Today, Burberry launches a special collaboration with one of the world’s most popular video games Minecraft to bring the Burberry brand story to their communities in a new and unexpected way.
Comprising of an in-game adventure from Burberry and Minecraft called ‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond’, a physical partnered capsule collection and a range of extensions and experiences, the collaboration allows consumers to bothphysically and digitally immerse themselves in a distinctly Burberry x Minecraft universe.
Uniting two brands with shared values of exploration, creativity and self-expression, the collaboration marks the first time that Burberry has partnered with a gaming franchise to create a fully immersive and branded ingame experience, which is bespoke in both landscape and story line.
Designed together with Minecraft mapmakers Blockception, ‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond’ takes inspiration from Burberry’s pioneering heritage and reimagines journeys into nature through the power of adventure. Commencing in a fantastical version of the City of London, the home and global headquarters of Burberry, the game is punctuated by creative references to the brand’s universe – including an Equestrian Knight character, Thomas Burberry Monogram maze and a range of members from the Burberry animal kingdom, each bestowed with mystical powers. With a venturesome and fast-paced narrative, game players assume the role of a modern explorer, adventuring into the unknown to restore four element-inspired realms to harmony.
Bridging the digital and physical worlds, Burberry and Minecraft encourage communities to showcase their self-expression and equip the modern explorer with in-game skins and character creator items, as well as a physical limited-edition capsule collection. Launching exclusively online at Burberry.com and in selected stores from 1 November, the capsule offers items for both men and women – including unmistakable Burberry icons, from the Waterloo Trench Coat and Car Coats to logo-print sweatshirts, hoodies, hats and scarves. Adorned with virtual landscape scenes and graphics of the Minecraft creature Creeper, pieces are animated by a pixelated iteration of the Thomas Burberry Monogram – inspired by Burberry’s founder – and enhanced by floral embroidery in an ode to the outdoors. Complemented by five iconic looks also available in-game as character skins and captured on models alongside digital avatars, the creation of this collection marks the first time that Burberry has partnered with a video game series for a capsule collection.
To further celebrate the partnership, each of the stores and pop-ups stocking the capsule collection will be transformed into immersive spaces featuring ‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond’-inspired window displays, digital screens and flooring.
Burberry will also further blur the lines between fantasy and reality by releasing an exclusive filter on Instagram, as well as bespoke emojis and special effects on Bilibili – a video-sharing platform in China.
Phillip Hennche, Director of Channel Innovation at Burberry, says: ‘We are thrilled to be partnering with Minecraft to bring the Burberry brand story to life in such an immersive way. With a shared belief in adventure, community and the power of creativity to open spaces, the natural synergy between both of our brands has allowed us to connect our respective worlds in a way that is unexpected and yet entirely natural. By coming together, we hope to connect communities and inspire our consumers with a whole new way to experience our brand.’
‘We are excited to announce Minecraft’s first luxury goods collaboration with one of the most iconic fashion brands in the world, Burberry. Our capsule collection and exclusive in-game content bridges the digital and physical worlds through a celebration of adventure, exploration and self-expression,’ says Kayleen Walters, Head of Franchise Development at Mojang Studios. ‘Through our partnership, we will bring the joy of gaming to the world of luxury fashion and introduce new audiences to the endless creative possibilities within Minecraft.’
Set in the natural world, where game players are encouraged to complete various outdoor challenges and interact with the animal kingdom, ‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond’ reflects Burberry and Minecraft’s appreciation of the wonder of nature. Teaming up to protect and conserve naturescapes for the explorers of tomorrow, Burberry and Minecraft will make a donation to help protect 500,000 trees and plant 25,000 trees through environmental organization Conservation International and their forest conservation efforts around the world. Support from this initiative will not only help protect and restore forest ecosystems but also help conserve critical wildlife habitats in places where Conservation International supports. It complements the ongoing commitment that Burberry and Conservation International have to protect nature through the Fashion Pact.
‘Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond’ and its 15 free in-game styles will be available to download from the Minecraft Marketplace from 10am Pacific Standard Time (PST) / 5pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on 1 November. The partnered capsule collection will become available online from 31 October exclusively to Burberry subscribers and then to the global public from 1 November.
The capsule will be available online exclusively at Burberry.com as well as seven global stores and pop-ups, including Spring Street, New York; Shenzhen Bay, China; Regent Street, London; Omotesando, Tokyo; Seoul Cheongdam, Korea; 101 Taipei, Taiwan Area, China; and Siam Paragon, Thailand.
