German fashion brand HUGO has announced that it will collaborate with renowned Web 3.0 company, Imaginary Ones on a holistic, 360-degree metaverse experience including the launch of an exclusive NFT collection.
The new move comes as part of a complete global refresh of the brand which began early in 2022.
An exclusive HUGO x Imaginary Ones NFT collection of 1,001 3D animations, entitled ‘Embrace Your Emotions’ (EYE), will be launched early November. The collection encourages owners to connect with their emotions, and to share a message that all feelings – positive and negative – are valid and should be embraced, as the freedom to feel and express can significantly improve mental health and overall well-being.
Of the 1,001 NFTs, six characters will contain special attributes. Five characters each represent one of our everyday emotions – joy, sadness, fear, anger, and love. The fun storyline of the collection will also benefit a charitable cause as, to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10, a special sixth character bringing together all five emotions will be auctioned, with 100% of the proceeds donated to Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM).
An allowlist will provide access to the HUGO x Imaginary Ones EYE collection, and enable the purchase of the NFTs. Of 1,000 allowlist spots in total, 500 will be allocated to customers who purchase an exclusive phygital T-shirt. There are 500 limited-edition T-shirts for sale, and each will contain a QR code where users will be directed to a Snapchat Lens to create a special augmented reality effect.
Miah Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing & Brand Communications at HUGO BOSS, said: “The metaverse is an exciting new space for fashion brands, one that is rich with potential for HUGO. We are excited to partner with Imaginary Ones to deliver an NFT collection of beautiful 3D assets that enables us not only to further explore this virtual world, but also to share a message of self-acceptance and being true to yourself, which is at the heart of what HUGO stands for”.
Clement Chia, Co-Founder of Imaginary Ones, said: “Imaginary Ones is humbled and honoured to partner with HUGO and to be the first Asia-born NFT project to collaborate with an international fashion brand. We share the HUGO’s values and commitment to contributing to an inclusive and equitable world. With this partnership, we aspire to strengthen Imaginary Ones’ presence beyond the Web 3.0 space and further our cause in embracing inclusivity and diversity everywhere”.
In addition to receiving a “golden ticket” for a 10% discount in the HUGO online store, all holders of a HUGO x Imaginary Ones NFT will have access to Imaginary Ones’ staking ecosystem, which grants the holder a separate set of special HUGO x IO merchandise, experiences, and content, including digital HUGO wearables and HUGO-themed Imaginary Ones drops.
