Takashi Murakami x Hublot NFTs, Betty Wu Drops Art Toys Digital Collectibles & More: Web3 Drops Of The Week

Thanks to a strong community ethos and an unwavering focus on exclusivity, luxury watchmakers and the NFT market have become a match made in heaven. No jeweler has embraced the new terrains of Web3 quite like Swiss maestro Hublot, which this past week unveiled the fourth installment of its artistic venture in collaboration with famed visionary Takashi Murakami. To celebrate the occasion, the duo offered a first look at their new collection in New York to an exclusive group of enthusiasts.

This week also saw emerging designer Martina Spetlova make her debut in the metaverse, having released a collection of digital twins to accompany her trademark physical jackets. A member of the Sarabande Foundation, a London-based program that offers support to promising creative designers, the designer is a hopeful sign of things to come from the next generation of fashion pioneers.

As for China, popular singer Betty Wu has teamed up with art toy brand TOPTOY to launch a new line of digital collectibles. The company is the latest to harness the power of mainland artists and idols as a marketing strategy in the Chinaverse. Will the country’s remarkable name become a key feature in the expansion and survival of the digital market?

The “Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow” watch is the first to be revealed from its 13-piece collection. Photo: Hublot

Takashi Murakami x Hublot launches latest project as part of long-term Metaverse collaboration

What happened: Contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and watchmaker Hublot have released their latest collaboration: a 13-piece collection of unique NFTs paired with physical timepieces. Unveiled at a private event at the Glass House in New York on February 2nd, the brand offered the public a first look at one of the IRL watches available.

The classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow watch – featuring Murakami’s famous smiling floral motif made from gemstones including rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites and topaz in various hues – comes with its own token, inspired by the 1970s video game. . The remaining 12 watches and NFTs will be debuted during the Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023 exhibition at the end of March.

The verdict: The campaign marks the fourth artistic venture for the duo, as they continue to delve deeper into the world of NFT and its potential. Since their initial partnership back in 2021, with the assistance of Web3 agency SIGNVM, the pair has had a strong and successful run in the metaverse. These collaborations tap into the lucrative watch enthusiast market, offering the close-knit community exclusive benefits and rewards; this time, only holders of the 324 NFTs that the brand released in April 2022 will be able to purchase one of Hublot x Murakami’s new Classic Fusion models.

The Sarabande Foundation resident launched digital twins of her signature jacket designs. Photo: Seamm

Martina Spetlova brings her eponymous textile label to Web3 with the Phygital jacket collection

What happened: Fashion designer and resident of Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande Foundation Martina Spetlova has launched a phygital garment collection. Available now at Selfridges in London, the range features several specially designed jackets, each bearing a tag produced by US-based online wardrobe startup Seamm. When scanned, they provide access to the jacket’s digital twin, which is interoperable and can be used in multiple virtual games and rooms.

The verdict: An initiative like the Sarabande Foundation, which nurtures and celebrates upcoming digital designers, is an exciting development for the fashion community and its emerging talent. It’s even more significant given the fact that a major retailer like Selfridges is backing the project – integrating more Web3-focused explorations into its catalog of designers. Although the project is a first for Spetlova, the designer has already introduced NFC chips into her production as a way to communicate brand values ​​and transparency in the supply chain.

TOPTOY’s latest collaboration taps into the mainland’s current digital collectibles boom. Photo: Weibo

China’s newest digital collectibles platform teams up with Art Toy Brand TOPTOY and singer Betty Wu

What happened: Art toy brand TOPTOY has teamed up with singer Betty Wu and digital collecting platform Mints to launch its own phygital art toy collection. Customers can initially purchase the art toy offline, which comes with a QR code that can be scanned to access a digital collectible identical to what their toy figure is wearing. The collection is available for purchase via TOPTOY’s WeChat mall, Tmall, and in offline stores for $30 (RMB 195).

The verdict: China’s collectible art toy trend is worth keeping an eye on. The craze has been gathering momentum over the past few years, showing no signs of abating and continuing to maintain an impressive growth rate. This latest collaboration brings together both the current Chinaverse digital collectibles with the art toy market. Both sectors share similar positions such as the possibility of trade and resale, as well as the attractive element of collecting culture.

In addition, the collaboration leverages the power of China’s fan culture by naming singer Betty Wu as the main contributor to the campaign. Having started his career as a member of the popular South Korean pop group WJSN, the singer has built up a strong following and fan base: a consumer market that could greatly benefit from the collaboration.