The flashes crackle. This Thursday, October 24, the Paris Games WeekHE The largest French video game program. which will take place from October 23 to 27 at the fairgrounds, has the feel of a Fashion Week. Dressed in a gold Camper suit or an ensemble by the young designer Loe Lemee, the Modele Geek model circles the aisles of the show.
This time, the goal is not to test games, as the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the fair do. Rather, do a session in the middle of video game sets to combine your two passions. In fact, the model, who has already worked with Dolce&Gabanna, describes herself as a “big fan of video games and manga.”
“It was difficult to film in this universe,” Patrick Nodanche, also known as Model Geek, observes on social media. “The sets are not finished, we feel that they were not put together to take photographs.” However, the model remains motivated.
In fact, over the last five years, more and more brands have become interested in the world of gaming. “The United States and Japan are one step ahead,” observes Patrick Nodanche. “But France is beginning to take an interest in the gaming sector and place its pawns.”
The success of the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and League of Legends in 2019, symbolized by the launch of a collection that includes sportswear and bags with images of video game characters, whetted appetites.
“The image of the gamer in a sweatshirt is obsolete”
At the same time, the gaming industry has exploded. The global turnover of the sector will be around 168 billion euros in 2023, according to the specialized company Newzoo. Five times more than the income generated last year by the international box office, or 31 billion euros, according to Gower Street Analysis. As a result, “brands have invested a lot in the sector to target a new audience,” continues the artistic director.
A wave of collections inspired by the world of gaming has reached video games and stores. The Sims Dressed in Moschino, Burberry announced its collaboration with minecraft and Pikachu, the iconic Pokémon from Nintendo, appeared on Longchamp bags. Even the characters ofanimal crossing They saw Valentino dresses and other T-shirts appear in their closets… much to the delight of the players.
“A lever to target the new generation”
Luxury houses also seem to be interested in the game’s most famous ambassadors, the streamers. Dior, for example, collaborated with videographer Squeezie around the world. game Gran Turismo 7. The brand thus presented a collection of virtual outfits for the game. On this occasion, the YouTuber tested the new version of the game, live on his Twitch channel… in front of millions of users.
Because beyond a growing affinity of artistic directors with this “very creative” sector, the objective is to address the strategic target of the 15 to 24 year old generation.
In fact, luxury brands have long been interested in video games. The gaming sector constitutes an immense pool of intellectual property for the fashion sector. And they are also aimed at a young audience. According to a Deloitte survey, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Brazil, video games are the main source of entertainment for Generation Z. For brands, it is difficult to ignore this group of customers.
“A priori, luxury and gaming are two very distant worlds, but the video game industry can be an important lever to target new generations, who constitute the future clients of luxury houses,” observes Sophie Malagola. “By investing in this area, brands are giving themselves a new image, more accessible and fun.”
Faced with continued upheaval in customer profiles and practices, many houses are facing the challenge of generational change. However, by capturing these first-time buyers early, brands can retain them for a very long lifespan.
A positioning that is all the more important since Asia, which has become the “epicenter” of global growth in the luxury market, has the largest number of players, with 1.4 billion paying players, compared to 668 million in Europe. , according to the DFC Intelligence firm.
Create commitment
In video games, brands can also be creative to offer immersive digital experiences. Balenciaga and Epic Games have joined forces in 2021 to offer players four “skins”, these virtual collections that players can purchase online to dress up their favorite avatars, with the Balenciaga brand.
At the same time, the two companies organized a series of missions in fortnite dedicated to the event as well as a Balenciaga virtual store, created especially for the occasion. A way for brands to focus on “community engagement.”
“Suddenly, players become their favorite heroes and evolve in the game, dressed in Balenciaga or Louis Vuitton. In other words, they play with the brand,” adds Sophie Malagola. A way for luxury brands to generate engagement and increase their sympathy among young people… who will only have to go to the store to continue the experience.
Source: BFM TV
