Opinion: When gaming meets luxury fashion

With China’s AAA gaming market outpacing the US’, luxury fashion faces a new frontier in courting the mainland’s digital-savvy consumers. But are brands willing to take the plunge?

Thirty or so years ago – in a time of less diversity, equity and inclusion – the luxury fashion industry was wrestling with the rise of hip-hop music. Should brands embrace it? Some even worried the association would dilute their prestigious image.

The same dilemma emerged around the 2010s when streetwear was taking off in the mainstream. Was it okay to put sneakers and hoodies on runways? Ultimately, the answer was a resounding “yes.” But it took a few early movers and cult figures to get the rest on board.

For the past five to 10 years, the same thing has been happening around gaming. Early adopters like Gucci and Balenciaga have dedicated teams that deal with a breadth of gaming initiatives. Instead of one-off stunts, gaming has become an ongoing channel for these luxury houses, in the same way that hoodies and sneakers are a staple in luxury fashion collections and hip-hop artists regularly show up across their campaigns and shows.

Let the games begin #According to Goldman Sachs, China’s video game market is set to reach $45 billion in size. Yet, as reported by Jing Daily earlier this year, the opportunity hasn’t been fully seized by luxury fashion brands. There are certainly some great cases with mini-games popping up across QQ and WeChat alongside local fashion shows and campaigns. But when it comes to Triple-A games, that traction has been slower.

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