Phygital NFT Marketplace for Real-World Collectibles

PROBLEM

Traditional collectible marketplaces (e.g. sneaker resell platforms) lack transparency, trust, and creator protection—especially for rare, custom one-of-one items. There’s no verifiable link between creator and product, no clear ownership history, and no seamless way to trade or display these items digitally.

GOAL

Design a phygital NFT marketplace where users could trade rare physical items (e.g. sneakers) as NFTs backed by vault-stored assets—then showcase them in a personal 3D virtual space. Build trust, enforce authenticity, and appeal to GenZ collectors with a sleek, modern UX.

ROLE

Product Design Lead (sole designer)

SCOPE

End-to-end UX/UI design, branding, NFT flows, authentication, and 3D metaverse integration

Process

Brand & Visual Identity

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

End-to-End Marketplace Flow

Designed and mapped the complete user journey

Listing

Simple UI for creators to mint NFTs linked to vault-stored physical items

Buying

Seamless checkout with wallet or card

Authentication

Integrated verification flow ensuring buyers received legitimate, original goods

Showcase

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

Trust & Transparency

Built in blockchain-backed provenance, ownership history, and automated royalty enforcement. Clear visual cues helped signal item authenticity, vault location, and past trades.

Validation

USABILITY TESTING

Ran usability tests with selected launch partners and iterated on feedback to streamline the UX.

Outcomes

STREAMLINED

Enabled seamless phygital trading without physical shipping friction

TRUST

Built trust through authentication, traceability, and verified creator provenance

PERSONALISATION

Delivered an immersive collector experience merging physical ownership with metaverse identity

MARKETING

Created a brand and UX that resonated with a new wave of GenZ traders and creators

Bio

01

RaaS Platform

02

RWAs Marketplace

03

Deployment Flow

04

Stablecoin App

05

Times Square Video

06

Visuals

07

Phygital NFT Marketplace for Real-World Collectibles

PROBLEM

Traditional collectible marketplaces (e.g. sneaker resell platforms) lack transparency, trust, and creator protection—especially for rare, custom one-of-one items. There’s no verifiable link between creator and product, no clear ownership history, and no seamless way to trade or display these items digitally.

GOAL

Design a phygital NFT marketplace where users could trade rare physical items (e.g. sneakers) as NFTs backed by vault-stored assets—then showcase them in a personal 3D virtual space. Build trust, enforce authenticity, and appeal to GenZ collectors with a sleek, modern UX.

ROLE

Product Design Lead (sole designer)

SCOPE

End-to-end UX/UI design, branding, NFT flows, authentication, and 3D metaverse integration

Process

Brand & Visual Identity

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

End-to-End Marketplace Flow

Designed and mapped the complete user journey

Listing

Simple UI for creators to mint NFTs linked to vault-stored physical items

Buying

Seamless checkout with wallet or card

Authentication

Integrated verification flow ensuring buyers received legitimate, original goods

Showcase

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

Trust & Transparency

Built in blockchain-backed provenance, ownership history, and automated royalty enforcement. Clear visual cues helped signal item authenticity, vault location, and past trades.

Validation

USABILITY TESTING

Ran usability tests with selected launch partners and iterated on feedback to streamline the UX.

Outcomes

STREAMLINED

Enabled seamless phygital trading without physical shipping friction

TRUST

Built trust through authentication, traceability, and verified creator provenance

PERSONALISATION

Delivered an immersive collector experience merging physical ownership with metaverse identity

MARKETING

Created a brand and UX that resonated with a new wave of GenZ traders and creators

CHRISTOPHER ASTLES

Phygital NFT Marketplace for Real-World Collectibles

PROBLEM

Traditional collectible marketplaces (e.g. sneaker resell platforms) lack transparency, trust, and creator protection—especially for rare, custom one-of-one items. There’s no verifiable link between creator and product, no clear ownership history, and no seamless way to trade or display these items digitally.

GOAL

Design a phygital NFT marketplace where users could trade rare physical items (e.g. sneakers) as NFTs backed by vault-stored assets—then showcase them in a personal 3D virtual space. Build trust, enforce authenticity, and appeal to GenZ collectors with a sleek, modern UX.

ROLE

Product Design Lead (sole designer)

SCOPE

End-to-end UX/UI design, branding, NFT flows, authentication, and 3D metaverse integration

Process

Brand & Visual Identity

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

End-to-End Marketplace Flow

Designed and mapped the complete user journey

Listing

Simple UI for creators to mint NFTs linked to vault-stored physical items

Buying

Seamless checkout with wallet or card

Authentication

Integrated verification flow ensuring buyers received legitimate, original goods

Showcase

Developed a bold, GenZ-aligned brand system with high-contrast visuals, dynamic motion, and sleek UI components. The goal was to merge luxury, streetwear, and web3 aesthetics.

Trust & Transparency

Built in blockchain-backed provenance, ownership history, and automated royalty enforcement. Clear visual cues helped signal item authenticity, vault location, and past trades.

Validation

USABILITY TESTING

Ran usability tests with selected launch partners and iterated on feedback to streamline the UX.

Outcomes

STREAMLINED

Enabled seamless phygital trading without physical shipping friction

TRUST

Built trust through authentication, traceability, and verified creator provenance

PERSONALISATION

Delivered an immersive collector experience merging physical ownership with metaverse identity

MARKETING

Created a brand and UX that resonated with a new wave of GenZ traders and creators

Christopher Astles