Burberry Joins The Roblox Goldrush

What happened Roblox is swiftly becoming one of luxury’s favorites when it comes to Web3 collabs — this time through a partnership with British fashion house Burberry. Running from July 11-15, the team-up features a virtual handbag collection which draws inspiration from their iconic Lola bag and Burberry’s long-standing affinity with the outdoors. The limited-edition collection consists of five experimental motifs, each created in collaboration with @Builder_boy, one of Roblox’s best-known designers. Over the course of the five days, a new design will drop every 24 hours, which community members can acquire and use to accessorize their avatars. Each handbag also unlocks a special emote (a unique action that avatars can perform on Roblox) that will be available to users for free for a limited time. The Jing Take This isn’t Burberry’s first foray into the metaverse, nor is it the first time the fashion group has utilized gaming platforms in a bid to leverage its digital presence. It previously united with next-gen tech company Mythical Games to launch an NFT collection within its flagship title, Blankos Block Party. The token series welcomed the introduction of Burberry’s latest virtual mascot in the form of limited edition "Blanko": a shark adorned in the house’s recognizable SS22 monogram titled Sharky B, which came with a series of in-game branded accessories. The tie-up proved such a success that the label deepened its affiliation with Mythical Games back in January, releasing a new character and the maison’s own virtual world. But Burberry is up against competition in Roblox. Luxury is bursting onto the Web3 gaming scene at unprecedented speed, with the likes of Gucci Town, the Givenchy Beauty House, and Tommy Play all beating it at the post when it comes to making a name for themselves in the online universe. For businesses wanting to stay relevant in the metaverse, late entries into currently hyped spaces like Roblox come with the risk of missing the momentum and falling short of their early-adopting competitors. Despite this, Burberry’s latest move not only demonstrates its impressive understanding of the utility of gaming platforms, but also how fashion can use the metaverse to promote and upscale the value of specific products. Introducing the legacy of iconic silhouettes, such as the Lola, to Web3 could attract new potential in digital-native consumers — alongside strengthening the narrative of independent assets, as well as the brand as a whole. "It" products are hailed for their widespread impact on the fashion industry in the physical space, but could Burberry’s latest meta-move signal how these legacies can transcend into the digital? We’ll have to wait and see. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

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Burberry Joins The Roblox Goldrush