Early this month, Electronic Arts and Criterion Games announced a fashion collaboration with different fashion brands for the upcoming Need for Speed Unbound. A new partnership has been announced recently, and this time, it's with historic Parisian fashion house Balmain. What makes this one different is that it's not only offering bespoke in-game content but also real-world footwear. The Need for Speed Unbound x Balmain collab is just one of the many features that builds on the main themes of the game, which are representation, inclusivity, and the freedom of self-expression.
The Need for Speed Unbound x Balmain collaboration introduces a new special spin on the fashion house’s statement-making B-IT Slider to the game’s capsule collection of real-world footwear. In particular, there will be a very limited edition of 100 pairs of the new design available at the official website of Balmain starting December 14.
This new partnership also brings an in-game rival racer named Eleonore. She can be seen wearing a special Balmain designed dress from Balmain's Fall 2022 collection. She'll also be going around Lakeshore in-style inside a one-of-a-kind Balmain-wrapped supercar. For players, they can collect four pieces of Balmain apparel, including a jacket, jeans, and B-IT Sliders.
More About Balmain
It was more than 75 years ago when Pierre Balmain first introduced what would be known as his “New French Style.” It became clear to everyone that it offered a uniquely fresh, bold, and feminine conception of haute couture. Indeed, it broke with many of the well-established conventions of the era. Ultimately, his audaciousness paid off and Balmain became one of the handful of young French talents who ushered in the golden age of couture of the mid-century. He also helped re-establish Paris as the fashion capital of the world.
Fashion Collab
Early this month, a collaboration with some of the world's most influential brands was announced. The goal was to expand on the energy and flair that lies at the heart of the Need for Speed series, where each brand is expected to bring its stylistic vision to life in the game for players to discover. The fashion collaborators were curated by none other than the game’s fashion director Toni-Blaze Ibekwe who revealed that these different partnerships blur the line between digital content and real life.
Need for Speed Unbound is launching December 2 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
