Cryptopunks for the masses? NFT ownership enters a new phase

The collection comprises a black or white T-shirt ($55), candle ($55) and black hoodie ($135), all of which are branded with Cryptopunk #1338. Hndsm co-founder AJ Jamani, who says he bought #1338 for ETH 66 in May 2022, tells Vogue Business he chose this Punk as it represents his own skin tone and he liked the fact that it’s smiling (a trait only found in 2 per cent of Punks). “It felt like me,” he explains. The option to one day “do something physical” with the NFT also factored into the decision.

By choosing not to token-gate the drop and opting for a lower price point, Hndsm wants to open up the world of Cryptopunks to a wider consumer base. “We’re going to get these shirts in many more people’s hands,” says Jamani.

Still, there’s an element of social signalling involved in wearing crypto gear: an ‘IYKYK’ [If you know, you know] nod to those involved in the Web3 space. This is particularly resonant in the context of Nike and Rtfkt’s plain black hoodie, and Gmoney’s recent Iteration-01 drop under his 9dcc luxury label. Hndsm recognises the importance of tapping into this community and, while it has made this capsule collection open to everyone, future drops might be geared more towards those in the crypto sphere, with token-gating to reward loyal followers. Upon visiting the product page on the brand’s website, consumers are invited to enter their Ethereum address under “Special Instructions” to access future drops. Jamani hints that these could include both physical products and NFTs.

Hndsm’s collection has been well received so far, reflecting the merits of this approach to NFT ownership. In addition to supportive tweets from the likes of Cryptopunks brand lead Noah Davis, the brand has garnered interest from others in the community who want to turn their own Cryptopunks into physical goods for sale.

More on this topic:

Tiffany is turning Cryptopunks into pendants with NFTiff

NFTs are coming to Instagram, bringing Web3 fashion closer to the mainstream

Tiffany’s Alexandre Arnault joins the NFT Cryptopunks community

This article has been updated to reflect the Cryptopunk 1338 purchase price. 18 August, 2022

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