Enter the Scandiverse: These are the Nordic brands minting NFTs and metaverse collectibles

Scandinavia has long been admired for its design delights and artisanal innovation, so it's really no surprise that some of the region's fashion brands are leading the pack when it comes to experimentation in the digital fashion realm.

From 'cryptopanties' to Mary J. Blige-related NFTs, here are just some of the ways that Nordic labels and designers are delving into the metaverse.

With the aim of exploring emotional attachments in the digital age, Soulland’s Creative Director Silas Adler conducted a digital fashion experiment for the Danish brand’s SS22 runway show, presenting the final and most memorable look as an NFT.

Related: Soulland’s last look for SS22 is an NFT

The look was made available to purchase at The Dematerialised and came in three different forms: an animation, an exclusive version containing the “ingredients” to construct the look offline, and finally, a tier one NFT which grants the owner access to the physical garment. “It’s the same fabric and prints as other pieces in the collection, so it [was] really part of the show”, explains Adler. “I think it's very important to focus on the emotions behind [fashion]. That’s where the physical and the digital worlds meet.”

To heighten accessibility and bring non-fungible tokens to a wider demographic, earlier this year Rave Review developed a collection of 'cryptopanties', a series of NFT collectible undergarments.

Related: We go inside the Rave Review atelier

Each garment exists virtually, but to reflect the Stockholm-based brand’s commitment to upcycling, the collection retains an extraordinary sense of tactility through a hybrid of (digital) textures and trims. 'Upcycled NFTs' from their partner RedDAO were blended into the designs, which were then made available for sale via the energy-efficient blockchain network Solona. Holders gain access to an exclusive Rave Review community and every pair of cryptopanties can be displayed using AR filters.

Co-founders Josephine Bergqvist and Lisa Schück explain that the collection is designed to empower women in a space where they are underrepresented. “If the metaverse is as powerful as a lot of people think, then it’s really important that women take a place,” says Bergqvist.

Dundas, the eponymous label created by Norwegian designer Peter Dundas, has also been seen to embrace NFTs. For this year’s Super Bowl half-time performance, Dundas was once again appointed as the costume designer having outfitted Shakira in slinky sequin mini-dresses and lamé short-shorts in 2020. But this time, when dressing Mary J. Blige and her dancers in sparkling bodysuits and an eye-catching pair of thigh-high boots, his work as a designer extended beyond the physical.

Related: Dressed in Dundas: The greatest sartorial hits from Norway's most famous designer

In partnership with Dressx, the largest metafashion retailer, Dundas’ designs were digitised and translated into NFTs and digital collectibles, comprised of exclusive items including digital wearables, design sketches and physical experiences. “It’s a new creative platform that is gaining relevance by the minute,” says Dundas, adding that it's “another extension of our brand in the digital world.”

After presenting a show at the inaugural Metaverse Fashion Week in March, Dundas continued exploring the realm by producing an NFT of his famous martini glass-shaped handbag. It was designed with the backing of French vodka company Grey Goose for Paris Hilton’s visit to the 64th Grammy Awards ceremony.

Pushing the boundaries of what a fashion show can be and with a desire “to help break down the barrier of the digital and physical” (di)vision presented an NFT with their AW22 collection. The non-fungible token was created as a character, Ozzy the alien, to accompany their runway show in collaboration with Adidas and Brand New Vision, with co-founder Simon Wick explaining, “The owners of Ozzy are able to cash in their digital NFT for the physical outfit.”

Related: (di)vision AW22's beauty was an extraterrestrial love affair

To the Wicks siblings, who have fond memories of playing video games and buying digital objects together, the concept of fashion NFTs is far from ‘alien’. It is about providing an experience for the community, they say.

As a brand founded on the basis of creating one-off pieces, similar in nature to the aim of NFTs, moving further into the metaverse seems only natural for (d)ivision. In the future, Wicks muses that the Copenhagen-based brand will embrace advanced ‘phygital’ concepts to allow consumers to “track ownership and authenticity using blockchain technology.”

Mert Otsamo is the first Finnish fashion designer to embrace NFTs. After presenting his MetaGarden collection at Metaverse Fashion Week, Otsamo collaborated with Dressx to turn one of his dystopian-inspired virtual jackets into a non-fungible token. The golden jacket was sold as a digital garment with a colour-adjusting filter.

Related: Everything you need to know about the first-ever Metaverse fashion week

“The metaverse helps designers reach new socio-demographic groups and enables fashion design which could not be possible in the real world,” Mert explains. For the Helsinki-based designer, who began designing clothes inspired by video games and cartoons as a child, the NFT represents an artistic endeavour that fuses technology and organic life.

Having previously participated in the Exthereal Virtual Fashion Conference last year, it's clear that Mert is set on exploring the interplay of digital and physical fashion further, making him another Scandinavian name to watch in the emerging field of metaverse style.