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From Home Furnishing Business
Nathan Anthony Furniture Receives Honors at Inaugural MAD Awards
May 15,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry
Custom upholstery resource Nathan Anthony Furniture was recognized at the inaugural MAD Awards organized by Interior Design magazine, receiving the top honor in its Best Use of Blockchain and Tokens category.
According to the SANDOW publication’s website, the industry’s first Metaverse Architecture and Design Awards (MAD) event was launched in partnership with digital consulting firm digby, “to celebrate the people, projects and brands creating boundary-breaking concepts in the virtual realm.”
Nathan Anthony received the award based on creative and innovative use of blockchain technology and/or blockchain-based tokens (NFTs) in the execution of an architecture or design-focused project or product.
The brand’s winning submission, “Embrace Materiality,” investigates material applications for its best-selling furniture designs, which would be unconventional in the manufacturing of physical products.
An early adopter of Web 3.0, the upholstery resource is the first of its kind to produce and trade digital collectibles inspired by the brand’s award-winning styles. Nathan Anthony initially launched furniture NFTs during the Spring 2022 High Point Market.
“Our goals include positioning the brand for success in an alternate environment which is focused on growing community along with a new platform for commerce,” says Tina Nicole, chief creative officer for Nathan Anthony. “Web 3 is here, and we believe it holds a promising future for design-oriented brands.”
Nicole has additionally employed blockchain technology to secure IP protections for signature Nathan Anthony product designs, while also leveraging NFT videos, animations, and images for the brand’s marketing initiatives online and at trade shows.
In keeping with the virtual nature of the Metaverse, winners of the 2023 MAD awards were announced in an online ceremony hosted April 27 on Spatial.io.