Behind the scenes: Balmain x Space Runners

The Balmain x Space Runners launch has come and gone, leaving us with some incredible insights and a deeper appreciation for what it means to collaborate beyond the traditional boundaries of fashion. As co-founder of Space Runners , I wanted to share my sincere thoughts on what it was like to work with one of the world's leading luxury fashion brands as a web3 brand, and how this partnership has pushed the limits of retail and fashion.

From the very beginning, Balmain 's willingness to explore the innovation on a deeper level was evident. For a luxury brand that is dedicated to protecting its legacy, it was inspiring to see how Balmain was eager to do something unique, pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion and retail.

Process

Working with Balmain was a great experience, and we were able to accomplish a lot in a relatively short amount of time. Here are some highlights of what went well:

• Hosting the sale on Balmain's website: Unlike other NFT drops that are hosted on separate domain, Balmain hosted the sale on their own website, demonstrating their long-term commitment to innovation in the digital space.
• Integration of a hybrid payment solution: We worked with Paper to create a seamless payment experience that allowed both web2 and web3 audiences to participate in the sale.
• Weekly huddles: Balmain was committed to making their iconic Unicorn Sneakers available in both physical and digital form. We worked closely with their team on everything from the design of the digital collectibles to the technical details of minting the NFTs.
• Design excellence: Both teams worked tirelessly day and night to ensure that every detail of the pixel-perfect design was in line with Balmain's rich design heritage. Kudos to the Space Runners team for keeping the promise of providing the highest quality in digital fashion!

Challenges

Of course, no project is without its challenges. Here are a few obstacles we faced during the drop:

• Tight timeline: Professionals from around the world worked with discipline to deliver this project to the highest quality standards. Project management and timeline follow-up were crucial in this collaboration, as many parties were involved.
• Ensuring inclusivity: To create a launch that would appeal to both traditional web2 luxury consumers and the web3 audience, we had to put a lot of thought into everything from design to technique.

Result:

Despite these challenges, the Balmain x Space Runners drop was a huge success. Here are some highlights of what we achieved:

• +20,000 users were registered to waitlist.
• All Unicorn Bundles were sold out much sooner than anticipated.
• 60% of the purchasers choose to use via crypto during the checkout.
• Users from 16 countries joined the sale.
• +100 media resources featured the launch - including Vogue Business , Forbes , HYPEBEAST , Cointelegraph and many more.

Working with Balmain was an amazing experience, and we're thrilled to have collaborated with one of the leading luxury fashion brands in the world. The success of the Balmain x Space Runners drop has inspired us to keep pushing the limits of what's possible in the world of digital collectibles. We can't wait to see what the future holds for both Balmain and Space Runners!