Digital art by AnOnlyChild for the NFT exclusive launch of New York Fashion Week.
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The Buy Now Pay Later Afterpay service provider is entering the NFT market.
The fintech company, which is also the official presenting partner of New York Fashion Week: The Shows, has partnered with five NYFW designers – Altu by Joseph Altuzarra, AnOnlyChild, Jonathan Simkhai, Kim Shui and The Blonds – to offer limited edition NFTs. .
The project is titled The Keys to New York Fashion Week and each NFT designer is a phygital collectible, featuring both digital artworks and physical pieces or access-focused experiential items.
Each NFT will cost $100, and Afterpay will allow consumers to purchase NFTs by splitting the payment into four interest-free installments at Keys.NYFW.com.
For NFT’s digital artworks, each designer drew inspiration from their Spring/Summer 23 collections, while additional features include a choice of experiences and limited edition items.
The Altu by Joseph Altuzarra NFT comes with a leather bag and oversized t-shirt or an annual membership to a TBD New York art museum, while the Jonathan Simkhai edition includes a private meet-and-greet shopping experience for the designer. or signed original runway sketches for their Spring 23 Collection debuting on September 13.
The offerings from AnOnlyChild, The Blonds, and Kim Shui respectively include a limited-edition fanny pack, a signed copy of the brand’s upcoming book, “The Blonds: Glamour, Fashion, Fantasy,” and a custom-designed hoodie o tickets for afterparty and fashion shows.
Joseph Altuzarra New York Fashion Week Spring 23 NFT artwork.
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Many designers have previously committed to Web 3.0 and the metaverse. Last season, for example, Simkhai showcased digital versions of his IRL collection through Second Life that were sold as NFT handhelds.
For Kim Shui, whose fans include Cardi B and Kylie Jenner, the evolving universe of Web 3.0 is a perfect fit. Since her launch in 2017, the designer has developed her brand together with her online community and for her upcoming spring ’23 collection she is collaborating with one of her prints.
“My brand was co-created on the internet, our community constantly inspires us,” he told me over email. “NFTs can foster that and strengthen a sense of community with whole new levels of customer engagement. It can change the relationship between the consumer and the brand. The possibilities are endless.”
On the fact that buyers are given the choice between owning something physical and participating in an experience, he adds that “it’s about focusing first on the usefulness for the customer and what they would prefer: I wanted it to be personal. Some people prefer experiences, others prefer physical items, so it was about giving them that option.”
Artwork by Kim Shui NFT.
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All proceeds from the sale of designer NFT Keys will be donated to Free Arts NYC, which provides art and mentorship programs to children in underserved communities in New York City.
Additionally, Afterpay will issue free and limited NFTs with utilities including a 6-month free trial of TIDAL HiFi Plus, access to an Instagram group of close NYFW friends, and an RSVP invitation to NYFW sessions: The Talks.
Last season, Clearpay, the name of Afterpay’s European division, partnered with British designer Roksanda Ilincic on NFT and AR digital wearable versions of a hero look from the British designer’s Fall 22 collection.
Both the designer NFT keys and the free NFT Afterpay will be hosted on the Polygon network, considered one of the greenest blockchains as it is one of the most energy efficient.
While still quite specific in terms of numbers, the project marks an important step in integrating the newly emerging world of Web 3.0 with more traditional fashion consumption.
Blonds NFT artwork for New York Fashion Week Spring 23.
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As of March 31, 2022, more than 144,000 retailers worldwide offer Afterpay with more than 20 million active customers. Afterpay is currently available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain, where it is known as Clearpay. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Block Inc.
Source: www.forbes.com