Past and Present coexhist in the future of Paco Rabanne's NTFs collection

We have seen NFTs take the most varied forms in these first months of the post-embryonic phase of the Metaverse, which, despite having already hosted its first event, proves to be a territory whose potential has yet to be fully explored. It could only be the famous French fashion house Paco Rabanne, member of the "Space Age" current of the 60s, to use the new promised land of fashion to relaunch its past, with a strategy to re-evaluate its heritage and bring it into the metaverse. The company now owned by the Puig group (which also has Jean Paul Gaultier in its portfolio), participated in Decentraland Metaverse Fashion Week with a virtual store in collaboration with Selfridges, followed by the launch of a collection of 12 NFTs featuring the features of 12 "non-wearable dresses" created by the Victor Vasarely Foundation, in which historic archival garments created by the designer in 1966 with innovative materials, which have become synthesis of the brand's "space age" vision take virtual form.

The launch is the perfect combination of heritage enhancement and marketing on new and old channels because it will be used to replenish the maison's archive by repurchasing signed garments from private archives, but also sketches, image rights, video and radio recordings of the designer as well as to finance an improvement in the preservation and storage of the already extensive archive. The collection includes virtual versions of the house's most iconic designs, namely a dress with a metallic mini-skirt - reminiscent of chainmail in a futuristic interpretation - from FW 1990, a silk jumpsuit from Autumn/Winter 1997, a silver and white dress from Spring/Summer 1996 and a fuchsia mini-dress from Spring/Summer 1997, but also two pieces in a physical version created in collaboration with Dossena and the French craftsmen who made the original pieces attached to the virtual version of 185. 000 pounds, the Rodoid Crystals Headpiece and the Samurai Dress. Those who decide to treat themselves to the chance to own these rarities will also have the chance to attend Paco Rabanne's next runway show. The CEO of the brand, Bastien Daguzan said about it:

"Paco Rabanne likes to explore worlds where disciplines intersect and meet, these 12 NFTs are a way to showcase Paco Rabanne's fashion know-how and celebrate the creativity of the archives in a modern grammar [...] It is a world beyond the current limits that awaits us. A world that is already present, where fashion and digital art can create new experiences. But it's mostly a connection to the culture of the metaverse, rather than the rise of a new future." 

A second batch of NFTs is also already planned, intended to be worn in various virtual spaces, including video games. The NFTs will be available in limited quantities of 56 units with prices starting at £600 GBP (approximately €718.15). The collection will be available for purchase from April 12 universenft.live. Will collecting archival pieces become the new hype of the metaverse? It is not possible to say yet, but the opportunity for archives to find a new channel of communication with its fans in an environment where there is ample affordability for valuable pieces is certainly juicy.