NFTs and blockchain put sustainability on the runway at NYFW
NEW YORK, September 6, 2022
This New York Fashion Week, sustainable fashion brand Maakola will make its runway debut on September 12th leveraging Web3 technologies to explore how they can change the way fashion is made, consumed and experienced. The brand will bring to the runway the artisans and the stories behind its key pieces for Spring/Summer 2023 through phygital experiences that take consumers behind the scenes of the fashion industry. Maakola will explore Web3 technologies to create a new dimension of fashion – one that is authentic, collective and creative.
Maakola will be showing as part of Electric Feel, an immersive multi-brand experience at the intersection of crypto and commerce. The event, powered by Creativo and MetaBurnett, will include a live model presentation paired with NFTs using hyper-augmented reality experiences that reveal every stitch and fiber. During the show, Maakola will couple the tactile, real-world experience of physical clothing on live models with a virtual experience that enhances reality.
In this show, Maakola will not only democratize the runway by making 3D augmented reality rendering of each look available to everyone; it will also bring together Web3, physical clothing and sustainability. The brand has partnered with Futureclo to create NFTs that tell the stories behind each piece, with 30 percent of revenues from the sales of these NFTs supporting programs in Ghana that contribute to SDGs 5, 7 and 12 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by helping tailors transition to solar power energy and providing training opportunities for women.
Working with Genuine Way, Maakola is also using blockchain to certify the supply chain, so that consumers can follow the journey of their Maakola piece, understand the environmental impact of every step, and feel connected to the people, heritage and stories behind its creation.
Behind the NYFW glamor and the crypto buzz lies a serious purpose. Aurora Chiste, Maakola’s founder and creative director, said: “We want to show the beauty that lies at every step of the supply chain. We are trying to keep alive the consciousness and craftsmanship of each piece in regards to silhouette, fabric, and meaning but what’s really groundbreaking is the opportunity to share these stories with the audience and create a virtual space where designers, consumers and manufacturers can come together.”
“We are very proud to participate in NYFW with Maakola. A revolution is underway not only from a technological point of view, but also in terms of attention to social and environmental impact, and we are proud to give our contribution, working every day to facilitate this process. The transparency that blockchain technology can guarantee will radically change the way we produce and interact with brands in favor of greater sustainability and ethics.” – Amelia Bassini, COO and co-founder of Genuine Way
“We are very happy and proud to be able to partner with Maakola in this important NYFW event. Working with our partners in order to be able to make a concrete contribution to the goal of making fashion increasingly sustainable, transparent and close to its users was a challenge that we undertook with great pleasure. Digital technology and its tools now allow consumers to live experiences that they could never have thought of before, and we are great promoters and supporters of this.” – German Picco, CEO and founder of Futureclo
For more information, please contact press@maakola.com
Notes for editors:
Photos are available here.
Event access: VIP passes to the event are available on request, email press@maakola.com
Preview NFTs and AR available on request, email press@maakola.com
Maakola (www.maakola.com) transforms fashion into a force for good. Using exceptional fabrics and cutting-edge technology, the brand is creating a consciously designed sustainable clothing system – one that not only helps people express themselves and their values, but that actively regenerates the planet. Interdisciplinary designer and entrepreneur Aurora Chiste founded Maakola with the belief that what we wear can build prosperity and increase environmental and social capital.
About Genuine Way
Genuine Way (www.genuineway.io) is a technology provider, with headquarters in Lugano and offices in Milan and Salerno. It is the first company dedicated to brands that want to note their social and environmental impact, creating maximum transparency for consumers and empowering companies. The team, currently made up of 12 people, is led by the two co-founders Amelia Bassini and Walfredo della Gherardesca.
Futureclo (www.futureclo.it) is an Italian digital fashion house that is dedicated to the creation of sustainable and innovative fashion projects through the use of the most current and high-performing digital technologies (3D, AR, VR, XR , UX). The uniqueness of Futureclo derives from the union of the experience in the world of physical fashion of its founders and the team with the deep knowledge of the technologies and digital tools available today.