Fortnite x Balenciaga Slammed As Being For 'F**kwits With More Money Than Sense'
"Are you wearing the...."
"$425 Fortnite t-shirt, yeah, I am". It's one of the weirdest Fortnite collaborations we've heard of, but that doesn't mean the Fortnite x Balenciaga range isn't getting a lot of press. If you want to flex your muscles (and your bank balance), you can shell out for the exclusive skins in-game and actual clothes in real-life. Safe to say, the range has split fandom, with some claiming it's for "f**kwits with more money than sense".
By now, we're sure you've all seen the Fortnite x Balenciaga news, with fan-favourite Doggo dressed in his finery. There will be in-game billboards featuring Doggo wearing Balenciaga garms, with them also being placed in real cities around the world. All of this lead to the official drop on the Balenciaga store this week.
What have fans said about the Fortnite x Balenciaga collaboration?
Opinions have been split over the clothing. Mainly, those who've boasted that they've bought clothing or accessories have been chased off Twitter and slammed that they're doing it for the clout. As one wrote, "#Balenciaga 'fashion' for absolute fuckwits who have more money than sense".
Someone else said, "How can it be justified paying these prices for Balenciaga.. You are a complete mug if you pay it... See you in Tk Maxx in about 3 years". There was also a poll that asked, "Would you pay $300-$1290 for some Fortnite Merchandise? Even if it was Balenciaga?". Out of the 3,500 votes, an overwhelming 89.2% said no.
Others loved the idea. One happy shopper bought the in-game skins and wrote, "Yes.. it may only be in #Fortnite.. but I can now say I finally own some #Balenciaga outfits." Another supported concluded, "Ok #Balenciaga collaborated with #Fortnite and im not a fan of the game but this actually an amazing design". Isn't that the problem though, the range doesn't seem to be aimed at Fortnite fans or fashionistas. Instead, it's lost in some sort of middle ground.
What is the Forntite x Balenciaga collaboration's endgame?
This isn't the first time the meta worlds of gaming and fashion have collided in a big way. There's the time Apex Legends released its own Air Jordans, while Insomniac did the same with Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, who remembers when League of Legends released a collab with Louis Vuitton? No, us neither. The problem is, this kind of "elite" fashion statement alienates the majority of players.
It's no secret that Fortnite has a largely younger audience, and we've seen when kids get hold of their parent's credit card to buy illicit V-Bucks. Even if the Balenciaga line isn't aimed at kids, how many little sprogs are going to asking for the $725 hoody this Christmas? You then have to think of the scalping potential. Stocks are sure to fly off shelves, and then how long will it be before that $395 hat starts selling for double that price?
Still, Epic is standing by its high-end union. Speaking to The Verge, Epic President Adam Sussman explained, "Fortnite is fashion. The entire experience of Fortnite is centered around self expression, player agency, and the ability to live out a fantasy of portraying characters and outfits that people want to wear."
Whether this could be the start of a continued run of fashion lines, Emily Levy (who works in partnerships for Epic) added, "I think this is just the start. I think what’s really special about what we can do with our technology and with our community is create new ways for players to self-express [and] also new ways for players to experience fashion. I think you’re going to continue to see us explore what those two opportunities can look like for our community."
Sussman and Levy are right, as who doesn't love pairing a Harley Quinn skin with Baby Yoda and an Alien-inspired glider? Then again, there's a big difference between a limited run of skins and spending hundreds - if not thousands - on actual clothing. All this for something it looks like our teenage selves could screen printed in our bedroom. Insert side-eye emoji here.
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