Fashion companies aren’t just trendsetters; they’re also tirelessly searching for ways to get their branding and name into areas that are growing in influence in the global entertainment market. People often think that the worlds of gaming and fashion rarely combine, but you will be surprised to see some of the names that have collaborated over the last few years.

Although video console gaming might not be considered a target audience for high-end fashion, the ties between gaming companies and fashion date back decades. Consider how James Bond was marketed: a fresh tux, a suave assurance strutting around a casino floor and sitting down to play a casino game. 

Not only did this highlight the aura of Ian Fleming’s iconic character, but it also helped to sell him as a fashion icon and showcase casino gaming. Currently, casino gaming uses a different, digital-first marketing strategy that has been adapted to the times and the changing market. 

It has also branched into TV and film ideas in slot gaming, so it hasn’t kept itself within the traditional frameworks of the initial land-based casinos we would see in the background of classic Bond flicks. 

The innovations have continued in slot gaming, with the internet now the number one resource for those looking to access slot gaming features and explore rankings which highlight which slot games stand out from the crowd. Expert review sites like CasinoTopsOnline (slots sites)  review and rank the most impressive new platforms, providing players with an easy way to pick out the top providers.

Today, we discuss some of the world’s most iconic gaming and fashion brands. We will detail the collaborations they have pursued in an attempt to appeal to a new market in each other’s respective industries. 

Louis Vuitton and League of Legends

LV and League of Legends are at the pinnacle of fashion and gaming, respectively. No video game has come close to matching the appeal of League of Legends, and the 2019 collaboration between LV and League of Legends resulted in several crossover design ideas.

The French fashion powerhouse designed skins in the hit game and is perhaps most famous for designing the trophy case for the 2019 League of Legends World Championships. Many commentators and gaming analysts mistakenly thought the case was the trophy due to its incredible design. 

More importantly, this crossover signaled that the pinnacle of high-end fashion and gaming were two worlds that could work together harmoniously. League of Legends has been an unbelievably successful venture for Riot Games, and as they move their focus into fresh ideas, who knows if we could see these two powerhouses in their respective industries team up again further down the line? 

The Sims 4 and Gucci

While The Sims and Gucci’s collaboration wasn’t entirely on the same level as LV and League of Legends, it was a cool additional feature to the perennially popular game. It was part of Gucci’s “Off The Grid” fashion campaign, which led them to explore the marriage of video gaming and virtual fashion.

This collaboration allowed Sims players to dress their characters in custom Gucci wear or pieces of apparel they could design themselves. Gucci wanted to focus on bringing their style to a new audience and exploring the possibilities of virtual clothing. 

However, there was also an underlying emphasis on sustainable fashion and brands, with the campaign focusing on renewable fashion materials such as recycled nylon. 

Gucci and Roblox

Gucci has a track record of collaborating with several industries and companies that might not be the first to spring to mind when discussing fashion. Sure, they’ve recently collaborated with other top brands like Adidas, but their collaboration with Roblox also highlights that their Sims 4 collab wasn’t a shot in the dark, and it’s an industry that they’ve been looking at closely. 

In 2022, during the metaverse craze, Gucci Town was an expensive venture into the virtual world. Gucci used the opportunity to further its reach into the gaming world. Although the ad was never going to generate the sort of sales we’d expect to see for a landmark TV or social media ad, it highlighted that the industries are continuing to grow closer together.

Dior and Gran Turismo 7

Drifting away from Gucci, Gran Turismo 7 was an intelligent collaboration by Dior. If we look at the fashion collaborations that have taken place over the years between professional race drivers and high-end fashion, the fact that Dior was able to strike up a deal with one of the leading racing video games for a fraction of the price it would cost to advertise at an F1 race or on a F1 car was a great marketing strategy. 

Not only did it give both Dior and Sony the chance to explore new ideas together, but Dior designers had a broader selection of choices by designing custom kits in the game. Gran Turismo 7 is a staple of car racing games, and they sell themselves. 

Dior rode on the coat tails of this to highlight some of their fashion ideas to a more expansive audience and it turned into an iconic collaboration. We’re surprised that the crossover between racing games and fashion companies didn’t happened sooner. 

Final thoughts

For those looking to get into the fashion or gaming world, these two industries don’t often have that much crossover. However, as we have reviewed today, the increasing number of collaborations will likely lead to greater future dialogue between the two industries. 

Quite frankly, it’s anyone’s guess how successful some collaborations have been. The LV and League of Legends collab was huge, but that’s due to the tens of millions of people that watched the League of Legends World Championship. 

Smaller collaborations like Gran Turismo and Dior don’t have any tangible figures or release dates for any other future possible crossover ideas. They’re experimental ideas, but this is often how the most profitable fashion and gaming marketing ideas emerge.

Now that the big fashion tycoons have shown an interest in gaming, we can expect to see more in the future, especially as big investment pours into video gaming. With the news of Grand Theft Auto 6 on the horizon, gaming will remain at the forefront of global entertainment news. 

Published by HOLR Magazine