In the past year, generative AI and Web3 have been competing for attention among tech hype cycles and brand innovation strategies. A new fashion company called Mmerch aims to combine the two.
Launching this autumn with an inaugural collection planned for the spring, Mmerch will offer limited-edition drops with unique, one-of-one clothing items designed using generative AI and linked to NFTs. The hope is that these relatively nascent technologies can be combined to reach a lofty goal: making individual clothing items accessible to the average consumer that provide value beyond the point of sale. It’s a high bar, especially when Web3 enthusiasm is waning, and manufacturers are trapped in old-school workflows that depend on the economy of scale.
Founder Colby Mugrabi calls the concept “neo-couture”. It means one-of-one products that meet the speed and scale of fast fashion. “I always give the analogy of, I can’t believe my mum only had five television channels on her TV growing up. I see a future not that far off where my daughter can’t believe I wore the same clothes as someone else,” she says, referring to mass production of the same design.
Mmerch is preparing for its first collection drop in the new year, positioned as a proof of concept. The collection will offer various approaches to hoodie designs for a total of 960 pieces. The designs were created using generative AI, based on the six pieces of a hoodie (hood, body, pocket, each sleeve and bands), with 20 different colours, 10 prints (such as camouflage or stripes) and two materials (French terry or cashmere). Similar to popular NFT PFP collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club and Cryptopunks, Mmerch designated various rarities for the design attributes, meaning that while there are no exact duplicates, certain colours or prints might show up more or less frequently.
The hoodies will be sold via a blind NFT drop, with a focus on both NFT art collectors and fashion fans. Once the designs are revealed to holders, they will be invited to claim their physical hoodie for a limited period. The hoodies come equipped with a QR code, an NFC chip and a soul-bound token that is associated with the garment.
Mmerch is experimenting with a number of technologies and concepts that could contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry: one-of-one pieces and on-demand manufacturing could create less waste by limiting overproduction of items that aren’t sold. As these technologies improve, they could enable more brands to convert to a design-sell-make model (opposed to today’s design-make-sell standard). Additionally, one-of-one pieces are often seen as more valuable and rare, suggesting they are more likely to retain value with owners and to the secondary market. Finally, digital identities can be used to authenticate items and share product details that can streamline resale workflows and inform recyclers of best practices once the garment is no longer worn.
