Five designers, namely Joseph Altzurra (ALTU), Maxwell Osborne (anOnlyChild), Jonathan Simkhai, Kim Shui, and The Blonds, are selling The Keys to their fashion events.
To get invited to New York Fashion Week, traditionally, you’d have to be a merchandiser, media member, content creator, or celebrity. But now, being an NFT owner can get you a seat to some of the shows.
Five designers, namely Joseph Altuzarra (ALTU), Maxwell Osborne (anOnlyChild), Jonathan Simkhai, Kim Shui, and The Blonds, are selling The Keys to their fashion events. Each NFT Key grants access to the design of your choice’s show, afterparty, meet-and-greet, and exclusive merchandise. Only 50 keys are available per designer.
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Democratizing force
Web3 advisor Jenny Wang, who helped with the project, told Vogue Business what fashion NFTs “should” be about—assisting brands in building relationships with consumers through crypto.
“Fashion week has always been a walled garden that is difficult to access, and Web3 can be a democratizing force,” she told the publication.
The industry has been dabbling in the virtual world in the past year. In fact, last March, the metaverse launched its first official Fashion Week—complete with shopping and afterparties. The purely digital series of fashion showcased has a roster of global brands such as Selfridges, Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Saab, Guo Pei, Etro, and Cavalli.
However, instead of replicating real-life designs, each brand created exclusive virtual looks or reimagined styles of released pieces.
Endless possibilities
“The point of the metaverse is to dream and do these fantastical looks that you can’t wear in real life,” Dundas founder Evangelo Bousis told Vogue Business last February. Bousis designed Mary J. Blige’s recent super bowl ensemble and partnered with digital fashion company DressX to make NFT versions of it.
Shui, one of the designers offering The Keys, wouldn’t have her brand’s success if it weren’t for the internet. Her namesake house has fans such as Cardi B, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Kehlani, and Kylie Jenner was launched in 2017. In her upcoming 2023 Spring collection, Shui crowdsourced prints from the online community.
“My brand was co-created on the internet; our community constantly inspires us,” she told Forbes. “NFTs can foster that and strengthen a sense of community with completely new levels of customer engagement. It can change the relationship between consumer and brand. The possibilities are endless.”
Banner image from image from keys.nyfw.com
