In every industry, there comes a time when the participants or the individuals start adopting a way of fashion or dressing sense. Especially in industries like music, modelling, gaming, etc., the players like to have a style that differentiates them from the rest of the crowd. With this, the leading fashion brands tend to leverage the opportunity and create a line of products that are especially suited to people who belong to a particular industry. In the gaming industry, more than self, the players like to have a proper dress code for the characters that they use to play the game in the first place.
Taking this into consideration, gaming developers have also introduced special clothing and fashion opportunities within the game for which the players have to either compete or buy them in additional packs. The trends in the game tend to replicate the fashion brands that are currently prevalent in the market. Video games are also known to cause cultural and fashion-based shifts. There are several influencers who are religiously followed when it comes to fashion in a particular industry.
The fusion of fashion and gaming has become another subculture that is available on-screen and off-screen. As fashion is being influenced to a great extent by players, it is difficult to tell whether people are influencing fashion or it is the other way around. Apart from this, cosplay is another crucial factor that is ongoing in the gaming industry. Individuals can easily buy costumes that are available in popular games from stores and even engage in gameplay off the screens. Virtual reality has highly influenced people’s sense of fashion, especially in the Western world.
Although the majority of people tend to think that fashion and gaming have intertwined in the contemporary world primarily, their relationship is very old. There are several instances that can be noted in our histories where experts had unique costumes and clothing for particular events that involved gaming sessions. As gaming has become online to a significant extent, the influence of video games is now being identified in the offline lives of individuals. Popular characters greatly influence fashion icons and might develop special themes around them as well.
While some players tend to use costumes and fashion only on special occasions, others use fashion influenced by video game characters on a day-to-day basis. The personal style of many people is connected to games. Japan is one country that is also promoting the relationship between fashion and gaming to a big extent. Games like Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Zelda, etc., were developed by Japanese professionals. These games have eventually entered the lives of gamers and influenced fashion trends as well. Traces of the same can also be seen in the fashion that actors and artists hone on TV and in theatres.
The impact that gaming culture has had on fashion is extraordinary. Gaming is definitely becoming an inspiration for new fashion trends worldwide. Whether it is streetwear or exclusive collections, gaming motifs are being integrated in fashion to a large extent. The main reason behind the new fashion trends is also the influential characters that are typically seen in the games. For example, the attire that was worn by the Lara Croft character in the tomb raiders has become a style of its own. The unique features and the looks that were carried on by the characters has led to an iconic range of fashion clothes.
The jamming up of fashion and gaming is also indicated in the gaming events that are hosted by professionals and organisations worldwide. Players love to dress up in their favourite characters while they participate in different games. Cosplay is definitely another important part of the influence of games on fashion. Dedicated players not only indulge in costumes but also the making of accessories to give a life-like value to their outfit. There are several favourite characters that are chosen by players and imitated to display their commitment to a particular game or its character.
In certain games, the concept of in-game fashion is also taking strong roots. Players put in a lot of time and effort into dressing up their avatar. Some people also indulge in the use of cosmetics to give the avatar a unique touch. With digital clothing and accessories, the avatars are customised strongly. Once a particular avatar gains importance, success and fame in the industry, it translates into fashion in the real world. So, the impact of fashion in the virtual world definitely has a strong role to play in real life as well.
Gaming companies are also partnering with fashion brands to acquire sponsorships and collaborations that further lead to the development of special costumes. For example, luxury brands allow the players to dress up their characters in a particular design or clothing at an additional cost. This gives the player an extra edge in the virtual game and they gain social capital online that they crave for.
So, we can definitely conclude that the fashion world and the gaming industry are highly influenced by each other and intertwine in several ways. If you thought that you are the only one who has noticed it then you are totally wrong. A strong discussion and analysis of this phenomenon is being done to review the influence of gaming on fashion and how far it should be allowed to go in the near future. Experts are of the opinion that the influence of the virtual and real world on each other is bound to happen as gaming has become a completely independent career option that is being loved by professionals across the globe.
Lastly, it is important to highlight that there are still certain players who do not indulge in collaborating fashion and gaming and carry themselves with simplicity but a certain attire is consistently being expected of them by the followers. Some players only dress up a particular way because of the expectations of the people around them or when they wish to gain the same kind of importance as other players in the industry.