Apparel brands Adidas Originals and BAPE have unveiled a limited edition sneaker collaboration for the Triple-White Forum 84 BAPE Low, which will be auctioned and paired with a “digital twin” NFT version of the kicks that could potentially be worn in the metaverse .
Ssupported by the Adidas /// Studio (Three Stripes Studio), the auction will focus on redeemable NFTs through the Adidas Collect platform. While Adidas has previously launched multiple initiatives around NFTs, this is the first time the brand has used an auction format for an NFT-powered drop.
Only 100 Ethereum NFTs, which in turn can be exchanged for one of 100 matching pairs of sneakers, will be made available.
100 shoes. 100% Fresh.
Only at ‘The Forum Launderette’
A new limited edition drop from adidas x @BAPEofficial – Coming August 22nd
Learn more at https://t.co/JWQSYzh8TV pic.twitter.com/ehvhpXX2H6
— adidas Originals (@adidasoriginals) August 15, 2023
The sneakers feature BAPE’s iconography via a shooting star motif on the lateral upper and the “A Bathing Ape” logo embossed in metallic silver foil. The white colorway, unlike previous camo iterations, is tied in a narrative hook around a “pristine laundromat, nestled in the heart of a mysterious desert.”
Each pair of kicks is equipped with an NFC chip, placed in the left tongue, which gives the owner access to their NFT-based certificate of authenticity when scanned with a smartphone.
Once the access pass NFT is redeemed for the physical shoes, owners will also receive a “digital twin” Ethereum NFT that will be “interoperable” with Adidas’ ALTS avatar project, suggesting that owners will be able to wear their kicks in the metaverse as well. Adidas previously teased that holders of its 19,500 tokens will be able to exchange their current incarnations for functional avatars.
Auction details
The Adidas Originals x BAPE “Fresh Forum” Access Pass NFT Auction begins August 22nd and runs for 72 hours until August 25th.
Holders of Adidas’ 2,298 ALT[er] Ego “Soles” – sneaker-specific traits that make up one of eight ALTS NFT attributes available – plus members of the BAPE: (B) APETAVERSE community get a free 10% premium added to their bid price, giving them a bidder advantage.
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Bids can be placed by shoe size, and while only one bid per size can be active at a time, potential buyers can bid as many times as they like. According to Adidas, bidding starts at 0.3 ETH (currently about $550) and there is no maximum bid.
The 100 winners of the Adidas Originals x BAPE NFT auction can burn their tokens to redeem the physical sneakers and digital twin starting September 26 via Adidas Collect, with shipping from October.
The launch is the third part of a collaboration celebrating BAPE’s 30th anniversary. Previous releases earlier this year included co-branded versions of the Forum Low with a camo motif.
