H&M has launched a virtual all-vegan collection and fashion via Nintendo’s animal crossing. The new collection follows the successful launch of H&M Looop Island and includes womenswear and menswear from the upcoming Innovation “Co-Exist Story” an animal-friendly fashion collection.
The virtual fashion pieces will launch alongside an in-game update to Looop Island, transforming it into a vegan-friendly destination for gamers.
H&M’s first virtual fashion show in Animal Crossing will be held to unveil the virtual styles, with Pascal Brun, H&M’s global sustainability manager, and the gamer BrookeAB modeling alongside other gaming influencers. The virtual collection was launched on Animal Crossing on November 2.
Eleven pieces from the ‘Co-Exist Story’ collection have been recreated in virtual form and will be showcased in the in-game fashion show. The pieces include a one-size-up puffer jacket, a neon-green furry chain-link scarf, an orange mini dress with cut-out details, a leather-look sleeveless blazer, and a slogan sweatshirt. The virtual pieces will be presented at H&M’s showroom on Looop Island, accessible via a Dream code, where the catwalk show will also take place. Gamers will be able to download the virtual clothing designs at the Able Sisters Shop.
The remodeled Looop Island will reflect the vegan values of the ‘Co-Exist Story’ collection, reconfigured as an animal sanctuary within Animal Crossing (where fishing and hunting are banned), a new wildflower meadow, as well as vegan food on offer at the island restaurant. While all the villagers in Animal Crossing are animals, Looop Island will be exclusively inhabited by animals that were not harmed in the making of the ‘Co-Exist Story’ collection, such as geese, ducks, and cows.
Pascal Brun, Head of Sustainability at H&M, talks about how they are always pioneering new ways to engage customers and fans with their ambitious sustainability initiatives. Hosting their first fashion show in Animal Crossing to showcase the vegan ‘Co-Exist Story’ collection is the logical next step to the Looop Island concept, which was conceived to encourage customers to reuse, remake and recycle unwanted garments.
The idea of merging the sustainability topic with video games sounds like a great one. Just imagine all the people who will play and learn how important and necessary is to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, both in virtual and real life.