In Fortnite, you will be able to wear Balenciaga

Balenciaga / Epic Games

Fashion – Fashion and video games climb new levels together. This Monday, September 20, it’s your turn It is an electronic game To develop its first cooperation with a major brand, Balenciaga, as revealed by its parent company, Epic Games, in a statement.

“Cristóbal Balenciaga may have caught the needle that allowed him to sew some of the models that marked the time more than fifty years ago, and the same spirit of innovation and creative leadership still exists within the brand named after him, with Creative Director Dimna Gvasalia at the helm.” Can we read there.

Starting at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, September 21, French players will be able to pick up four new “looks” (a term used to define the costumes of characters in the game): Unchained Ramirez, Cabot leash, elegant Banshee and Ludo Chevalier.

Some of these outfits are inspired by the brand’s Spring-Summer 2021 and Spring-Summer 2020 collections. Others, like the gray hooded sweatshirt, will be sold, in addition to being featured in the Fortnite Store, in many of the brand’s Kering Group stores around the world.

First in Fortnite, not in video games

Innovative collaboration. However, this is not the first time that Balanciaga has collaborated with Epic Games. “It started with our first video game, Afterworld, which we built using Unreal Engine to launch our Fall Winter 2021 collection,” the house’s technical director recalls in the press release. At the time, guests of the show were given virtual reality headsets shortly before the event.

As this article before fashion businessThis is the first partnership between a brand of this stature and Fortnite, a game that brings together hundreds of millions of users, undoubtedly aiming to cover all areas of sales, real-world and otherwise, online. For Balenciaga, “It’s a way to get into this game, which has become a staple in our community,” directs the attention of the brand’s CEO, Cedric Charbett, to the niche media. It’s also a way of redefining the boundaries “between content and product,” he adds.

It is a model that appeals to the luxury sector. In 2019, Louis Vuitton and Riot Games teamed up to mark the World League of Legends Finals in Paris. The artistic director of the women’s groups, Nicolas Ghesquière, also produced new “skins”.

At Gucci, who designed a pair of sneakers that are only available by default, the same initiative. In addition to the arcade games it sells on its app, it’s been offering its customers, since January, an augmented reality experience to experience watches and shoes. Earlier this year, Pokemon Go characters wearing Gucci x North Face costumes were spotted in the game near the brand’s outlets. Virtual fashion is on.

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