Is gaming the future of fashion? We certainly could make a case for that being that both worlds have collided more than ever this past year. Designers like Sandy Liang hosted a virtual pop-up on Animal Crossing at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Alessandro Michele explored esports with a 100 Thieves collaboration to create some of the most fashionable gaming characters — and how could we forget the digital Gucci Bag that sold for over $4000 on gaming platform Roblox. Balenciaga and Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, joins the bunch by announcing a collaboration that brings the French luxury house’s clothing within the game.
The partnership includes offerings for yourself as well as your favorite characters. That’s right, within the game, virtual Balenciaga skins (or should we say outfits) will be available via a digital store. Players can stock up on Balenciaga backpacks, signature Triple S sneakers, and tools inspired by iconic products because we all need a Speed Sneaker pick axe and an Hourglass Bag Glider, of course. The limited-edition physical offering will include logo-ed out hoodies, shirts, jackets, and caps.
Four iconic Fortnite characters were enlisted to model the campaign, including Doggo, who sports the Balenciaga x Fortnite hoodie oh so casually over his head. Meanwhile, the Knight is seen wearing the FW21 armored boots, naturally. Ramirez and Banshee wrap up the cast of virtual models that undoubtedly compete head to head with Balenciaga’s IRL campaign models.
Balenciaga is no newcomer when jumping into the digital space. Creative Director Demna Gvasalia partnered with Epic Games to debut its FW21 collection in their very own video game, Afterworld. For his SS22 show entitled “Clones,” Gvasalia explored the “shifting senses of reality through the lens of technology.” Longtime muse and artist Eliza Douglas was rendered in CGI for the entire collection to bring this idea to life.
Interested in snagging the limited-edition series of physical products? The collection is now available in stores and on balenciaga.com.
