Days after being acquired by Puig in May, Byredo revealed plans to dive into the Metaverse. The fragrance brand is collaborating with RTFKT on “Alphameta,” an initiative to “build the scent of the metaverse,” Byredo said in a statement.
The project, in its early stages, is among the first of a perfume brand in space.
With the new terrain comes a new set of tools. The name comes from the creation of a new vocabulary in the metaverse, which includes 26 “items”, of which limited quantities are produced and with which users can modify their avatar. They will appear as wearable “auras,” Byredo said.
“I liked the idea of dissecting it down to the raw materials. A single fragrance is incapable of representing this virtual world, so we have formulated a lexicon of elements that collectors can combine at will to create something completely unique,” said Ben Gorham, Founder and Creative Director of Byredo, in the press release.
Each of the elements represents different human emotions, including sharpness, harmony, naivety, and virtue. It follows a similar thread to Byredo’s makeup line, which aimed to evoke a spectrum of emotions through color.
Byredo will also offer 2,000 personalized fragrances, based on consumers’ favorite elements. Collectors will then attend a virtual demonstration of how Byredo makes its fragrances.
Gorham specializes in out-of-the-box collaborations, having teamed up with Ikea, Travis Scott and makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench. It was this spirit of pushing boundaries that attracted Puig, who acquired a majority stake in the brand in May.
“[Byredo] perfectly reinforces Puig’s goal of empowering people to express themselves,” Marc Puig, Chairman and CEO, said in a statement at the time. The terms of the contract are not disclosed.
Other beauty brands that have starred in the metaverse include Estée Lauder, Clinique, Charlotte Tilbury, and others.
