Kendall Jenner, Kate Moss, Peggy Gou join star-studded panel for amfAR’s NFT contest & more: Web3 drops of the week

This week, non-profit institution amfAR and Prospect 100 have teamed up to raise awareness of the worldwide AIDs crisis through NFTs. The tie-up taps the high-wielding influence of some of the globe’s most notable personalities, from models Kate Moss and Kendall Jenner, to contemporary American artist Jeff Koons. 

In other news, digital fashion platform Syky’s inaugural designer incubator program, The Syky Collective, has revealed its first ever cohort, which includes digital fashion pioneer Stephy Fung, a creative who we also spotlighted in our latest round-up of top Asian Web3 talent alongside NFT virtuoso Zagabond.

Finally, fashion and lifestyle label Madhappy has partnered with Moonpay on a new and exclusive membership program. But with more players across the industry following suit with their own private clubs, is it a case of jumping on the “brandwagon” or are these community-centric projects a necessary means of survival in the industry? 

The LVMH-backed fashion label is launching its own Web3 membership program alongside Moonpay. Photo: Madhappy

Madhappy enters the NFT space with the help of Moonpay to launch new membership program 

What Happened: Known for its luxury lounge apparel and bestselling collaborations, Madhappy made its first foray into the NFT world this week as a way to further connect with its customer base.

Kicking off an invite-only program in June, the brand has launched its own dedicated blockchain-based membership club that will offer rewards and credits to its community, including early access to product releases, annual gifts, and members-only product drops. The program will be open to the public later this summer. 

The Verdict: The Los Angeles–based fashion label joins a long line of fashion and lifestyle brands introducing Web3 membership programs into their community-building strategies. From luxury label Balmain to athleisure favorite Alo Yoga, the industry has spied a new opportunity to improve customer relationships and retention through rewards systems and exclusive access. 

But with the volume of these programs increasing, brands need to explore what they can do differently to stand out from the swelling crowd.  

The American fashion label has teamed up with Mavion and DressX on a new virtual handbag launch for a charitable cause. Photo: DressX

Rebecca Minkoff joins forces with Mavion once again to use the power of NFTs for good

What Happened: American fashion label and Web3 veteran Rebecca Minkoff has reunited with NFT marketplace Mavion, as well as major digital fashion player DressX, to launch a special 10-piece, one-of-one virtual handbag collection. The line dropped on June 22, with each uniquely designed bag priced at $300 apiece.

Holders of the bags also unlocked access to an AR filter, product discounts, and the opportunity to win New York Fashion Week tickets.

The Verdict: Luxury fashion designer Minkoff’s latest metaverse project has a greater cause. The limited-product collection aims to raise awareness and funds for the non-profit Winweb3 charity, which uses art and technology to help women and girls in war-torn countries. 

Minkoff’s long-term presence in the metaverse bodes well for the label. Previously, it has used NFT drops to learn and adapt its strategies, and maintain its position at the forefront of brands, both big and small, in the virtual space.

amfAR and Prospect 100’s debut NFT collection will raise proceeds for the global AIDs epidemic. Photo: amfAR

amfAR assembles star-studded panel of judges for first ever NFT contest

What Happened: amfAR, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research and HIV prevention, has announced that it will be hosting its first ever NFT design competition in collaboration with youth-led platform Prospect 100.

The contest has since gone viral thanks to its high-profile panel of judges, including Baz Luhrmann, Kendall Jenner, Kate Moss and Jeff Koons, who will team up to select 100 artists out of the submissions to create the backgrounds for amfAR’s new NFTs. 

The Verdict: The company describes the competition as a new path of revolutionizing how audiences can support the mission to end the AIDs epidemic. But the project also demonstrates how NFT activations are becoming a popular port of call for charitable causes, fundraisers, and pledge campaigns — and have often produced impressive results. 

Tapping industry moguls like Peggy Gou and Kate Moss is also a foolproof way to generate virality, leveraging their global influence to reach more potential supporters outside of the Web3 community. All proceeds from this collection with be donated to amfAR.