Fortnite has partnered with Moncler to bring yet another set of high fashion skins to the item shop. The third-person battle royal is one of the most popular video games at the moment, and a lot of that success is owed to its many collaborations. The game's item shop features skins bearing the likenesses of beloved characters from movies, cartoons, anime, TV series, and other games. Several musicians like Travis Scott and Ariana Grande are also present in the game. Their virtual concerts in Fortnite have been some of the most-viewed events in gaming history.
Meanwhile, Moncler is a French luxury brand that specializes in coats, jackets, and winter wear. They are most widely known for their articles featuring a signature puffy design and a small Moncler logo. As is to be expected from such a high fashion brand, one of their down jackets can easily cost about $1,500 in real life. This is not the first time that Fortnite has partnered with a fashion designer. Back in 2019, the game added several skins inspired by the Air Jordan line of sneakers and sportswear. More recently, Epic Games partnered with Balenciaga to bring streetwear to Fortnite. This was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign on both sides, with the clothing designer releasing several pieces featuring Fortnite branding.
Now, Epic Games has announced on its website that it will be partnering with Moncler to expand Fortnite's fashion catalog even further. Two outfits will be added to the game, inspired by the 6 Moncler 107 Alyx 9SM collection from designer Matthew Williams. These will be available either as single-color skins or as reactive ones. The latter will change color depending on your altitude as a callback to the brand's Alpine roots. The crossover will also add a pickaxe, a glider, and a back bling item, all styled as umbrellas.
In recent years, video games have seen an increased interest from fashion brands. As the world becomes more and more digitized, designers are looking for new avenues to showcase their products and reach new audiences. The aforementioned Balenciaga x Fortnite collab saw the creation of a denim jacket that sold for nearly $1,300. Meanwhile, back in 2015, renowned French fashion house Louis Vuitton partnered with Japanese developer Square Enix. The result was a marketing campaign featuring the character Lightning from the Final Fantasy XIII games. While not as successful as more recent endeavors, it was the beginning of a relationship between fashion and video games that has only strengthened.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, Animal Crossing was also used as the venue for a fashion show. But while collaborations are one thing, some fashion designers have even been trying their hand at video game development. In preparation for its Fall 2021 collection, Balenciaga released a virtual, mixed reality experience that allowed customers to view the new line in a cyberpunk-style setting. Meanwhile, Gucci designers released a series of short films back in 2020 during the Guccifest event. These were influenced by video game design and included interactive features. Perhaps one day soon, players will be able to enjoy a full video game release branded after a fashion designer.
Fortnite is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Android, and PC.
Source: Epic Games, Fortnite/Twitter