Welcome to The Backroom, a window into what goes on behind the scenes as the Retail Dive team covers the stories and trends reshaping retail. You can check out all our podcast episodes (past and present) here and listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio and Spotify.
While non-fungible tokens have ebbed and flowed in popularity, they’re undoubtedly still having an impact on the retail industry. Earlier this month, a jury ruled against NFT “MetaBirkin” creator Mason Rothschild in a closely watched trial, favoring luxury powerhouse Hermès in its trademark claims.
While Rothschild isn’t the first to combine fashion and NFTs (Tiffany, Prada and Pacsun are just a few brands who have entered the space), his scuffle with Hermès has brought to light questions about trademark law, the combination of art with commerce in the metaverse and more.
In this episode of The Backroom, Daphne Howland chats with Dani James about Rothschild’s intent to appeal the verdict, what this means for art and how this plays into larger virtual initiatives from brands.
Resource links:
- ‘MetaBirkin’ NFT creator to appeal Hermès trademark verdict
- How retailers are connecting the metaverse to the real world and revenue
- Puma’s first metaverse experience ties NFTs to NYFW
- American Eagle Outfitters launches NFT Apparel Shop
Editor’s note: This show was produced and edited by Caroline Jansen.