London-based dressmaker Charli Cohen’s pursuit of fashion’s future has brought her to Blizzard Entertainment, with an upcoming collaboration with the latter’s much anticipated game Diablo IV.

Hewing to the fantasy role-playing game, Cohen puts fashion’s lens on the dark world of Sanctuary, a dramatic stylized environment where players congregate in towns, trade, fight formidable bosses and compete against other players. Apparently the post-apocalyptic future is stuffed with patchwork denims and plaids.

In keeping with the brand, that’s only one a part of the experience. The collab will feature augmented reality activations and NFC chip-enabled certification, together with the integrations with physical garments. As a part of the community, people can even have the option to attend in-person events, and more digital integrations look likely in the longer term.

The gathering kicks off with a pop-up experience at Selfridges in London on June 12, per week after the sport’s launch on June 5.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Diablo IV for this groundbreaking fusion of gaming and fashion,” Cohen said in an announcement. “As we change into increasingly digital within the ways we communicate, share experiences and interact, Charli Cohen is targeted on eradicating the boundaries between physical and digital products.”

While the fundamental task at hand is to interpret a fictional world, to the designer, this and her other efforts go deeper than that. Indeed, the Diablo IV collab isn’t Cohen’s first foray into tech and gaming. She worked with Microsoft as its “Way forward for Fashion” ambassador in 2018, in addition to the developers behind Akila, Assassin’s Creed and others on various collaborations.

It’s all a part of what the brand calls “Nextwear,” a vision of fashion’s future with respect to technology and sustainability. Its stated description matches firmly into the so-called “phygital realm,” with digital and physical products that might be experienced anywhere — in AR, VR, metaverse or the actual world — allowing for an exploration and expression of identity.

There may be, after all, one other appeal that has drawn brands similar to Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Prada, Burberry and plenty of more to gaming. These platforms represent a direct line to a recent generation of digitally savvy consumers. That could be less of a motivation, perhaps, for purpose-driven designers like Cohen.

“With Diablo IV,” she explained, “we’re bringing the world of fashion and gaming together to create something truly special.”