Fashion has often flirted with surprising trends. Today, it’s carving out space in gaming platforms, NFT auctions, and metaverse events. Definitely less ordinary than co-signing perfume bottles or handbags.
Designers aren’t just chasing attention. These collaborations are smart business moves. They tap into new audiences, create short-burst hype, and stretch the limits of brand storytelling.
Let’s look at the most curious pairings that actually worked.
Gucci and Xbox Series X Limited Edition
In 2021, Gucci turned an Xbox gaming console into a $10,000 fashion artifact to mark Gucci’s 100th and Xbox’s 20th anniversary. It sold instantly and sparked conversation far outside the gaming press.
The luxury house produced just 100 hand-numbered Xbox Series X bundles. Each one came laser-engraved with Gucci’s GG motif, flanked by two matching controllers and tucked inside a monogrammed travel case.
The marketing played into that mood. The case read “GOOD GAME” on the bottom, a phrase that happens to share initials with Guccio Gucci. A promo campaign shot inside a vintage gaming lounge brought in DJ Emerald Rose Lewis and rapper Kojey Radical to unbox the trunk and test the setup.
Balenciaga and Fortnite metaverse capsule
Balenciaga partnered with Epic Games for the hit game Fortnite in 2021. It was a clever strategy. Fortnite has 400 million registered players. Most are Gen Z. Balenciaga’s gamble paid off by embedding itself in their screens.
The fashion house released digital outfits, gear, and a branded in-game retail experience. In the same window, limited-edition Balenciaga x Fortnite hoodies, tees, and hats dropped in real stores. Balenciaga also hosted a virtual store in the metaverse for the game that mirrors real-life locations.
Fendi and Beats by Dre hand-stitched headphones
Fendi’s collaboration with Beats by Dre turned headphones into fashion accessories before the term even caught on.
The brand took one of the most recognizable pieces of audio tech and dressed it in top-grade Selleria leather, each pair stitched by hand in Italy, with bold colorways ranging from emerald green to fire red.
The headphones debuted on the runway at Fendi’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2015 show in Milan. At the time, most tech partnerships stayed in the sneaker space. Fendi’s move with Beats proved that even practical tech could become hype-worthy fashion.
Nike and RTFKT “Dunk Genesis” NFT forging event
In 2023, Nike and RTFKT launched the Dunk Genesis Forging Event. It was a blockchain-gated release that let non-fungible token (NFT) holders mint a digital Dunk and later redeem it for a physical sneaker shipped in 2024. An NFT is a digital proof of ownership (secured on an immutable ledger) that can represent anything from art to sneakers.
Each pair costs $222 plus gas fees. But if you didn’t hold the original CloneX or .Swoosh OF1 NFTs, you weren’t eligible. Instead of fighting bots at checkout, users earned their way through earlier digital ownership.
Call of Duty and ASDA QR code apparel
Activision’s Call of Duty franchise didn’t tap a luxury house. It was sold at UK retailer ASDA and offered limited-edition Black Ops 6 T-shirts embedded with QR codes that unlock exclusive in-game content.
Each shirt came with a code printed on the inside of the tag. Scan it, register, and you unlock a digital calling card. The kind of bonus that proves you’re a fan. The result? Two previous drops sold out, and fans are already chasing the third.
McDonald’s and Travis Scott meal
The McDonald’s and Travis Scott collaboration in 2020 added a jolt of relevance. It wasn’t just about slapping a celebrity’s face on a Happy Meal. You were invited to eat Scott’s actual favorite order, creating a sense of personal connection and authenticity that standard endorsements often lack.
The partnership extended far beyond the drive-thru window. A massive limited-edition merchandise collection dropped alongside the meal deal. You got co-branded hoodies and T-shirts to more outlandish items like a McNugget-shaped body pillow. Social media platforms were flooded with content, stores reported shortages of key ingredients, and the merchandise sold out in minutes.
Sports Betting Brands Enter Streetwear Culture
Fashion isn’t shy about absorbing cultural symbols. Football shirts with betting sponsors are among the clearest examples. Logos that once lived on jerseys are now worn like labels, whether or not the person wearing them placed a bet.
Younger fans treat these shirts less like team gear and more like lifestyle pieces. Some even seek out limited-edition drops that feature betting brands alongside legacy crests.
That shift opens the door for brands built outside the usual sportswear system. In an era when high-end designers team up with esports leagues and platforms like Sportbet.one betting website, the lines between style, fandom, and subculture get harder to trace.
Closing thoughts
Designers collide with industries that look nothing like theirs for inspiration and profit. That’s how we got crocodile-skinned headphones, metaverse boutiques, blockchain-verified sneakers, and esports trophy trunks.
The takeaway is practical: if your next partnership feels obvious, you’ve probably missed the better one. And fashion should learn that being early, as well as successful, sometimes means being a little weird.
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