MSCHF, an art collective based in Brooklyn, New York, has gained notoriety for its unique and often controversial projects. It was founded in 2018 and has quickly distinguished itself from the traditional art and marketing world with its approach that combines art, technology and social commentary. Let’s take a closer look at how it gained its fame.
MSCHF Philosophy
MSCHF collective, specializes in the art and media industries. It is known for its projects and products, which often lead to lively discussions and gain media publicity. By combining elements of art, business and technology, MSCHF strives to create original projects that make us reflect on our consumer habits.
MSCHF’s products feature a playful approach to a variety of topics. They proudly exceed established standards, which leads to the question: How does the company make money selling such unusual products? Unlike other companies that focus on product improvement, marketing and excellent customer service, MSCHF has taken a different direction.
They focus on catching current trends and realize that today’s consumers are looking for items that are interesting and provoke discussion. The value of public recognition outweighs their practicality.
Provocative designs right from the start
MSCHF has spared no provocation from the very inception of the collective. The first project the world saw was“Jesus Shoes,” which simply means Jesus shoes.
This is a modified Air Max 97 model, which features holy water from the Jordan River in the sole. This means that anyone who is carried can theoretically walk on water, as Jesus did. In addition, it has a cross as a pendant.
At launch, the shoes cost $1,425 and the aftermarket price is around $2,500. The shoes sold out in a minute.
The premiere, of course, did not take place without publicity and outrage from religious circles. MSCHF has already achieved its goal after the release of the first product. Controversy and public agitation.
MSCHF’s most popular projects
MSCHF has a number of projects that people from all over the world have heard about. Their unconventional approach to art and product creation, have been used in the most unpredictable ways.
Below are the 5 projects that were most memorable to us.
MSCHF purchased a print with dots by Damien Hirst, then cut out the individual spots and sold them separately for $480 each. The rest of the paper, titled “88 Holes,” fetched a price of $261,400 at auction. The project commented on the value and perception of art in the market.
2. Big Red Boot
These are huge red shoes that have gained popularity for their unique and absurd appearance. They refer to the animated character Astro Boy. They were worn by stars such as Diplo, Lil Nas X or Lil Wayne.
3. Blur Money
Blur Money is simply a smudged stack of banknotes that you can put on a shelf as a decoration. It comes in various currencies: USD, AUD, WON, YEN, EUR, CNY and AED. The project comments on consumerism and the need to spend money on unnecessary things. Each of the currencies sold out quickly and their price on the secondary market is several times higher than the original.
The “ATM Leaderboard” project could be experienced in person at Art Basel in Miami in 2022. A special ATM tracks the balance of the checking accounts of those who use it, displaying a list of the best results. Each participant was secretly photographed as he or she inserted the card. MSCHF created a miniature profile of each participant through the eyes of the machine: a face and a dollar amount. Those with the wealthiest account landed at the top of the list.
Eat The Rich Popsicles is an ice cream shaped like a caricature of the world’s richest people The ice cream was sold on an event basis in Los Angeles and New York in 2022. In special ice cream trucks, you could buy ice cream with the heads of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jack M and Jeff Bezos.
The contemporary phrase “Eat The Rich” is often linked to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher of the Enlightenment era, and his alleged words in Adolphe Thiers’ work on the French Revolution. Rousseau is said to have said: “When people have nothing left to eat, they will eat the rich.”
In recent times, this saying has taken on new meaning in the context of the problems of today’s Millenials and Generation Z in America, where the growing disparity of wealth and the difficulty of buying a home of their own make the dream of life stability seem unrealistic.
MSCHF’s legal troubles
Controversial projects cannot do without legal troubles and lawsuits. In 2021, MSCHF released in collaboration with Lil Nas X, the $1,018 “Satan Shoes,” the opposite of the “Jesus Shoes.” This time there was human blood in the sole instead of holy water. You can guess how much bitterness the model caused.
Nike has decided to sue MSCHF for unauthorized sales of shoes with the Nike logo. Nike stated that it had nothing to do with the production of the shoes. The court agreed with Nike, and ordered MSCHF to halt sales. The problem was that all but one pair of shoes had already been sold and shipped to buyers.
As part of the settlement, MSCHF was to accept shoe returns. However, on platforms such as Ebay, prices reached as high as $15,000. This was unlikely to prompt anyone to return the shoes.
MSCHF considered the lawsuit from Nike an attack on freedom of expression. However, they agreed to a settlement to put the lawsuit behind them. They wanted to focus on new projects.
Looking forward to more
MSCHF is a collective that is extremely different from conventional brands. Their work is bold, often causing controversy, but always thought-provoking. They are proof that art can serve as a tool to comment on and challenge contemporary social and cultural trends. A distinctive feature of MSCHF is their ability to combine an artistic message with commercial success.
We are constantly following MSCHF’s online activities. We are curious what projects they will surprise us with in the future and what social topic they will address this time. It is definitely impossible to pass by this collective indifferently.
No products in the basket. 
