In recent sneaker news, Gucci has officially launched Gucci Sneaker Garage, a haven of the brand’s greatest sneakers and digitized versions of them. The Garage can be found in the Gucci Arcade section of the Gucci app, a step in bringing fashion and technology closer together.

The brand recognizes the power of garages as places for people to explore their talent and creativity, with now legendary bands such as Nirvana and the Ramones getting their start in a garage. There’s also a vintage essence to the garage, an ’80s and ’90s feel that Gucci honors.

Alessandro Michele, creative director of the label, designed Gucci’s first virtual sneakers for this occasion, the Gucci Virtual 25. Hyper-realistic kicks with a mix of practical and imaginative details, these sneakers can only be purchased virtually and worn by customers’ digital avatars in the virtual realm. Gucci Sneaker Garage welcomes gamers and those with a knack for all things virtual, the Gucci Virtual 25 can also be found on Aglet, the ultimate sneaker gaming app, and will be available for wear on platforms like Roblox and VRChat.  

Gucci’s latest virtual launch further fosters the relationship between fashion and gaming, allowing gamers to experiment in the making of their own sneaker models, bringing together their original ideas with existing designs. This interactive element brings Gucci Sneaker Garage to a whole ‘nother level, bringing more meaning to the relationship between the brand and its supporters.

Several artists have already tested this out and brought their own creative spin to the Gucci sneaker world, invited by the fashion label to produce multimedia works expressing their own styles and beliefs with Gucci sneakers incorporated in. Each artist’s visual exploration is now part of a virtual gallery, with works from talents including Bodega Rose, Christopher Chan, Ghica Popa, Trevor Andrew, and even more.

The Gucci Sneaker Garage is not just Gucci’s latest move at delving further into the world of technology and finding a place for itself, it’s also an innovative display of what can come out of the merge between fashion and gaming, including the viewer in the conversation. An homage to retro visuals and displays of talent as well as an avant-garde multifaceted project, Gucci Sneaker Garage tells an exciting story that we can’t wait to be a part of, and you’re invited.