Balenciaga makes its mark in the Fortnite universe

Video game Fortnite and luxury brand Balenciaga have announced a collaboration that is unprecedented, to say the least. Like Gucci with Tennis Clash, Louis Vuitton with League Of Legends or Chanel on Animal Crossing, Balenciaga is partnering with one of the most popular video games on the planet to offer new skins as well as a line of clothing.

Fortnite needs no introduction. Developed by the firm Epic Games, the game, launched in 2017, has quickly become a real social phenomenon, with now more than 400 million regular players, mostly children, teenagers and young adults. A large audience that remains a target for Balenciaga, as for so many other luxury brands that have ventured into the world of video games.

For this collaboration, Balenciaga and Fortnite are thus offering several new products to players. In addition to the new skins that can be used in the game, the two brands are offering a line of limited edition clothing, with hoodies, shirts, jackets, or even caps that will be offered in stores or online.

The interest for Balenciaga : to reach a new audience. The world of video games has evolved a lot in the last few years, especially gamers. Gamers are asserting themselves, claiming to be gamers, and are therefore a new market to conquer for the major luxury brands.

The partnership between Balenciaga and Fortnite has several objectives. The luxury brands want to impose themselves in a field that they had neglected until now. But with the ever-increasing democratization of multiplayer games and the gaming community as a whole, a new market of 2.7 billion potential consumers has opened up for the world of luxury.

For Balenciaga, it’s a matter of showing its involvement in the field of video games, even making it a strategic pillar of its business and not a one-off marketing ploy. For Fortnite, the challenge is to show once again the capabilities of their game engine while providing their players with new items and a new game experience.