Hermès reveals plans for Metaverse fashion show, crypto and NFTs

by · August 31, 2022

Luxury brand Hermès is laying the groundwork for its entry into Web3 after filing a trademark application covering NFTs, cryptocurrencies and the Metaverse.

According to a filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on August 26, the trademark covers downloadable software for viewing, storing and managing virtual goods, digital collectibles, cryptocurrencies and NFTs “for use in online worlds”.

It also filed trademarks for “virtual goods retail services” as well as fashion and fairs in “online virtual, augmented or mixed reality environments” and for “providing an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of virtual goods.”

The new trademark filing comes months after filing a lawsuit against Metabirkins founder Mason Rothschild in January for allegedly using the brand’s Birkin name to profit from the sale and resale of his NFT Metabirkins collection.

In a 47-page legal complaint against Rothschild, Hermés claimed that “the MetaBirkins brand simply rips off Hermés’ famous Birkin trademark by adding the generic prefix ‘meta’ to the famous Birkin trademark”, thereby creating the illusion of that the MetaBirkins brand was a part of the luxury Hermés Birkin brand.

Related: Metaverse is a key factor for long-term NFT success, says new research

The lawsuit against Rothschild may be one of the reasons why the company has moved forward with filing its own protections that will cover Metaverse, crypto and NFT related products and tokens.

The luxury brand is neither the first nor likely the last to make a move in the Metaverse.

Earlier this year, Decentraland’s Metaverse Fashion Week, a four-day digital fashion event featuring wearables on virtual runways, featured luxury brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Tommy Hilfiger, Estée Lauder and Elie Saab.

Last month, data from Dune Analytics revealed that leading brands including Nike, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Adidas and Tiffany had amassed a combined $260 million in revenue from NFTs.