In one of our articles, we already announced that different brands such as Valentino, Prada, and Balenciaga had decided to enter the Metaverse; brands are now facing a threat that they have not been able to leave the counterfeits in "real" life. A danger now exists not only for the bitter ones in tangible but also in pixels.
Although brands are already familiar with fighting against unauthorized copies, the threat in the Metaverse is also a dawn for the rattle in real life. High-value counterfeits of brands in the virtual world can damage reputations and brands in the physical world. One example is the case of the fake Birkins Nfts, which have amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars behind them. NFTs inspired by the iconic Hermes bag jeopardize its exclusivity in real life. Without going any further, the brand had to make a statement to cover its back: "These NFTs infringe upon the intellectual property and trademark rights of Hermès and are an example of fake Hermès products in the Metaverse."
However, Hermes is one of many brands facing this threat, as the World Trade Mark Review has discovered that hundreds of luxury maracas NFTs were being sold without authorization on the OpenSea marketplace. Even brands such as Cartier or Channel have seen their garments counterfeited and sold in the Roblox universe. This situation confronts the reality that technology advances much faster than we do and certainly quicker than the laws. Will the fashion industry be able to protect itself from counterfeiting in the physical realm and the virtual one?
