The spring/summer season of runway shows has come to a complete halt. Not only has the world been placed on a pause, but hereafter, the fashion industry will come to look quite differently. Amid the chaos, some have wisely chosen to adapt in a lighthearted and fun way. Animal Crossings: New Horizon launched for the Nintendo Switch in March. It was the perfect game for the world to escape to amid the pandemic, especially the fashion world. Many brands and fans alike have taken to the virtual world to showcase, share and create what would’ve been the s/s 2020 collections. The following are five looks Valentino premiered on Animal Crossing.

The Spring/Summer 2020 collection launched on Animal Crossing for Valentino and made headlines. When a brand launches a collection, they make the most money out of simple items like T-shirts and accessories as more people are willing to spend on something they can afford. It’s ironic, however, how this is mimicked in the virtual world even if the items have no price. The crowd favorite from the collection was this simple look — a black bucket hat and white T-shirt with Valentino written on it. Maybe it comes from have the logo front and center so all can recognize it, or simply the transition of the incoming style that reflects the outmost simplicity, this look is definitely one of my favorites. What’s interesting about Animal Crossing is how many people make it more normal instead of giving into complete fantasy. Their islands and characters are made to look how the person playing the game would look and live like. This uniform of an outfit reflects that well. The star on the bucket hat is also a cute touch that stands out well.

Continuing with a more simplistic and logo-centric look, this button-down dress shirt is paired with black slacks and black pleather boots (I know, it’s it incredible how a virtual game would care is leather-like boots are made out of actual leather or not). The details of the shirt, from the collar to the center seam fold hiding the buttons exemplifies how well some items are translated into the virtual world. Then the print on the shirt is shown in both black and white splitting at what would be the princess seam. The chic dress shirt dons a “V” for Valentino and the word “DREAMERS” underneath. Here, you start to see the limitations of translating a print or word on such a small surface space and how it may begin to distort or appear pixelated. This is because the way you create garments in Animal Crossing is actually like sewing small one inch squares, so the appearance of pixelation is to be expected. Nonetheless, I think this is such a great look that many users could enjoy wearing and styling with fun items.

Abstract prints have been a big part of Valentino’s latest collection. Like I mentioned before, sometimes the print is a hit or miss. Here, it’s clearly a hit. The collarless overcoat dons the collections color palette well as it morphs from black to white to lime green. The details of the jacket, especially in the print, make it so exciting to see. Translating a motif onto such a small surface area has been proven to be difficult but here it gives the Animal Crossing wearer a sense of futuristic vibes that match well with the virtual environment. This look is also paired with black slacks and black pleather boots, possibly hinting at the expected uniform color of the fashion industry, or simply wanting just the jacket to stand out. The over-sized light-brown glasses are the cherry on top for the look. The environment that surrounds the character of bamboo trees and grey brick pathways make for the perfect photoshoot as well.

Here’s an example of how prints and looks can get lost when being translated into such a specific and limited virtual space. The actual dress has many more details, but the print and large shape of the dress drown the character. The limited color palette also hide whatever design details may have been added but are no longer seen. The silhouette design of the dress is not flattering for the character at all. The kimono sleeve drape awkwardly behind the character and exaggerate the proportions in a weird shape. It would’ve been better if the sleeve where tight and normal rather than how they look now. The print is also a bit too abstract where it loses value and understanding. This design would have been more successful if translated into a dress shirt or bomber jacket, or even if the print was used for a bucket hat.

What would’ve been a stand-out finale look is a crowd-favorite (as expected) with Animal Crossing users and Valentino fans alike. The lime-green princess dress stands out in its refreshing essence that mimics the brightness and rebirth of spring. Who would’ve thought spring colors could include a neon hue so perfectly? It’s refreshing in the sense that it does stand out from what a typical summer dress would be. The color is influenced from the collection’s color palette and as a finale dress, it is only evident it stand out. The shape was recreated well and even includes the puff sleeves and waist belt detail. The scalloped bell-shaped skirt of the dress fits the cute characters of Animal Crossing well. If you thought dressing humans was hard, imagine a virtual game where textures and details may not translate well. Valentino does well in recreating only a few details and not getting carried away to honestly copy the dress into the game. The white socks ankle socks and sparkly gray ballet flats compliment and finish off the look with style and elegance.