2020 has been a game changer in many ways…  but who would have predicted it would be the year  that fashionistas and gamers became BFFs 4 lyfe?

The once somewhat fraught relationship between fashion and gaming has changed dramatically over the last couple of years, but 2020 has officially made gaming internationally COOL. More than any other industry, it’s the gamers & gaming influencers who are taking over live streams, leading them to become more and more conscious of their personal image and perhaps even their own ‘brand’, the pandemic has made absolutely everyone on the planet follow suit. Pun intended.

As these two industries collaborate and create a new mass market, it’s an exciting time for the style conscious gamers and the fashionistas like myself who love to game on the side. Here, we list the most awesome gaming x fashion crossovers who are breaking boundaries and smashing stereotypes of their own.

Afterworld x Balenciaga

Balenciaga continues to explore the limits of dystopia (accurate for 2020), with its autumn 2021 collection, which will take place in Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow, a video game set in the not-too-distant future of 2031.

The game promises to give “an in-depth look at the new collection and the projected future in which it is intended to be worn”. With the theme of ‘human destiny’, a hero avatar will take players through various zones, where they’ll be met with tasks and interactions. One the game is completed, players can “transcend” the Afterworld into a “virtual utopia”.

League of Legends x Louis Vuitton

Prior to the pandemic, Louis Vuitton’s 2019 partnership with League of Legends included a real-life capsule collection and in-game prestige skins, set a pre-pandemic precedent in the space for other mainstream fashion brands. It was a “validating moment” for the esports’ audience, says Naz Aletaha, head of global e-sports partnerships and business development at Riot Games.

The designer first teased the collaboration in October last year, when he posted an image of Qiyana in a limited-edition Louis Vuitton “skin” on his Instagram. Riot Games has referred to the partnership as the “first-ever collaboration between a global eSport and a luxury fashion house.” The collection is made up of clothing, like t-shirts, hoodies and a biker jacket, as well as accessories such as keyrings and bag charms.

Fnatic x Gucci

Gucci recently paired up with esports organisation Fnatic (good friend of Platform)– which signs champion players from across the world of gaming – on a watch. Modelled and “inspired by Fnatic’s prominent League of Legends team”, the Gucci Dive watch has been rendered in the gamer group’s signature orange and black colours, and also features their logo. Limited to 100 pieces, the timepiece will set fans (which Fnatic boasts around 15 million of) back £1150.

Back in January (what feel likes years ago) the Fnatic LoL players sat front row at Gucci’s Milan menswear show – in what was clearly a hint of things to come. To mark the collab, Gucci has created a new game for Gucci Arcade, the gaming section of the brand’s app.

Twitch x Burberry

Following from Burberry streaming their latest show on Twitch, the British heritage brand has launched its first online game called B Bounce, bringing the gaming experience to customers globally on Burberry.com for the first time.

Players race a deer-shaped character to the moon, using supercharged Thomas Burberry monogram puffer jackets. Once the player has selected a puffer jacket for the character, they bounce upwards between platforms to reach the moon, gaining extra speed by collecting Burberry’s gold TB logos and drones along the way. Players will compete for special B Bounce prizes, with winners awarded custom made GIFs and virtual Burberry puffer jackets edited onto a digital picture of their choice. The first prize is a real jacket from the new Burberry puffer collection, available to players in UK, US, Canada, China, Japan and Korea.

B Bounce will also be available to play on the super-size screen inside Burberry’s flagship store on Regent Street in London. Link to game: www.burberry.com/B-Bounce

2021 lets see what you got!