Bids for the so-called Head of State collection will begin at the equivalent of $250,000 in the cryptocurrency SOL during an auction that will run from 11-25 January. The centrepiece of the collection will be an "iconic wide-brimmed white hat" fashioned by Herve Pierre, that the former First Lady wore during Macron’s visit in 2018.
"It is important to note that Mr. Pierre designed Mrs. Trump's inaugural gown and served as her fashion stylist and consultant during the President’s visit," a statement on the auction said via Twitter. "Indeed, Mrs. Trump's iconic white hat garnered media attention worldwide."
The announcement is the second of its kind in three weeks after a December 16 notice that the First Lady will release NFTs, which are customized digital images, of herself for sale that she said will embody her passion for the arts and provide opportunities for children to learn computer science skills.
NFTs are a special kind of crypto-asset where each token is unique, unlike "fungible" assets like Bitcoin and dollar bills, which are the same in appearance and value for each piece. Because they are each of a kind, NFTs can be used to legitimize ownership of digital assets such as artworks, recordings and virtual homes or pets.
Until last month’s announcement, Melania Trump had largely stayed out of public view since leaving the White House a year ago following Donald Trump’s election loss to Joe Biden in November of 2020.