Written by: Katie Scott, Business Reporter
American fashion brand Ralph Lauren has announced it is teaming up with Epic Games’ Fortnite to make physical and digital merchandise. The collaboration will also be marked by a virtual Fortnite tournament and a Twitch live stream.
Vogue Business reports that this is Ralph Lauren’s “biggest metaverse venture to date following past partnerships with Bitmoji, Roblox and Zepeto”. The fashion label’s chief branding and innovation officer, David Lauren, said in a statement: “Ralph Lauren has always designed dreams and created new worlds, and our collaboration with Fortnite will deliver a first-of-its kind experience to a new community of next-generation players and consumers.”
The first launches will appear on 2nd November, and will include physical sweaters, a pair of boots and polo shirts; as well as two “Polo 1991” jumpsuits featuring the Lauren polo player riding on not a horse but Fortnite’s llama logo. This is the brand's first logo redesign in its 55-year history.
The day after the launch (3rd November), there will be a Twitch live stream, hosted by gamers Kelly Link and SypherPK, and featuring a performance by rapper Polo G. This will be followed the next day by the Polo Stadium Cup, which is a Zero Build tournament in which players will be able to win in-game rewards including first access to the new collection.
The Ralph Lauren collection of digital skins and accessories will be available on 5th November while a second physical merchandise drop will take place on 1st December. Vogue adds: “Prices for both the physical and digital pieces are in line with existing standards (bundles range from 1300 to 1500 Vbux, or $10.39 to $11.99, and accessories can be purchased individually), with the physical pieces ranging from $59.50 to $188.”
Fortnite currently boasts more than 400 million user accounts globally. Its past partnerships have included Moncler and Balenciaga. Lauren added: “Our partnership represents a completely fresh take on the Ralph Lauren brand – designing for the metaverse first – that is thoroughly focused on the future. We are excited to continue to lead digital exploration, building on our decades-long track record of pioneering innovation.”
