‘Wen’ pony shoe with NFT digital twin?
While that is perhaps a question that no NFT degen has ever asked, it has become a reality. At Milan Fashion Week this past Sunday, OnlyEver introduced the ‘Hoofster,’ a cloven-toed boot made from black leather and faux fur that comes with a near-field communication (NFC) device. And here’s the kicker: The NFC unlocks the boot’s digital twin, an NFT that resides on the Ethereum blockchain.
Here’s how it works. OnlyEver, an arm of Italian design company RubensLuciano, worked with a community on the design specs of the boot, soliciting information about the material, structure, and color. Everything was put to a vote, with ‘Hoofster’ being the result. The NFT isn’t just a standard digital twin as well: It comes with data about the shoe, including a certificate of ownership, design and co-creation details, and future benefits for anyone who HODLs.
Currently, the ‘Hoofster’ is available for pre-order on the OnlyEver website. The price seems pegged to 750 Euros ($793 or 0.5 ETH at the time of this writing). Sizes range from 37 to 45, and the pre-sale will last for another four and a half days.
OnlyEver is odd for an arm of a fashion company, and its website reads more like a Web3 enterprise. On it, there are references to the importance of Solidity, the programming language of Ethereum, creating with the community rather than for it, and other Web3 principles. Rocco Bressanin, founder of the company, said it is challenging traditional norms by embracing blockchain technology and involving the community in decisions.
There’s no telling if the Hoofster will be successful in the long-run, but it is certainly a promising sign that companies are still creating NFTs, even during this bear market. We’ve reached out to OverEver for a comment and will update this article if it responds.
Rarity Sniper Speaks with OnlyEver Founder
For this article, Rarity Sniper had the pleasure of communicating with Rocco Bressanin, the founder of OnlyEver. We asked him: “Why did you decide to add an NFT to this boot, as using the tech in this way is still relatively rare in this industry?” This was his response:
“Our approach is more than transactional — it’s about giving back to those who invest their time and trust in us.
Our distinction lies in its deep-rooted experience and unique “phygital“ approach. Having collaborated on design and prototyping for over 100 brands and carrying the legacy of its mother company, RubensLuciano, OnlyEver is deeply acquainted with luxury and quality. This combination of seasoned expertise and innovative thinking is rare.
By providing each owner with the opportunity to own an NFT of the pair’s phygital twin, it allows us to offer even more opportunity to show off this unique representation of collective and disruptive design.
The NFT provides access to the certificate of ownership, details on the design and co-creation process, as well as offering a platform for more holder benefits to follow as the OnlyEver community grows such as being able to download the NFT in 3D, allowing further creative freedoms.“
Fashion Industry Gets Involved in Web3
The high-end fashion industry and Web3 may seem like a strange pairing. After all, the stereotypical look of a degen doesn’t involve expensive clothes. But the fashion industry has taken to NFTs like few other industries have, and the stories show it. Here are three stories involving fashion and the next iteration of the internet, all from the past three months.
First, two weeks ago, Diesel, an Italian fashion brand, released a set of non-fungible tokens that granted holders access to the company’s highly anticipated Milan Fashion Week show. For the launch, Diesel partnered with Public Pressure to release just 300 tokens. In addition to access to the show, the tokens came with other perks, such as allowlist spots for another NFT mint.
Next, one month ago, Philippine Blockchain Week celebrated the work of renowned fashion designer Michael Cinco by featuring his works in the metaverse. The event was for a good cause as well, with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund, which protects endangered species, and the Global Reskilling Movement.
Lastly, three months ago, Dior, a French fashion house, released a line of sneakers that came with NFC devices and accompanying digital twins. The sneakers, called B33, ran at a cost of $1,350, with the design based on the “timeless tennis shoe.” The launch was part of Dior’s fall collection.
As today’s story and the above stories show, the fashion industry has taken an interest in Web3, specifically NFTs and the metaverse. It’s an interesting twist for two industries that would seem, at first glance, to not have much in common. We think that’s a good sign for the NFT and metaverse spaces as a whole and shows that they may have lasting power far into the future.