The North Face x Gucci collab gets busier by adding a 'Pokémon Go' tie-in

Mixing function with fashion, the debut of Gucci and The North Face’s '70s collection is squarely aimed at the glamping community. The surprisingly groovy partnership unveiled puffers, skirts, and beanies fit for the most stylish of spelunkers. Now, Gucci has teased a third element of the collaboration on Twitter — a photo of a Pokémon Go flag hoisted in front of a co-branded monogrammed tent with the caption "coming soon."

No, Gucci’s account hasn’t been hacked. The Pokémon Go official Twitter account even retweeted the news with the side eyes emoji. While the market for whatever is dropping seems niche, the news that the collaboration includes a gaming element should come as no surprise. Given the recent trend for luxury fashion and video game crossovers — like Balenciaga’s Afterworld: Age of Tomorrow or Louis Vuitton’s augmented reality theme park — Gucci’s team-up makes sense. But why Pokémon Go?

Pikachu gets posh — The Pokémon franchise's iconic imagery has slowly crept into the streetwear world. Earlier this year, Daniel Arsham rendered Pikachu, Mewtwo, Jigglypuff, and Squirtle in his signature eroding aesthetic for his Uniqlo capsule. This upcoming team-up with Gucci and The North Face, however, is the most luxurious Pokémon capsule yet.

Gucci x TNF acts as Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele’s first collaboration, and the addition of Pokémon Go addition shows the designer wants to go big or go home. While the announcement doesn’t reveal exactly what’s dropping, it’s expected that Pokémon Go’s augmented reality game will include pieces from the Gucci x TNF collection for use during play. Past collaborations, including Arsham’s, have designed clothes for characters to wear in-game while they're collecting badges and hunting shinies.

Real-life apparel might be in the works too, adding to the already expansive collection. Just imagine a Gucci x TNF branded hat for you and your Pokémon. Maybe a Pokeball-patterned puffer? Perhaps an in-game capsule through Pokémon Go is meant to pique the interest of consumers before the release of an actual collection? Whatever the motivation, we hope a virtual collaboration will be open to everyone, given most of us can’t afford Gucci and TNF’s collection IRL.

Gotta catch ‘em all — The original Gucci and The North Face collaboration is slated to drop January 22. The Pokémon Go crossover, on the other hand, has no set date other than Gucci’s cryptic “coming soon.” As such, interested fans should keep an eye out on social media for updates — Gucci and TNF’s original collection gave lucky shoppers access through a lottery system, and the Pokémon Go one might do the same. Will it choose you?