Swedish-American fashion label BLK DNM has introduced the world’s first example of linked fashion with the introduction of BLK DNM Society. Built on blockchain-powered hardware and software, the garments are ‘twinned’ in the sense that they have a physical and digital equivalent. BLK DNM’s FW 2023 collection will feature the technology for the first time.
BLK DNM Society and “connected fashion”
Members of the BLK DNM Society share a common interest in the brand’s products and are linked virtually through their collections. The BLK DNM Society, powered by technology developed by blockchain pioneer and BLK DNM owner ChromaWay, would provide each garment with a verifiable digital and real-world identifier, incentivize good behaviour, and elevate the status of their owners’ brands. The garments come with the following features:
- Chips form the hardware aspect of BLK DNM Society, which launches simultaneously and rewards responsible behaviour and ownership;
- Blockchain-powered ‘digital garment ID’ microchips will provide each item a unique identification and record of its history;
The owners of BLK DNM Society apparel are given a voice in the decision-making in the company and rewarded for ethical actions. This is the first-ever step towards decentralising the management of a fashion company.
All BLK DNM apparel in the future will be embedded with a “digital garment ID,” a small, undetectable chip that will serve as a permanent and trackable identifier. Some of the initial capabilities of digital clothing IDs will consist of:
- Each item of clothing has a unique history, including previous owners, the events and places it has been worn, any repairs or alterations that have been made, and more. By recording this history, as well as the current owner’s access to the item, the garment can gain sentimental and monetary value over time.
- Authentication of the garment as genuine, which will help eliminate fakes and prevent counterfeiting;
- Rewarding responsible behaviours of treasuring and caring for clothing over the long term, such as refurbishments and second-hand purchases;
- Acting as a digital ticket for entry
- Eligibility for membership in BLK DNM Society and the opportunity to vote.
Digital Garment IDs
The digital clothing IDs are the initial pieces of hardware for BLK DNM Society, which also debuts at the same time. By assigning a unique digital identifier to each garment, a virtual duplicate of the real garment is produced, complete with information on the item’s provenance and status in BLK DNM Society.
Toni Collin, CEO of BLK DNM, and Henrik Hjelte, CEO and Co-founder of ChromaWay
Especially for the younger generations, whose identities in virtual worlds are as important to them as their physical ones, the digital mirror can be worn in the metaverses. BLK DNM’s FW presentation in Paris on June 21 will be the first public exhibition of digital garment IDs. Chips are only included in leather items for the debut collection; other materials will be added in the following lines.
Henrik Hjelte, CEO and Co-founder of ChromaWay, comments:
“ This has the potential to transform people’s relationships with the clothes they wear and the brands they buy. No longer does the relationship with the customer end at the checkout. And each beautiful garment now becomes its own living, evolving piece of history.”