Byredo, a fragrance and makeup brand founded by Ben Gorham, has joined forces with RTFKT, the Nike-owned digital fashion startup, on a beauty-meets-Web3 launch.
The upcoming release, created in collaboration with M/M, comprises wearable “auras,” which are customized “digital and physical scents,” which were featured in Vogue Business.
These fragrances, a combination of 26 ingredients that represent different emotions, are packaged in bottles with near-field communication (NFC) tags that connect to NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens.) Each customized perfume will be launched soon as a digital collectible in limited quantities.
Non-fungible tokens are cryptographic assets on a blockchain with unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from each other. NFTs can represent real-world items like artwork and real estate, or, in this case, perfume.
Byredo is a European luxury brand, started in Stockholm in 2006, with an ambition to translate memories and emotions into products and experiences. The company says it is reinventing the world of luxury through a new approach, where creation is led by emotions. It conceives objects using the highest quality materials available, and high-end design details to fuel a renewed approach to modern luxury.
This project marks Byredo’s first foray into the metaverse, following in the footsteps of other beauty brands such as Estée Lauder, Givenchy Beauty, Nars and Jeffree Star who are investing in the digital space. The announcement comes shortly after the label was acquired by Puig last month. Meanwhile, RTFKT, acquired by Nike in late 2021, has been launching exciting NFT projects in the streetwear space in partnership with the sportswear giant.
“I liked the idea of dissecting it down to raw materials. A single scent is incapable of representing this virtual world, so we formulated a lexicon of elements that collectors can combine at will to make something entirely unique,” Gorham explained.
RTFKT’s co-founder Benoit Pagotto added, “We always wanted a perfume but had to do it differently, and Byredo was always our dream partner to make this vision happen. It’s one of my favorite projects we have going, an idea I’ve had for a while.”
Other brands are taking a more visual approach with NFTs. For example for Nars Cosmetics crystal artist Sara Shakeel created a sparkling crystal lips video, with a wave cresting in the mouth. Jeffree Star Cosmetics collaborated with artist-photographer Marcelo Cantu to create artworks, many of which are photos of Jeffree Star himself, as a play on the colourful and very vibrant brand.
This article was created in collaboration with AIPIA (the Active and Intelligent Packaging Industry Association). Packaging Europe and AIPIA are joining forces to bring news and commentary about the active and intelligent packaging landscape to a larger audience. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
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