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Trends

Videogames


Between real and virtual

Words Alessandra Albarello

17/01/2022

Or, in other words, how to imagine crossing the boundary between the real and the virtual by wearing special glasses. With irony and audacity...

Who, when playing a video game, has never identified with the protagonist/hero to the point of blurring the boundaries between the virtual and the real? This is an experience that always takes place through the use of special-performance glasses. Transferring this into everyday reality is possible, thanks to accessories that allow you to immerse yourself completely in the spirit of "anime", giving the illusion that everyday life is an adventure projected into another dimension. Of course, it also takes a lot of irony...

The strongest and boldest expression of this trend is undoubtedly the Ludens Mask, which arose from a collaboration between Jean-François Rey, an avant-garde French brand, with Hideo Kojima, a well-known Japanese creator in the world of video games. This hybrid mask (which can come with sunglass or prescription lenses) is inspired by the one worn by Sam Porter Bridges, the protagonist of Death Stranding, and is made in 3D with the innovative SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) technique. It is presented as part of a capsule collection of 888 numbered copies, contained in packaging borrowed from the Kojima Productions brand and the slogan "From Sapiens to Ludens"... The less courageous will always be able to opt for the three other models by Hideo Kojima x Jean-François Rey glasses, which retain the same original characteristics but are less extreme. Thanks to the varied plastic and sculptural potential offered by new technologies, even the most classic brands have entered this world, albeit in a much more discreet way.

As such, Burberry has modelled its BE4353 eyewear by emphasising volumes and thicknesses and abandoning the traditional check pattern, the brand's trademark, in favour of new aesthetic codes. Instead, the sport element that has always been part of its DNA, sublimated by a sophisticated concept of contemporary fashion, is used as the basis of mod. ML0219 Moncler by Marcolin, sunglasses that seem to be sculpted on the face.

Burberry, mod. BE4353

Burberry, mod. BE4353

Balenciaga

Balenciaga

Moncler by Marcolin, mod. ML0219

Moncler by Marcolin, mod. ML0219

Satori Mask by Mykita

Jean-François Rey x Hideo Kojima

The discretion of this model is counterbalanced by the flashy and courageous Satori Mask by Mykita, created in collaboration with Bernhard Willhelm, a visionary fashion designer. It feeds on inspiration from street art and streetwear, mixed with pop culture and sporting elements, all of which are developed in collections that catch the eye with their surprising and very funny graphic designs. Ideal as an accessory to complete the "Fountain" outfits from the S/S 2022 collection, it seems suitable for countering all virtual attacks thanks to its robotic appearance and the architecture of the lenses, which are connected by a structure made from mylon, a very light polyamide material patented by Mykita. Built without screws using a system that has also been patented by the Berlin brand, it offers complete protection and an immersive experience with lenses that protect from 100% UVA/UVB rays as they are treated with a hydrophobic nano coating and an anti-reflective inner coating. The same technology was used for the Guard One protective mask, which Mykita created during the pandemic in collaboration with medical practitioners to counter the spread of the viral infection.

Staying on the subject of 3D, we couldn't fail to mention the futuristic and iconic SX0 Cabrio mask by Hoet Studio, created by Bieke Hoet in collaboration with the indie pop duo SX and with Materialise, the go-to partner of excellence for 3D printing for many international design and fashion brands. Now a classic, it is offered both as sunglasses and prescription glasses. We are therefore looking to the future, including with Balenciaga's completely enveloping futuristic oversized mask, inspired by the spread wings of butterflies. This it is certainly not by chance, because the next challenge will be space flights, meeting places between the virtual and the real, the favourite destinations of the collective imagination which, although currently the prerogative of astronauts and a select few, could soon become the destination for many. In the meantime we can continue to dream. While wearing glasses...

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