-By Ankita Dutta
London-based fashion designer Charli Cohen has partnered with Blizzard Entertainment to create a fashion line inspired by the highly-anticipated game Diablo IV. Cohen’s unique designs draw inspiration from the dark and dramatic world of Sanctuary in the game, where players engage in a fantasy role-playing game and compete against one another. The assortment comprises of patchwork denim and plaids, ideally suiting Diablo’s vision of a world following an apocalyptic event.
However, the collaboration is not just about fashion. Moreover, it integrates improved reality experiences, certification facilitated by NFC chips, and tangible clothing items. Furthermore, the partnership will feature in-person events and digital integrations in the future.
The pop-up experience for the collection will open at Selfridges in London on June 12, a week after the game’s launch on June 5. Cohen views the Diablo IV collaboration as a ground-breaking fusion of gaming and fashion, focussed on eradicating the boundaries between physical and digital products.
This latest collaboration is not Cohen’s first foray into the tech and gaming space. In 2018, she worked with Microsoft as its “Future of Fashion” ambassador and collaborated with the developers of Akila, Assassin’s Creed, and other games.
Cohen sees fashion’s future in her vision of “Nextwear,” which incorporates technology and sustainability to create digital and physical products that can be experienced anywhere. This approach fits perfectly into the “phygital realm” that seamlessly combines the digital and physical worlds.
The partnership between Diablo IV and the fashion industry exemplifies the fusion of gaming and fashion, presenting fresh and unique encounters for consumers. Among these endeavours, collaborations and virtual realities from brands such as Gucci reflect a growing trend. The progressing advancements in technology will enable more fashion designers like Charli Cohen to expand the limits and devise novel techniques to engage fashion enthusiasts. The future of fashion is not just about the clothes we wear but also how we experience them in the digital and physical worlds.
