Game publisher Square Enix and fashion magazine Arena Homme+ have joined forces to showcase the latest line of men’s clothing from Prada. Using characters from Final Fantasy XIII-2 as part of the franchise’s 25th anniversary celebration, the 12-page feature will appear in the April 12th issue of Arena Homme+.
“Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and having a visually stunning video game franchise such as Final Fantasy work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create something so unique is incredible,” said Max Pearmain, editor of Arena Homme+. “I’ve always been interested by the power of video games and their place in society, and the amount of work that’s gone into this project blows my mind. We’re incredibly pleased with the result.”
“The Final Fantasy series is known for its creativity and innovation; so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique,” said Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII-2.
The CG imagery was created by Square Enix’s Visual Works studio in Japan; the same outfit responsible for the feature-length computer-animated film Final Fantasy VII: Adventure Children.
The fact that female protagonist Lightning is seen modeling men’s clothing really doesn’t do the whole “androgynous JRPG hero stereotype” any favors, but the collaboration itself is just one more step towards integrating video games with mainstream culture. GamesBeat approves (naturally).