Gucci And The Sandbox Partner On Virtual Storefront & Event Space

As announced on its Discord server, Gucci has purchased an undisclosed amount of “land” on The Sandbox, which is a digital platform that allows people, brands, and organizations to buy and develop virtual real estate. Gucci plans to create an “interactive fashion experience” within The Sandbox based on Gucci Vault, which is the umbrella term for the brand’s metaverse-related projects as well as the line of business Gucci is using to sell vintage pieces from its collection as well as from other emerging designers including Collina Strada, Rave Review and Ahluwalia. 

The virtual world is set to be envisioned and brought to life by Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, and will be “inspired by childhood memories of the search for beauty.” Additional details haven’t been disclosed, but fans of the brand can expect a typically immersive metaverse experience, as well as the ability to purchase select digital fashion items from Gucci designers. The virtual land plot will also feature an interactive maze and a space to host conversations about fashion and the metaverse.

Virtual real estate platforms primed for development like The Sandbox, and competitor Decentraland, have become a new area of focus for brands and designers, as the metaverse platforms enable people to buy, rent out and develop virtual real estate, including stores and event venues, as well as sell virtual goods. Creative agency Al Dente, which works with a number of luxury brands, has similarly purchased and is building real estate in The Sandbox to serve as a testing ground for its clients.

Gucci has been a notable early adopter of digital fashion, NFTs, and the metaverse, so the company’s digital land grab in The Sandbox makes sense as the brand builds out its strategy of connecting with Gen Z and remaining at the forefront of culture. Recently, Gucci partnered with Superplastic to release a collection of 500 NFTs called SuperGucci. The three-part drop comes with physical ceramic sculptures, each priced at 1.5 ethereum and purchase access is limited to previous owners of Superplastic’s NFTs and those with a special access code provided through Gucci Vault’s Discord server. Gucci is also keeping 20 of the NFTs themselves for internal use. 

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This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, Retail Strategies for the Metaverse.