Adidas just announced the next phase of its Web3 initiative. Next week, the fashion and footwear brand is dropping it first non-fungible token (NFT) collection of digital wearables.
The collection is part of a new Adidas’ ‘Originals’ product category dubbed “Virtual Gear.” Most notable about the collection is that it will be its first interoperable product from Adidas — meaning the NFT wearables can be used on different PFP avatars in different metaverses.
Here’s what we know about the collection so far:
- The 16-piece collection of virtual wearables was released to the wallets of Phase 2 ‘Capsule’ NFT holders.
- Each holder has the choice to burn their NFTs and receive a piece from the Virtual Gear collection, or they can hold on to the NFT and wait for Phase 3.
- Adidas fans who do not own a Capsule NFTs will have to wait to purchase the NFTs on secondary marketplaces like OpenSea.
- The new PFP dressing tool from Adidas allows holders to show off their new outfits on numerous avatars across several metaverses.
Currently, the NFTs are compatible with PFP avatars from top collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club, Mutant Apes, and Inhabitants — although more are expected. The goal of the NFT collection is to enable Adidas’ customers to express themselves in different metaverses through their virtual gear.
This isn’t Adidas‘ first foray into Web3. In January 2022, the brand launched an NFT with Prada and artist Zach Liberman. The artwork was a collaborative process that combined entries from 3,000 participants and was auctioned for charity.
Although Nike remains the top apparel brand in Web3 by far, the move from Adidas shows the competition in Web3 fashion is starting to heat up.
Fashion Brands Are Making Noise in Web3
Adidas isn’t the only global fashion brand to invest in Web3 projects this year. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve covered several stories about top fashion brands launching NFTs and metaverse projects. Here are some of the most recent stories.
In September 2022, the German sports company Puma created a Web3 portal for New York Fashion Week. The portal, dubbed “Black Station,” was an immersive metaverse experience that also allowed users to redeem NFTs for in-real-life (IRL) sneakers.
Next, the fashion brand HUGO BOSS partnered with Web3 company Imaginary Ones for a new NFT collection and metaverse experience. The ‘HUGO x Imaginary Ones’ NFT collection consists of 1,001 3D animations titled “Embrace Your Emotions,” and is rooted in improving mental health and overall wellbeing.
Lastly, just this week, Nike announced “Dot Swoosh,” a Web3 platform and ecosystem designed by Nike Virtual Studios. The platform launched on November 18th, 2022 and will serve as the home base for Nike’s virtual creations.
Many people believe that the future of fashion is digital, and the number of fashion brands entering Web3 this year, despite the downturn in crypto market, supports this theory. Although it will take some time to see if Adidas’ Virtual Gear NFT drop will be successful, one thing is certain: Adidas is bullish on NFTs and Web3.