Vogue Singapore Catwalks Metaverse with an NFT Launch

The September 2021 edition of Vogue Singapore is a genuine testimony to the worldwide concept of ‘New Beginnings,' which unites all 27 issues of Vogue. The print cover, which was available on newsstands on August 25, is actually a portal to the true covers, which are two digital covers that may be bought as NFTs.

Vogue Singapore held its second Vogue Conversations conference to commemorate the event, continuing the discussion about the crosswalk of fashion, technology, and innovative thinking that began with the first Vogue Conversations, which celebrated the magazine's release and knowing NFTs and what they entail for fashion.

The September edition of the luxury fashion magazine Vogue Singapore has a unique print cover, a QR code that serves as a portal to an interactive fashion metaverse that includes two digital covers, both of which are accessible as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

A gold sculpture sits next to a blue globe ringed by a rising and setting sun on one of the animated digital covers, dubbed “Triumphant Awakening”, influenced by Vogue's worldwide subject of “New Beginnings”, which unites all 27 global editions in September, as per a press release. The RenaiXance Rising cover depicts an avatar “dressed in a magnificent and billowing gown influenced by Singaporean and Malay culture”.

“The RenaiXance Rising,” a programmable NFT, varies based on when it is viewed. As per Vogue Singapore, “sun flares splice and spin around the garment, indicating that a fresh start for fashion awaits in the metaverse”. The metaverse and NFTs are Vogue Singapore's first foray into the metaverse, as NFTs continue to grow in prominence, with artists, celebrities, companies, and collectors getting on board.

“The September edition has always been the headline edition for any fashion magazine,” Norman Tan, editor-in-chief of Vogue Singapore, informed Forkast.News in an interview.

“It's the beginning of the autumn/winter season, and the book’s pages are packed with fascinating stories that urge people to wear dresses again, have pleasure with fashion, and, eventually, be encouraged to dream.”

“With the worldwide September edition, subject of ‘New Beginnings’, we undertook the risk of venturing into the metaverse, the home of a new generation of digital artists and designers,” Tan continued. “With this edition, we hope to enhance narrative and maintain the print-digital conversation which we have supported since the beginning.”

Chad Knight, a virtual world artist, and 3D designer for Nike, collaborated with Jamela Law and Lionel Wong of Singapore-based design studio Balf Design to create the "Triumphant Awakening" cover.

The Fabricant, a digital fashion company, collaborated with Shavonne Wong, a Singaporean fashion photographer turned 3D virtual model maker, for the RenaiXance Rising cover, with fashion direction from Vogue Singapore's fashion director Desmond Lim.

Apart from the two digital covers, Vogue Singapore is selling 15 NFTs today, including a unique digital-only garment by French luxury fashion label Balmain to commemorate Olivier Rousteing's ten years as creative director. There are also six beauty NFTs by Dain Yoon, a make-up artist, and design NFTs from Lanzavecchia + Wai, a Singapore-based design company.

As per Vogue Singapore, the winning bidder for Rousteing's "Flame Dress," which is described as "an off-shoulder emerald green gown propped against an apocalyptic backdrop and set aflame," will obtain a digital certificate of veracity, Rousteing's sketches of the NFT dress, and the ability to port the NFT dress into the fashion gaming app Altava.

When readers click on the digital covers on Vogue Singapore's metaverse, they will be able to learn more about the artists who produced the artworks, buy the print issue of Vogue Singapore, or purchase the NFT covers.

From September, the NFTs featured in Vogue Singapore's September issue would be available to buy on Brytehall, Media Publishers' newly established premium NFT platform built on the Binance Smart Chain in partnership with VIDY and cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Vogue Singapore is the latest publication to dip its toes into the world of NFTs. The South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong newspaper, said in July that it would issue a collection of NFTs based on its 118-year-old database of historical events.