Denim brand Wrangler is celebrating its 75th anniversary and partnership with Grammy award winner Leon Bridges through the drop of a two-part non-fungible token (NFT) collection, which will combine virtual items and in-person experiences.
The first drop will consist of 75 NFTs showcasing a Leon Bridges’ signature dance move. The digital asset unlocks access to an online community, an animated NFT, a Wrangler branded digital wearable item for use in the Decentraland metaverse, and a pass to a VIP Bridges concert during New York Fashion Week in September of this year. Once the auction for the 75 NFTs ends, they can be traded on secondary marketplaces, including OpenSea.
In September, a second drop of a single NFT will feature a digital replica of Wrangler’s custom denim jacket and jeans created for Leon Bridges, which can be used in Decentraland. In addition to the digital outfit, the auction winner will get a physical replica of the outfit and access to exclusive content created by Bridges. The NFTs will be available on Ethereum’s blockchain through LTD.INC NFT platform, which is the same platform that will manage the first drop.
Overall, the drop is fairly exclusive. The number of NFTs available is scarce and the VIP experience may drive up prices. However, the minimum bid is .3 ETH, or $816, and so far, there are only bids on two items.
Besides, if the project is limited to the 76 NFTs, a small number of people will get involved. To address this, Wrangler is holding an event in the metaverse called Wranglerverse which will not have a limited attendance. The event will be hosted on Decentraland, where Wrangler’s digital wearables can also be accessed.
“This journey began when Leon Bridges reached out for a custom heritage denim suit from Wrangler,” said Sean Gormley, Global Creative Concept Director at Wrangler.
“Wrangler is a brand that has always been inspired by and thrived in the Wild West, and the metaverse is simply the next destination for us,” said Tom Waldron, global brand president at Wrangler. “We’re celebrating 75 years of history by driving towards the future of fashion, looking across the horizon at what’s next. We can’t wait to celebrate with Leon Bridges and all our fans through this series of unexpected physical, digital and metaverse experiences.”
The tokens will be minted on the Ethereum blockchain. Of late, there’s been some pushback over environmental concerns given that Ethereum currently uses the energy wasteful proof of work security. LTD, the NFT platform provider, said it is donating money to Offsetra, a startup targeting Ethereum users to invest money towards carbon offsets.
Meanwhile, fashion brand Diesel’s owner group, OTB Group, formed a new division to explore NFTs and the metaverse. Nike purchased sneaker NFT company RTFKT, Adidas and Prada collaborated on an NFT campaign, and GAP launched an NFT collection.
