The Stuff of Legends: Unicorn Sneaker NFT
Balmain Unicorn Phygital Sneakers Collection
Project overview
I directed Balmain’s Unicorn phygital campaign and Ant Kai collaboration, shaping the creative strategy and execution from concept to delivery. I integrated generative AI workflows into the campaign, enabling consumers to customize digital collectibles in real-time while ensuring outputs stayed on-brand.
I also led the end-to-end creative direction, evolving a traditional fashion release into an interactive digital experience and delivering campaign visuals adapted for social, digital, and experiential platforms.
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Company
Space Runners
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Year
June 2022 - December 2022
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Role - Creative Director
Design Lead, Concept Design, Creative Production (Brief, 3D motion), 360° Campaign, Product System
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See Product at
Project #1
Balmain Unicorn Phygital Sneakers Collection
Directed the creative strategy for Balmain’s first phygital sneaker launch, introducing digital collectibles and wearables that merged high fashion with interactive storytelling. The campaign expanded Balmain’s digital presence and positioned the brand as a pioneer in digital-first luxury experiences.
Campaign Rollout Across All Surfaces
Creative Strategy
Defined the campaign vision for Balmain’s first phygital sneaker launch, transforming a traditional fashion release into an interactive, AI-powered experience.
Directed the creative system and visual identity, ensuring personalization outputs aligned with Balmain’s luxury aesthetic.
Integrated generative AI workflows to enable real-time customization of digital collectibles while maintaining brand consistency.
Delivered campaign visuals across social, digital, and experiential channels, connecting physical product ownership with digital storytelling.
Applied data-driven insights to refine messaging (“phygital” vs “NFT”) and optimize user engagement.
Project #2
Balmain x Ant Kai Collaboration
Led the creative direction for a limited-edition Unicorn sneaker, integrating generative AI personalization within a branded Cloud-inspired style system. Oversaw the end-to-end creative process to deliver a 360° campaign that connected physical and digital audiences, reinforcing Balmain’s reputation for next-gen fashion innovation.
TikTok Campaigns
Impact
20,000+ users registered on the waitlist, demonstrating high anticipation.
Complete sell-out of all Unicorn Bundles, confirming strong market demand.
60% of sales made in cryptocurrency, highlighting deep engagement with Web3 audiences.
Buyers from 16 countries, proving the collection’s global appeal.
Featured in over 100 media outlets, including Vogue Business, HYPEBEAST, Forbes, and Cointelegraph.
Enabled 10K+ live customizations through real-time AI personalization, transforming engagement into active participation.
Interactive digital experiences significantly increased engagement rates compared to traditional launches, validating AI-driven campaigns as scalable, branded experiences.
More Stories Coming Soon
Some projects remain under wraps due to confidentiality. While I can’t share all campaign assets publicly, I’d be glad to walk you through selected work and creative processes in a private conversation. Feel free to reach out.