Eye on the Future
De Rigo Vision teams up with Philipp Plein to launch the first NFT-associated eyewear project.
Global eyewear design, manufacturing and distributing group, De Rigo Vision has tapped Philipp Plein to design the first NFT eyewear: The Crypto King$ Limited Edition.
The project is futuristic, dimensional and bold and with Plein’s signature, provocative soul and maximalist style, is poised to take the eyewear sector to the next level. As the world enters a new era and even luxury becomes immaterial to expand into the virtual world, De Rigo Vision told WWD, “Philipp Plein is already there, and has been for some time.”
“The collaboration with a brand as dynamic and disruptive as Philipp Plein is a real game changer for our company,” said Barbara De Rigo, Chief Marketing Officer at De Rigo Vision. “With the first NFT phygital style, we demonstrated our ability to design, manufacture and target a wider community by bringing eyewear into the digital world.”
Notably, Philipp Plein has been an early adaptor to many digital advances, it was the first luxury brand to adopt cryptocurrencies as a payment method and to open a Crypto Concept store in London. Moreover, De Rigo Vision has applauded the designer in his ability to “give physical presence to virtual things,” saying Plein’s avant-garde mentality and readiness to break boundaries with experimentation, have made him the right pioneer to bring physicality into the digital world with eyewear.
Designed by Philipp Plein and developed in collaboration with De Rigo, the Philipp Plein’ FW22 eyewear collection “reflects the identity of the brand, transferring the various distinctive features into its eyewear.” The collection is inspired by Rock ‘N’ Roll spirit and designed for confident men and women “who want to be the very best and are not afraid to express their personalities.”
The styles are designed with flamboyant oversized design including signature icons of the Plein brand such as skulls, studs, crystals and the hexagonal ‘PP’ logo. Styles are featured in black, grey and in exclusive acetates to re-produce the marble featured throughout the Philipp Plein boutiques, and pops of bright orange and gold that do not go unnoticed.
The highlight of the collection is the exclusive SPP008 phygital model. Designed in a mask style with thick acetate, the front piece creates a spoiler effect on the sides with embellished lens featuring a three-dimensional metal Plein logo. The style is available in matt black acetate with gold metal and rainbow mirrored lens and glossy black acetate with gunmetal and silver mirrored lens.
The Crypto King$ Limited Edition collection has been launched as a world exclusive at SILMO, the prestigious eyewear exhibition held in Paris with a special event taking place at the boutique situated in Avenue George V to celebrate the pioneering project. The limitededition drop of 1,000 phygital frames will each have an individual serial number and be accompanied by a special box containing a video screen loaded with a preview of the NFT.
The NFTs were created by Antoni Tudisco, internationally renowned 3D artist who co-founded the Crypto King$ with Plein.
Plein shared that he is proud of the partnership with De Rigo, describing it as a “hyper-contemporary project” in which he is able to express his vision and deliver a unique experience within the eyewear industry.