BALENCIAGA AFTERWORLD / THE AGE OF TOMORROW
BALENCIAGA PRESENTS AFTERWORLD / THE AGE OF TOMORROW
On December 6th, 2020, at 2pm, the Balenciaga Fall 21 collection is presented in Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow, an innovative, record-breaking video game designed especially for this season. The game and the collection imagine a near future by creating an allegorical adventure set in 2031.
Afterworld is accessible and shareable from any device, using the most advanced technology available for game hosting. It sets a record for the largest volumetric video project ever undertaken.
The game’s environments and characters are designed using cutting edge photogrammetry, creating an in-depth look at the new collection and the projected future in which it is intended to be worn. A theme of Balenciaga Fall 21 is human destiny, as seen by an interactive, gamified journey. A hero avatar advances throughout distinct zones, motivated by tasks and interactions.
The narrative of Afterworld is anchored to mythological pasts and projected futures with timeless archetypes and speculative imagery. The world may appear to be decaying at first, but it is far from a dystopian view, showing instead the slow return to a healthier balance of nature and industry.
Players can eventually transcend Afterworld by beating the game. The reward is a real-life breathing exercise set in a virtual utopia. In the end, the hero has finally become (as it is referred to in Hero’s Journey analysis) a Master of Two Worlds.
