The fashion industry draws inspiration from many different sources. In public life, sports stars and other celebrities are responsible for driving new trends, and a percentage will even establish their own clothing line.
Elsewhere, there has long been a connection between gaming and fashion. Gamers can express their individuality in two ways. Firstly, they choose clothing that suits their playing lifestyle, but they also get to design their own avatars.
Both factors require careful consideration, and the need to look good is at the heart of those choices. With gamers taking great care of their online and offline appearance, those efforts are having an impact on the wider fashion world.
Ready and Relaxed
Gaming covers many different styles: You may be engaged in a complex eSports title such as Grad Theft Auto 5. Alternatively, you may be playing bingo games online, waiting for the Irish lottery results, or taking a few spins at the online slots.
Whatever your preference may be, being fashionable as a gamer requires a certain balance. If we’re spending a few hours in front of the console, there is an obvious need to be comfortable, but clothes that are designed for comfort are not generally seen as cutting edge fashion.
We’re talking about onesies and tracksuits: Clothing that is designed to be comfortable doesn’t always look great, but we can thank gaming for changing that image.
Bespoke, purpose-built gaming gear is now available with trendy hoodies and trousers among the more relatable items. There’s been a clear shift, and comfortable clothes no longer have to be scruffy.
Building Your Profile
The avatar is a key element of your gaming profile. Here, you get to indulge your imagination and develop a persona. Your design underlines how you want others to perceive you, and that’s why many gamers spend a lot of time to get things right.
Identifying a gap in the market, some top brands have got involved with avatar building. This is especially true with accessories, so you now acquire a Burberry bag or a designer baseball cap to complete the look.
Some will continue to view the avatar as secondary, but true gamers will understand its importance. For many, their gaming profile could even become a fashion icon.
Making Room for Merch
In any traditional sport, there is a huge market for merchandise. Fans want to show support for their team and that means significant sales of jerseys, trainers, and other items associated with the club.
The rise of competitive eSports has led to a merchandising phenomenon among gamers too. The professional players themselves wear uniform clothing as they compete alongside their teammates. Often, the most successful clubs will have a sponsorship deal in place for game wear.
This will filter down to anyone who follows the teams. Fans will be drawn to club clothing so that they can let it be known who they support.
Merchandise also involves certain games, and it’s possible to buy related items in high street shops.
It’s still a relatively small part of the fashion industry, but merchandising certainly has a growing place here.
Brands On Board
High-profile brands can be seen on many avatars, while some are also enjoying a presence within gameplay.
As with player avatars, those brands have also realised the potential of gameplay characters. When developing the players within certain titles, gamers now have the option to apply skins, sunglasses, and a wide range of clothing and accessories.
Balenciaga are one of the most creative fashion brands associated with the gaming sector. The company launched a collaboration which involved a physical and virtual clothing collection. A competition followed that allowed players the chance to appear in a billboard advertising campaign.
The presence in gameplay helps to build brand loyalty among the gaming community. While shopping online or out in the real world, players will be attracted to labels they’re already familiar with. Balenciaga’s arrangement is a perfect example of this, and one that has led to an increased customer base among gamers.
Those who spend little time in the gaming sphere may not understand the influence that fashion has here. The image of a scruffy gamer slumped in a chair remains, but serious players are fully on board.
Gamers have always had their own style, even if it’s not obvious to the wider world. Over time, big brands have become aware of the market potential, and they’ve joined in with avatar design and gameplay.
The next few years promise to be even more exciting, as the historic link between gaming and fashion develops further.
