Characters from Redman’s Dour Fits NFT drop which will also be the protagonists of his new … [+]
Craig Redman, OG of the profile picture NFT popularized by Bored Ape Yacht Club, Crypto Punks et al is launching blockchain fashion game Dour Fits to coincide with New York Fashion Week.
The game, developed by former Apple games editor Adam Johnson, is an extension of Redman’s latest, 10,000 strong NFT drop of the same name based on his signature Darcel character.
The NY based artist created the cyclopian egg-shaped protagonist in 2008. Just like Bored Ape Club (officially) with adidas and Gucci, or Crypto Punks (unofficially) with Tiffany & Co, he has since partnered with brands such as Nike, adidas, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coca-Cola and Ikea.
In 2012 Redman collaborated with Colette on an exhibition to celebrate the iconic Paris concept store’s 15th anniversary. The show featured 150 Darcel style versions of Colette’s famous friends — including Karl Lagerfeld, Steve Jobs, Anna Wintour and Kanye West. Colette co-founder Sarah Andelman, French PR guru Lucien Pagès and many more have had personalized Darcels as their Instagram PFP ever since.
The Dour Fits game is centered around community and fashion. Dour Darcel and Dour Fits NFT owners will be able to connect their wallets to play, styling their NFT avatar character in a virtual dressing room.
They will use the traits from these NFTs — which transform into virtual clothing bundles within the game — alongside additional in-game options to compete in themed challenges.
Darcel fans will recognize some of the Dour Fits traits — such as Anna Wintour ‘Bangs’ hair, and Ralph Lauren ‘Mane’ hair — from Redman’s 2012 exhibition at Colette.
“We’ve taken advantage of the meta data built into the NFTs and used the technology to create something else,” Redman told me.
He added that the challenges will relate to different calendar events including Paris Fashion Week and The Oscars and change according to the time of year. The Darcel NFT community will vote to determine the winners and prizes will involve both NFTs, and phygital clothing that exists both on the blockchain and in real life.
Redman was keen for the project to have a phygital dynamic. “I like the idea of NFT projects having a foot in real life as well as in the metaverse,” he said. “You need to have both.”
The NFTs will be airdropped to the wallets of winners and will also be tradable at secondary market. And although the game is currently just for Darcel owners, Redman says he’s working on an app to bring it to a wider audience.
Darcel Disappoints x Colette collaboration sellout limited edition NFTs which dropped earlier this … [+]
Redman joined the NFT conversation in March minting 10,000 Dour Darcels, algorithm generated from his original illustrations. It was followed by a limited edition NFT collaboration with Colette, giving the store which closed its physical doors in 2017 a second life in the Metaverse.
“Fashion has always played an integral part to Darcel’s personality, so creating a collection based on this — articulating his taste and cultural references — is something that’s really exciting to me,” he says adding that “the community is the most crucial part of the project because it’s up to the them to shape the direction.”
“The brands that have entered the Web 3.0 or NFT space the most successfully are those like Gucci and adidas who have collaborated with members of the existing Web 3.0 community.”
Dour Fits is Redman’s third NFT drop and the characters and looks in the fashion focussed collection are based on the eclectic style of hipster New Yorkers.
“I’m leaning into fashion with Darcel now more than ever,” he concludes, “and there’s lots down the road that we can explore.”
