008: More Shoes... & FIAT Enters Web3

Around the block…

• Adidas / Moncler: Luxury outerwear brand, Moncler, & Adidas Originals have unveiled their apparel collaboration: ‘The Art of Explorers’. Marketing for the collection was tech-infused - including an immersive shopping experience on Moncler’s website, AI-assisted visuals, & 3,000 free Ethereum NFTs available for claim through the Adidas CONFIRMED app starting October 5th (Moncler).

• Christian Louboutin / Marvel: Released a limited edition footwear & accessory collection in celebration of Disney’s 100th anniversary. Each IRL item purchased comes with a Christian Louboutin x Marvel ‘Sea Warrior Special Edition’ NFT. A 1/1 exclusive ‘Sea Queen’ NFT was due to be auctioned off at the launch event (Christian Louboutin / VeVe).

• ASICS: Partnered with streetwear app, Sneakmart to introduce 20 custom sneakers - ‘the GEL NYC “KB to NY” collection’ - which sold out in minutes. Each pair is unique & handcrafted by designer JW Customs. The items are tagged with an NFC chip and paired with a digital Sneakmart+ asset that will unlock special access to private drops & perks in the Sneakmart ecosystem. Sneakmart’s X post touts there there is more to come from their ASICS partnership in the future (Sneakmart).

• Nike: Announced the release of an exclusive shoe for .SWOOSH Our Force 1 NFT holders. The shoe: Air Force 1 TINAJ (TINAJ = ‘This is not a JPEG’) is available for $120 on the SNKRS app starting October 20th (SWOOSH.Nike)

• Crocs: Is back at it with an NFT project collaboration. This time, they have introduced Halloween-themed VeeFriends Jibbitz charms. The Jibbitz will be on sale for $19.99 for select VeeFriends NFT holders on October 17th - then for public sale on October 19th (VeeFriends).

• FIAT: Is setting the foundations for their new web3 platform, FIATpass - they’ve launched a Discord and X account. The X account states ‘Congrats, you found us before the digital collectibles go live’. Meanwhile, they are running engagement challenges on Discord to drive initial community engagement (X / Discord).

What is…?

• VeVe: An NFT marketplace platform that offers premium licensed digital collectibles through the VeVe Collectibles app. The platform uses the Ethereum blockchain. Notable projects include Disney, Marvel, Coco-Cola, Lamborghini, & Cartoon Network.(VeVe).

• .SWOOSH: Nike’s web3-enabled platform & an early leader in the brand platform space. Since launching in late 2022, the platform has dropped their Our Force 1 poster & box collections. With the recent unveiling of the first exclusive item for select NFT owners (Air Force 1 TINAJ shoe), it is still early days for the project. The platform touts that you will be able to wear your virtual items in video games, unlock experiences, & co-create through community challenges (SWOOSH.nike).

Chain Reactions!

Fall of Shoes? 2023 & Beyond of Shoes?

In an August newsletter, I deemed it the ‘Summer of Shoes’. It felt like 75% of web3 brand activations revolved around digital, phygital, or physical shoes. Safe to say with the latest recap, shoes continue to be the major brand project driver in the space.

Cool to see the broadening of brands like Christian Louboutin & ASICS entering the landscape & bringing unique, collaborative projects forward.