The Future of Gucci Is in the Metaverse
Few luxury houses are more Web3-savvy than Gucci, lead by technology-obsessed creative director Alessandro Michele — remember, this is the man who devised an immersive Gucci experience for Roblox.
Michele's vision for Gucci goes far beyond the here and now, dovetailing with his metaverse fascination by way of an NFT exhibit hosted by the Gucci Vault and digital art marketplace SuperRare.
Given that the metaverse represents the future of culture — to Michele, at least — it's only right that digital artists are be brought on board to devise Gucci's own digital future, no?
"The Next 100 Years of Gucci," the Gucci Vault NFT exhibit, is both indicative of the house's desire to push beyond our flesh-and-blood world and utilize its platforms as incubators for up-and-coming artistic talents.
"Gucci is a leader in physical fashion and I am very confident that it will be a leader in digital fashion as well," Antoni Tudisco, one of the artists handpicked to participate in "The Next 100 Years of Gucci," told Highsnobiety.
"I want to see Gucci continue to lean into web3 and NFTs, and continue to leverage this technology to embrace the future of fashion."
Tudisco is one of 29 creatives showcased within "The Next 100 Years of Gucci," joined by the likes of Alex Trochut, diberkato, YEAHYEAHCHLOE, Vexx, and Sasha Katz, to name but a few.
All of the artworks will be available to view on Gucci Vault's Art Space site in three separate drops, each with a corresponding ETH auction.
"Fashion labels are bringing in their following into Web3 which grows the space as a whole, utilizing the technology to build strong online communities," continued Tudisco, an ardent admirer of Gucci & Balenciaga's 2021 "hack."
"When brands enter this industry they find opportunities to grow, and artists and collectors around the world are enabled to deepen their connection with these companies. I want to see Gucci continue to lean into web3 and NFTs, and continue to leverage this technology to embrace the future of fashion."
Though "The Next 100 Years of Gucci" is perhaps the Italian maison's most hands-on NFT project to date, it's the culmination of a couple years spent exploring Web3.
The first Gucci NFT was auctioned off in 2021 as part of the Gucci Aria festivities, celebrating the first 100 years of Gucci.
That was followed by SUEPRGUCCI, Gucci's recent SUPERPLASTIC collab and the garments that Gucci co-created with Wagmi-San earlier this year.
And that's only over the past couple years — imagine the next century of Gucci in the metaverse. Or simply peruse "The Next 100 Years of Gucci" for visual aid.
