Plein Sport launches the first fashion collection born in the Metaverse
The iconic designer Philipp Plein marks the Milan fashion week by launching the first fashion collection created exclusively in the Metaverse.
In the wake of his $ 1.4 million acquisition of Decentraland’s Plein Plaza, a prime neighborhood covering 65 lots of Decentraland, the fashion entrepreneur unveils the first phase of development of the Plein Plaza (a 120-meter-tall virtual skyscraper) . The first area that is inaugurated today in the building is the M.o.N.A. (NFT ART MUSEUM) founded by Philipp Plein. This art space was conceived by the designer as an open forum for the development and implementation of digital art, aimed at encouraging and showcasing young NFT artists. The inauguration includes a guided tour in the immersive artistic world of Plein in the Metaverse together with the exhibition of a series of hitherto unpublished NFTs designed in 2022 by the established artistic duo “Crypto Kings”, pseudonym that designates the artistic collaboration between Philipp Plein and the world famous NFT artist Antoni Tudisco.
To inaugurate the initiative, a cutting-edge humanoid robot called Romeo 0.1 (the first ever built of only three ‘examples’ in the world) will kick off the first Plein Sport show and will present the brand new collection of Plein Sport sneakers created in Metaverse. This launch will feature exclusive luxury drops on NFT Auction House, Portion, digital wearables designed by the Crypto Kings, as well as exclusive experiences and rewards for collectors. This first art / fashion vernissage will feature a combination of physical and digital objects, will be powered by Portion and will take place at the M.o.N.A. in the Metaverse. The vernissage will be combined with a buy-as-you-see digital event in which every collector will be able to purchase an unprecedented combination in advance: a unique NFT along with a pair of physical sneakers. Buyers can then choose to keep the NFT or “burn” it in digitally wearable shoes that can be sported by their avatars in the Metaverse in Decentraland. All in a truly innovative and osmotic intertwining of physical and digital fashion.
This adventure in the Metaverse is in line with Philipp Plein’s continued dedication to fashion innovation. A coherent model of strong connection between fashion and digital that is reflected in different aspects of Philipp Plein’s business and creativity. In 2021, the company became the first major fashion group to open up to cryptocurrencies, accepting more than 20 different coin types both in its brick and mortar stores and on its online platform. This platform in particular, in relation to the size of Philipp Plein’s business, is one of the best performing e-commerce systems developed and managed directly in the luxury sector. In 2021, it generated a record turnover of 100 million euros. Finally, the maison’s latest digital fashion shows marked a further milestone in the exploration of new technologies. The first luxury brand to work with Antoni Tudisco, Philipp Plein used these digital shows to project his brand into a fantastic new virtual world populated by bold and flamboyant creatures.
All this has been made possible by a substantial and concrete investment in research and development that the Plein group has undertaken for many years to be at the forefront of digital innovation in the luxury sector. This has involved the creation of a specialized digital department in Lugano which employs 25 of the 700 employees of the Philipp Plein Group and which is engaged in the development, implementation and testing of the most advanced software and engineering solutions applied to fashion and retail. The Plein Sport project represents the pinnacle of this brand digitization process that the Philipp Plein Group has been boldly pursuing for many years. In Philipp Plein’s vision, Plein Sport is the brand of the future in which physical and digital experience are combined and merged into an inseparable whole with the aim of creating the most advanced technological brand in the luxury sector.
“The Metaverse allows us to digitally reproduce the finest and most minute subtleties, which is a crucial part of respecting the uniqueness of the design,” says Philipp Plein. “Just as we represent the tiger in 3D, attention to detail is something we can finally achieve without problems, correctly using the new virtual world to our advantage.”
“People are continually doubting the Metaverse and anything that can be accomplished in the digital world,” says Jason Rosenstein, CEO of Portion. “Just two years ago we thought the NFT market cap would float around $ 2 billion, and now experts say it will be around $ 80 by 2025. Very soon, people will think of the Metaverse and all of these experiences the same way. which today we think of e-mails and social media “.
“I have seen NFTs become as precious as traditional art,” says Antoni Tudisco, creative director and 3D visual artist. “I am thrilled to help Plein Plaza become a reality and see how many other fashion brands will quickly follow Philipp’s lead.”
About Philipp Plein
Founded in Munich in 1998 and led by the entrepreneurial spirit of founder and designer Philipp Plein, the Philipp Plein Group creates contemporary fashion and accessories collections by Philipp Plein, Plein Sport and Billionaire, as well as various licensed products such as watches, jewelry, eyewear, perfumes and the home collection. Today its headquarters are in Lugan with three showrooms in Milan, New York and Hong Kong.
All images courtesy of Philipp Plein / Plein Sport
PR Agency Karla Otto Milan