Hermès has sent a cease and desist letter to Mason Rothschild, the digital artist that created the MetaBirkin NFTs in collaboration with artist Eric Ramirez. The virtual bags resemble famous Birkin bags produced by fashion brand Hermès.
The MetaBirkins collection consists of 100 unique NFTs. The bags feature extraordinary materials and patterns, lively colors, and artsy designs. To date, the highest priced sale of one such digital bag was $45.1K, with total sales standing at $1.1M.
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Hermès alleges that the digital artist used the brand’s name without their authorization, and consumers could be confused by the Birkin trademark. MetaBirkins have no association with Hermès Birkin Bags whatsoever, despite their NFT counterparts bearing stark resemblance to the real articles.
Mason Rothschild posted an open letter to Hermès, the whole community, and Opensea, the NFT marketplace that removed MetaBirkins from the platform.
The artist believes that he has a right to produce his art and that the NFTs are “a playful abstraction of an existing fashion-culture landmark.”
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On the Flipside
- Hermès has not yet filed a suit against Rothschild, but time will follow the artist’s open letter.
- Fashion brands are contemplating officially joining the metaverse, as unauthorized use of their branded products continues to emerge.
- Due to copyright issues, OpenSea recently banned over $2 million worth of ‘Phunky Ape Yacht Club‘ NFTs that carried images of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs.
