Parisian haute couture house Maison Margiela combines the physical and digital realms with its new MetaTABI collection, an NFT that combines a token-gated product experience with the brand’s iconic split-toe shoes.
In a livestream with Rug Radio producer Stephy Fung, Maison Margiela president Stefano Rosso called the launch a “metaphorically big step forward” in collaboration with digital fashion house The Fabricant.
The first phase of Web3 used the brand’s Tabi shoes, Rosso said. “It is very special in many ways. The symbolism of our Maison is linked to our unique footprint in this amazing new environment that is changing people’s lives.”
MetaTABI consists of two editions: 15 white Tier 1 NFTs and 1,500 black Tier 2 NFTs. Tier 2 holders will receive a customized leather wallet with a printed cryptocurrency wallet, Fabricant founder Adriana Hoppenbrouwer explained.
Tier 1 holders will receive a pair of limited edition, handmade, real Tabi boots. “Only 15 people in the world own these boots and you won’t find them anywhere else,” Hoppenbrouwer said. Rosso said the Tabi boots have a unique hand-painted gold finish, adding, “This is a unique treatment that has never been applied to any of our shoes or products.”
MetaTABI owners will have access to physical products as well as virtual products across AR and Metaverse platforms, including The Sandbox and Ready Player Me. “The idea of a digital boot is the same idea as a physical boot – you can choose where you want to wear it,” said Kerry Murphy, founder of The Fabricant.
Maison Margiela has a history of exploring the Web3 space. Last year, it launched a blockchain game where participants compete to create 24 token-linked numbers.
Billed as “the foundation of Maison Margiela’s future Web3 community,” the gaming token will give holders access to the MetaTABI pre-sale before public minting begins, Hoppenbrouwer explained. “The pre-sale is for The Fabricant holders, those who have played Maison Margiela games, and lucky people from our partner community who will be entered into a drawing to participate in the pre-sale,” she said.
Both MetaTABI editions offer priority access to Maison Margiela’s upcoming Web3 projects via the NFT Mint Pass, from virtual experiences such as exclusive programming and game activations to collaborative Web3 partnerships. “MetaTABI is actually a membership token, Maison Margiela’s new VIP program,” Hoppenbrouwer said.
“Imagine how exclusive a Margiela event really is,” said Murphy. “This token essentially gives you lifetime access. And this is one of the things I find most valuable right now. Because these physical events are of very high interest.”
Murphy said the virtual event, powered by MetaTABI NFTs, “will allow more people to access the Maison Margiela experience.” “With tokens, whether physical or virtual, you can get all the different benefits, the so-called utilities. It’s about creating more value than a single physical item could provide on its own,” he said.
MetaTABI owners who have become part of Maison Margiela’s fan base “don’t just get the physical product,” Rosso said. “In the future, there will be so many different ways to access brands. So for us, this is really just the beginning of the journey.”