From Burberry to Tesla, luxury labels borrow the star power of blockbuster games to reach young cons

Owning a Burberry trench coat or a Tesla car may be a pipe dream for many people, but international luxury brands are now giving China’s young gamers a taste of the high life in the virtual world.

British fashion brand Burberry announced on Monday it has exclusively designed two “skins” – outfits worn by game characters – for Yao, a popular heroine from Tencent Holdings blockbuster Honor of Kings. The skins, created by Burberry chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, will be available for purchase to all mainland Chinese players, although the prices have yet to be announced.

“By allowing our Chinese customers to explore virtual products through the medium of online games, we can connect with our communities in a way that really resonates with them,” said Josie Zhang, president of Burberry China.

Luxury labels are increasingly turning to video games to reach young consumers. Last year, French fashion house Louis Vuitton launched a capsule collection of League of Legends-themed apparel and bags. At the lower-end of the luxury spectrum, Chinese streetwear brand CLOT collaborated with Tencent’s first-person shooter CrossFire to release several T-shirt designs, while Nike has been the jersey sponsor for the League of Legends Pro League – China’s biggest esports league – since 2019.

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