Chalhoub Group, a top luxury partner across the Middle East for over 65 years, has recently launched its own Web3 sneaker brand called SOL3MATES. This brand aims to reduce production waste and empower both designers and its community through an interactive creative process. As the largest luxury retail operator in the Middle East, the Dubai-based Chalhoub Group represents brands like LVMH and Christian Louboutin, making it well-positioned for the launch of its latest initiative.
SOL3MATES seeks to disrupt the current sneaker industry by empowering global sneaker designers and pushing the boundaries of innovation, creativity, and storytelling. The brand plans to involve its community members in all aspects of their sneaker journey, creating immersive and engaging experiences. According to Nick Vinckier, the Head of Corporate Innovation and Founder of SOL3MATES, the brand aims to be the catalyst for positive disruption in the sneaker industry through collaboration with its community and designers.
SOL3MATES has partnered with its first designer, Kacimi Latamène, a French designer who is globally known for his viral sneaker concepts and previous work with leading designers like Vitaly and Natasha Zinko. With each new collection, the brand plans to collaborate with a new designer from around the world, with the designer acting as the creative director of their collections.
The brand’s first collection by Latamène will feature impressions of natural environments and lines that represent the constant movement of the elements. SOL3MATES aims to disrupt the sneaker industry by addressing waste through a limited quantity preorder model for the first collection. The brand also plans to offer an OG NFT Pass to those interested in becoming “SOL3MATES,” providing perks like pre-access, preferred pricing, free shipping, priority delivery, access to meetups, exclusive experiences, giveaways, access to retail-priced sneakers, free merch, and more to be announced soon.
SOL3MATES sneakers include NFC-authentication integrations, AR augmentation, and a virtual twin that will be wearable on platforms like Decentraland. According to Michael Chalhoub, President of Strategy, Growth, Innovation, and Investment and Joint Ventures at Chalhoub Group, SOL3MATES aims to bring the physical and digital together and link the sneaker community with the Web3 community in an original way.
