All dressed up with nowhere to go? Try Animal Crossing.
MANILA, Philippines — For those of us doing our part in containing the pandemic by staying home, cabin fever is real on this 19th day of enhanced community quarantine. For the country’s creatives, this means postponed shoots and events, working from home, social distancing, and doing whatever they can to help.
With a Nintendo Switch console, the online community of Animal Crossing: New Horizons find solace in creative expression as their avatars roam free in an island paradise they have customized and interact virtually. The Instagram account @animalcrossingfashionarchive created by photographer Kara Chung documents its fashionable best.
Designer Carl Jan Cruz’s contemporary fashion brand has a virtual showroom in the game with collaborators photographer Renzo Navarro and film and advertising director Simon Te. Cruz is hosting an ongoing 30-50 percent off sale of his collection pieces as a means to continue supporting his employees during the lockdown.
Boutique branding and design agency Serious Studio launched their magazine The Serious Review at the beginning of Metro Manila’s lockdown. With all plans of a launch canceled as the company works from home, they created a virtual version of their office reception area hosting their team.
Photographer Regine David created a virtual exhibition of her emotion-stirring portraiture in a Dior SS16 look. In the game, her bedroom is wrapped in the Louis Vuitton monogram with a shrine for creative director Nicolas Ghesquière and artistic director of menswear Virgil Abloh.
UNKNWN.Fiesta is postponed to the first quarter of 2021, but special-edition bucket hats promoting the music festival in collaboration with unisex line EC make an appearance in the game. For now, UNKNWN livestreams DJ sets on Facebook Live and Twitch every Tuesday of the quarantine while accepting donations for each DJ’s chosen charity.
Transit Store lookbook model Nicole Concepcion wears the Manila-based brand in the game while lounging in her log cabin. She also created character art of sport resort wear brand Toqa’s founders Aiala Rickard and Isabel Sicat in their latest pieces. Fortune co-founder Isai Araneta wears a look from their military-inspired inaugural collection.
So how did they get the outfits? Some can be grabbed with a QR code. But most of the time, you have to create your look yourself.
Purchase the Pro Designs upgrade from Nook Shop, open it on your NookPhone, and recreate your chosen piece using the toolbox on the right side of the screen. Customize it by manually adjusting the hue, vividness and brightness of the shade. Make sure it looks good from all angles since your character will be walking around in it. Don’t forget to save it in your e-closet — MT
