Italian apex label Loro Piana, famed for its quality luxury materials like baby-soft cashmere and ethically-sourced vicuña, is turning its focus to the power of blockchain technology as it welcomes a new era of traceability.
In partnership with the Aura Blockchain Consortium — the first global blockchain dedicated to the luxury industry, created in 2021 — Loro Piana will harness the cutting-edge technology to help digitally certify the authenticity and traceability of its products. This includes clothes made from its hero fabric, called The Gift of Kings, which is the world’s finest merino wool fiber.
The house announced late last week that customers will be able to scan a QR code to learn more about the unique story behind its new collection, as well as explore the in-depth production chain process from sheep station (farms in Australia and New Zealand) to storefront.
Owners of each piece will be able to trace every step of Loro Piana’s renowned, vertically-integrated production process using blockchain features, demonstrating how Web3’s utility can go beyond the surface-level crypto and NFT projects we’ve seen over the past few years.
Loro Piana is the latest to join the growing list of high-end labels — including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Bulgari — onboarding onto the Aura Blockchain Consortium’s hub and adopting its technology. And it won’t be the last either, as the industry begins to recognize the importance of cultivating a more transparent, trustworthy and sentimental experience for consumers.
Aura offers a streamlined service to a sector that’s slow to change. Its blockchain technology “allows brands and also their suppliers to write data into the blockchain, without the need for any coding knowledge,” Daniella Ott, General Secretary at the Aura Blockchain Consortium, told Jing Daily in an exclusive interview last year.
Every item from Loro Piana's connected collection will also come with its very own digital certificate generated by Aura, which guarantees end-to-end traceability, proof of ownership, and authenticity.
In addition to the partnership, 20 garments produced using The Gift of Kings wool, which will be sold in the label’s new Palo Alto boutique in California, will also arrive with an exclusive digital artwork NFT by London-based artist Charlotte Taylor.
As one of Italy’s titular luxury labels, Loro Piana is constantly raising the bar and exemplifying “Made In Italy” excellence. This latest initiative not only encourages customers to pass their garments down to the next generation with confidence through digital certification, but also demonstrates the company's commitment to social responsibility.
With legacy-tracing being a key selling point, embracing newness like blockchain technology prolongs Loro Piana’s relevance and celebrates its community that spans generations. More importantly, it shows how luxury companies can use blockchains as an integral part of their future-proofing strategies.