March 21, 2023 |
It’s been four long years since the House of Dundas last hosted a Parisian catwalk. But now it’s not only returning to fashion, it’s also entering into the next-generation of world wide webbing with one foot in blockchain and the other in NTFs (non-fungible tokens).
The London-based eponymous label tapped into Polkadot’s advanced infrastructure and Unique Network to bring Web3 to fashion week at its D24 show earlier this month. So alongside the melange of seafaring great coats, exquisite tailoring, fair isle knits and bias cut dresses that came stomping down the red Woman and the Sea runway, 340 PoAPs came too.
So…you’re probably wondering, what even is a PoAP? Well, it’s simpler than it sounds; PoAPs are a collection of Proof of Attendance Protocol NFTs. They’re tokens supported by a cryptographic record that help prove a certain person attended a specific event – in this case the D24 catwalk – and can be collected like digital memorabilia. The Dundas PFW 2023 PoAP’s were designed by award-winning creative studio UME based on Peter Dundas’ high-octane designs, and provided the audience with each their own exclusive access to a unique D24 collection Paris Fashion Week experience. So while signifying someone’s inclusion in the Dundas community, it also allows access to exclusive content, reward offers and special experiences. Not to mention, the PoAP tokens were minted on Unique Network, a sustainable NFT blockchain and Polkadot parachain, so on top of all the mesh dresses and sexified-glamour at the show, it proved to be an ethical affair.
Polkadot provided the ease of access to attendees: after all it’s the new blockchain network powering the technical advances necessary to make blockchain technology practical, accessible, scalable, interoperable and future-proof, removing limitations and barriers to entry. With Polkadot, D24 guests could claim their PoAP in just a few clicks, without any pre-existing knowledge of Web3 wallets or the ever-confusing blockchain. Evangelo Bousis, the co-founder and image director of Dundas, said: “PoAPs are just the beginning. We can’t wait to show the world all the groundbreaking experiences we’re building together.” We can’t wait to see them either. This is digi-Dundas, baby.
Photography courtesy of Dundas.
