“Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and having a visually stunning videogame franchise such as FINAL FANTASY work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create something so unique is incredible,” said Max Pearmain, Editor of Arena Homme+. “I've always been interested by the power of video games and their place in society, and the amount of work that's gone into this project blows my mind. We're incredibly pleased with the result.”
Yoshinori Kitase, Producer of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 added, “The FINAL FANTASY series is known for its creativity and innovation; so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing, was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique.”
The CGI (computer generated imagery) transformation was a task that was undertaken by Square Enix’s world leading Visual Works studio in Japan, working alongside the FINAL FANTASY character designers. The 12 page feature includes key looks from Prada's S/S12 men's collection, regarded by many as one the best of the season, with key pieces including printed silk shirts and sharp modern suiting.
The article that accompanies the images in the magazine is written by British journalist and author Steven Poole. Steven is a literary columnist for the Guardian and a respected videogame industry veteran, primarily recognised for penning the well-known book on the aesthetics of videogames called Trigger Happy, as well as his monthly column in the UK’s world-renowned videogame magazine entitled EDGE.
