Joining forces to tap into the virtual and augmented reality of the metaverse, Adidas and Prada have announced the launch of a NFT project that allows fans to contribute to a large-scale digital artwork and earn money for their involvement.
Nicknamed “Adidas Originals For Prada Re-Source“, the activation invites fans to work on a digital piece inspired by Adidas and Prada’s new Re-Nylon collaboration, a collection of premium sportswear made in Italy with recyclable materials.
Starting January 24, anyone can sign up with a digital wallet and contribute an anonymous image, which brands say should capture something meaningful that demonstrates what gaming means to them. Adidas and Prada will randomly select 3,000 to hit their bid as NFTs, free of charge.
Digital artist Zach Lieberman will compile the 3,000 tiles using openFrameworks, the open-source creative code library founded by Lieberman, into a single NFT mosaic overlaid on an Adidas campaign image for Prada. The NFT will be auctioned on SuperRare starting January 28.
Adidas and Prada will split the proceeds from the auction. Nonprofit Slow Factory will receive 80%, Zach Lieberman 5%, and shared among all participants who created a tile (after auction fees), 15%.
To register, users must complete a verification challenge and then enter an 18+ waitlist, which will determine access to the random draw to receive an invite to knock.
Prada is far from alone in venturing into this new virtual world of luxury that promises to win over young consumers and capture lucrative sales. Burberry set the stage when it partnered with Mythical Games to launch an NFT in their flagship title, Blankos Block Party. A few months later, Balenciaga and Fortnite created virtual clothing and accessories for avatars as well as physical products.
Recently, Gucci announced a collection of NFTs with Superplastic, a global toy and digital collectibles company. Balmain and Barbie launched a collaboration including a collection of ready-to-wear and accessories and a series of exclusive NFTs, the latter marking Barbie’s first foray into the digital art space. Difference also just unveiled its first collection of NFTs in partnership with artist Brandon Sines, giving customers the chance to own a limited-edition, collectible Gap hoodie.
