Christie’s partners with Gucci for new NFT art collection
The 256-year-old auction house Christie’s is teaming up with luxury fashion powerhouse Gucci for a unique venture into the realm of digital art. Together, they are set to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) collection called “Future Frequencies: Explorations in Generative Art and Fashion”.
A new collection by Christie’s
The “Future Frequencies: Explorations in Generative Art and Fashion” collection is comprised of 21 NFTs crafted by renowned digital artists. The list includes AI artist Claire Silver, generative artist Emily Xie, and decentralized autonomous artist Botto.
The auction begins on July 18 on Christie’s digital art platform, Christie’s 3.0, and concludes on July 25.
Gucci’s influence on the collection
Taking a leaf from Gucci’s illustrious legacy, the NFT collection gleans from its textiles, color palettes, and the Bamboo 1947 collection – a classic line of handbags brandishing the brand’s signature bamboo handle. The artists leveraged generative systems, including algorithms and AI, to manifest a collection that pushes the boundaries of creativity at the junction of art, fashion, and technology.
Sebastian Sanchez, Manager of Digital Art Sales at Christie’s, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the potential to inspire artists and the fashion industry to venture into Web3 technologies with the new auction. Sanchez went on to describe how partnering with Gucci elevates the collection’s significance:
“The Gucci name has such a power, and they have their own audience and a proven record that their audience is probably very different from ours, (…) That to me is kind of where the beauty in our collaboration lies – Christie’s is an art expert and Gucci is a fashion expert, and we’re kind of like right in the middle.”
Gucci’s Web3 ventures
While Christie’s has delved into the Web3 space with gusto since the record-breaking $69 million sale of artist Beeple’s “EVERYDAYS” NFT in March 2021, Gucci has been progressively expanding its digital footprint.
In February 2022, the brand purchased land in the metaverse The Sandbox to develop the Gucci Vault, a venue for digital experiences. By June 2022, it had invested $25,000 in SuperRare’s native RARE token to join the marketplace’s decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and set up its “Vault Art Space” for showcasing NFT art. Earlier this year, Gucci also announced a partnership with Yuga Labs to bring high fashion to the Otherside.
This latest venture with Christie’s represents another pioneering step forward for Gucci, demonstrating a commitment to exploring new technological frontiers while simultaneously honoring the brand’s rich heritage.
