Louis Vuitton Just Hired A Beloved Video Game Character As Its Newest Model

Plenty of live actors are making their way into video games these days, so it makes sense that that relationship can work the other way, too. Louis Vuitton, for instance, has signed on Final Fantasy XIII protagonist Lightning to serve as its newest model.

As crazy as all of that sounds, it’s true. Final Fantasy XIII’s Lightning is now a bona fide model, and you need look no further than the Square Portal to see her runway debut. And we’re not talking about someone dressed as Lightning, either. Instead, what we have here is footage of the CG character wearing some spiffy new duds while cutting flips and waving around purses like they’re swords.

After watching that a second time, I’m fairly certain these animations are basically stock for Lightning. I could swear I’ve seen these same clips somewhere before, only the purses were replaced by weapons, of course. Still, it’s not a bad way to get the attention of gamers looking to buy some swanky new gear and, since it’s Square Enix we’re talking about, you know that said gear is going to be realized in staggering detail.

Louis Vuitton is actually a popular fashion house in France (Taking a wild guess that some of our readers won’t know that) and, when director Nicolas Ghesquiere posted a video showcasing their newest model, folks familiar with the Final Fantasy games instantly recognized the pink-haired heroine of three of the series’ most recent games. Ghesquire’s description was short but sweet, stating that Lightning’s debut highlights a moment when “reality and fantasy become one.”

Surprisingly, this isn’t coming as far out of left field as it may seem. Final Fantasy characters popped up in an ad campaign for Prada a few years ago, and using Lightning now makes perfect sense seeing as Vuitton’s latest collection is basically inspired by nerd culture. According to a report from Quartz, the latest lineup includes a reference to Minecraft, as well as all sorts of anime and manga. Video games are a part of everyday culture now, so it makes sense that we’d see them pop up in more and more unexpected locations.

Still, as neat as this is, I’m looking forward to seeing the first fashion house go full digital with a show targeted at the gaming crowd. Nathan Drake could show off the latest fashion for half-tucked shirts while Bayonetta hits the virtual runway in a dress that’s practically breathing. That could all be followed by a crew of assassins displaying the latest in hoodie styles. Just an idea.