
Skins in the Game
The Radical World of Video Game Fashion
Bloomsbury Academic (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 4. February 2027
Book
Hardback
240 pages
979-8-216-36750-5 (ISBN)
Description
Explores the evolution of fashion in video games from the origin of Mario to recent partnerships by luxury brands to create in-game skins.
Did you know that Mario's iconic overall look was born out of necessity due to the limitations of 8-bit animation? Link, the hero of 1986's Legend of Zelda, utilized a Peter Pan-esque design to add a sense of familiarity for those who had grown up with the Walt Disney film, while Halo's choice to cover the faces of all its characters with helmets and tactical gear in 2001 gave players an easy time projecting themselves into the game. As gaming has grown, so has the importance of its fashion.
Skins in the Game explores fashion's evolution in gaming, tracing its history from the inception of the first avatar to the pivotal moment when video games became fashion influencers and the obstacles and challenges along the way. Tracy Greenan and Fija Dahlia investigate how gaming aesthetics have been influenced by art, literature, and film, scrutinize their successes and failures, and deconstruct the complex narrative of character design and historical sexism throughout the industry. They also feature exclusive interviews with top creative minds in costume, game, and character design to untangle major distinctions between the physical and digital clothing worlds and illuminate how brands utilize these differences.
By looking at how community and fandom play crucial roles in shaping gaming fashion, the authors further reveal the importance of these in-game connections for growing and sustaining a game's momentum, legacy, and style. Ultimately, Skins in the Game offers invaluable insights, fascinating data, thought-provoking interviews, and an avalanche of helpful imagery and practical pointers to ignite the imagination of fashion and videogame fans alike. Readers will discover this ever-evolving landscape, where fashion and technology spectacularly merge.
Did you know that Mario's iconic overall look was born out of necessity due to the limitations of 8-bit animation? Link, the hero of 1986's Legend of Zelda, utilized a Peter Pan-esque design to add a sense of familiarity for those who had grown up with the Walt Disney film, while Halo's choice to cover the faces of all its characters with helmets and tactical gear in 2001 gave players an easy time projecting themselves into the game. As gaming has grown, so has the importance of its fashion.
Skins in the Game explores fashion's evolution in gaming, tracing its history from the inception of the first avatar to the pivotal moment when video games became fashion influencers and the obstacles and challenges along the way. Tracy Greenan and Fija Dahlia investigate how gaming aesthetics have been influenced by art, literature, and film, scrutinize their successes and failures, and deconstruct the complex narrative of character design and historical sexism throughout the industry. They also feature exclusive interviews with top creative minds in costume, game, and character design to untangle major distinctions between the physical and digital clothing worlds and illuminate how brands utilize these differences.
By looking at how community and fandom play crucial roles in shaping gaming fashion, the authors further reveal the importance of these in-game connections for growing and sustaining a game's momentum, legacy, and style. Ultimately, Skins in the Game offers invaluable insights, fascinating data, thought-provoking interviews, and an avalanche of helpful imagery and practical pointers to ignite the imagination of fashion and videogame fans alike. Readers will discover this ever-evolving landscape, where fashion and technology spectacularly merge.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Product notice
Laminated cover
Illustrations
31 photos
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
328 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-36750-5 (9798216367505)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Tracy Greenan is a Northern Irish/Filipino-Canadian fashion-tech and gaming entrepreneur based in New York. She founded A.U.R.A., a digital fashion gaming brand, and produced the fashion video game Zombie Fashion Fight. She is also the co-founder of the Fashion in Gaming Awards. Tracy serves as a writer and Editor-in-Chief at THEFASHN COLLCTR, a premium style blog. In 2023, Tracy created the non-profit Gamers over Guns, which teaches life skills in underserved communities through gamification.
Fija Dahlia is a fashion designer, illustrator, and writer living between Lithuania and The Netherlands. In spring of 2023, Fija was invited to participate as a fashion mentor in Parsons School of Design's first collaborative class with Roblox. Since then, Fija has obtained a certification in game design, an internship at the digital fashion company A.U.R.A and collaborates with the non-profit program Gamers Over Guns as a curriculum developer and board advisor. Together, Tracy and Fija makeup Game-Changing Style, officially launched in September of 2024.
Fija Dahlia is a fashion designer, illustrator, and writer living between Lithuania and The Netherlands. In spring of 2023, Fija was invited to participate as a fashion mentor in Parsons School of Design's first collaborative class with Roblox. Since then, Fija has obtained a certification in game design, an internship at the digital fashion company A.U.R.A and collaborates with the non-profit program Gamers Over Guns as a curriculum developer and board advisor. Together, Tracy and Fija makeup Game-Changing Style, officially launched in September of 2024.
Content
Foreword by Richard A. Bartle
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: RPG Style Icons
Chapter 3: Swords, Shadows, & the Past: Dressing Worlds Built on Memory
Chapter 4: Some Machines Need Killing: Fashion Beyond the Human
Chapter 5: Villains & Heroes
Chapter 6: The Good, The Bad, & the Utterly Ugly of Video Game Fashion
Chapter 7: Fashion Fights: How Dress-Up Won Gaming
Chapter 8: Unzipped: The Secret Life of Skins
Chapter 9: Behind the Digital Curtain: Innovator Insights
Chapter 10: Friends or Foes? Brands Play to Win
Chapter 11: Flip or Fail: The Skins Trade
Chapter 12: Digital Tribes & Fandom Fashion
Conclusion
Notes
Index
About the Authors
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: RPG Style Icons
Chapter 3: Swords, Shadows, & the Past: Dressing Worlds Built on Memory
Chapter 4: Some Machines Need Killing: Fashion Beyond the Human
Chapter 5: Villains & Heroes
Chapter 6: The Good, The Bad, & the Utterly Ugly of Video Game Fashion
Chapter 7: Fashion Fights: How Dress-Up Won Gaming
Chapter 8: Unzipped: The Secret Life of Skins
Chapter 9: Behind the Digital Curtain: Innovator Insights
Chapter 10: Friends or Foes? Brands Play to Win
Chapter 11: Flip or Fail: The Skins Trade
Chapter 12: Digital Tribes & Fandom Fashion
Conclusion
Notes
Index
About the Authors