Streamline Media Group Showcases The Fashion Industry's First Immersive Gaming Experience with Balenciaga's Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow

Today, Streamline Media Group  announces its key role in developing Balenciaga's Afterworld "The Age of Tomorrow" game. This project turned the fashion industry on its head in December 2020, delivering the first prominent interactive, immersive 3D gaming experience to launch its Fall 2021 Collection.

"Afterworld is a game-changer," says Sallyann Houghton, Epic Games Innovation Lab. "A guiding light in the industry that allows people to see that interactive media is the future of marketing."

Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow is a prime example of how the enterprise can incorporate video games in the digital transformation of the global economy. Streamline's production team, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, worked directly with a worldwide network of collaborators from Balenciaga, Substance and Inhalt, Dimension Studio, and others. The group then pulled together the concept, cinematics, audio, and streaming elements in the Unreal Engine to bring this experience to life. An experience that Vogue called "a quantum leap for the fashion industry.

"It was amazing to work with non-gamers on a creative project of this magnitude," says Alexander Fernandez, CEO and co-founder of Streamline. "Their creative concepts had no limits or constraints, it was a welcome challenge to bring this vision to reality. It helped us deliver, and showcase to the world, an advanced interactive experience that is now a key milestone for the games industry in the enterprise."

While Balenciaga is not the first to incorporate interactive gaming into its brand, it is the first time an international luxury fashion brand has launched a wholly digital in-game experience. Over its 20-year history, Streamline has supported global brands across entertainment mediums to deliver ground-breaking creative technology to mainstream audiences. Notable examples include the Coke Zero AVTR commercial tie-in with the world's top-selling movie, Avatar, a multi-purpose virtual television studio for BBC Sport, and the first virtual reality TV show, Rival Peak by Genvid Technologies.

It's not hard to see the future of the enterprise gaming space. The 'Metaverse' will open up new opportunities for product discovery, commerce, virtual co-working, education, and social interactivity.

"This is only the beginning," continues Fernandez. "Digital transformation of industry has arrived and video game technology is the infrastructure that will bring immersive interactive experiences to every aspect of life. Welcome to the Metaverse.”

FASHIONADO

The Sperry Sock Debate - With or without socks?

When sailor and inventor Paul Sperry created the first non-slip boat shoe in 1935, he inadvertently launched one of the most enduring debates about personal style in the history of fashion: Do you wear boat shoes with or without socks?

Very few style statements evoke such a polarized response.  John Legend, Sperry's Global Brand Ambassador, threw down the style gauntlet recently, stepping out in his cropped trousers and boat shoes asserting his bare ankles.  "It depends on the cut and fit of your pants, and how cool you are," he says of his sockless style.

Retailer J. Crew's men's style team shows Sperry boat shoes worn with their playfully patterned socks, while author of the New York Times bestseller Men and Style, David Coggins, prefers the sockless look.  "We can't have our feet shackled with grotesque tube socks, corseted and constrained," he says. "Go forth with a liberated ankle!" 

For those who want to wear socks with boat shoes, Brian Davis, owner of Wooden Sleepers, a New York based vintage American menswear brand, online store, and showroom sets some guidelines. "First things first - no 'fun socks.' This is not a time for stripes, argyles, or novelties. Grab a crisp pair of white cotton socks and wear with your favorite chino shorts (cut above the knee!) and pair with a worn-in polo, rumpled oxford cloth shirt, or breezy patch madras.  For a cooler day, substitute the shorts with a pair of chinos (not too slim, not too baggy) or a lighter wash denim like a broken in 501, and a vintage military shirt, cotton sweater, or chore coat," he instructs.

Others, like menswear editor and owner of the sock brand Bombas, Randy Goldberg, find a happy compromise in the no-show sock, cut low especially to be worn with boat shoes, without being seen. "Once the no-show sock is inside your Sperrys, it will disappear completely, giving you the advantage of stealth comfort. Sockless looks, sock feels. Best of both worlds," he says.

Elizabeth Drori, Sperry Chief Marketing Officer, strikes a happy medium. "The Sperry Authentic Original boat shoe is a timeless classic. Socks or no socks, with cuffed jeans or a skirt, wear them in a way that expresses your personal style."

Where do you stand? 

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