades, curated by fashion historian Darnell-Jamal Lisby.
The five-themed retrospective features a series of work reimagined for the digital sphere; this includes Dapper Dan’s 1980’s custom design for Hip-Hop icons Eric B & Rakim, as well as pieces from Thom Browne’s Spring 2020 collection and a quintessential Marc Jacobs grunge look, taken from the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 showcase.
CFDA’s venture into Web3 also hails the first-of-its-kind of this scale. The organization has, over the years, been recognized as a trailblazing institution in fashion. Its latest campaign — which spotlights the extensive power and possibilities of NFTs — proves why.
The CFDA’s efforts will no doubt push the industry to new technological heights and encourage more of the fashion community to onboard and invest in the space, something Hobbs believes is on the horizon for 2023.
“Making the bridge between one-of-one virtual fashion outfits with even more future digital utility potential, plus amazing real world experiences, should help bring more fashion aficionados and interested groups into the world of digital fashion.”
The NFTs will also be available to purchase directly via BNV at CFDA.bnv.me, with all proceeds benefiting the CFDA Foundation.