Like a star athlete who just won a championship, video game heroine Lightning has followed up on saving the world of Final Fantasy XIII by landing an endorsement deal.
French fashion label Louis Vuitton is no stranger to collaborations with world-famous celebrities, having produced ads in which models, actors, and even politicians model the company’s attire and accessories. But there’s something particularly unique about its latest spokesmodel.
Born Claire Farron, the comely pink-tressed modeling newcomer is better known by her professional name: Lightning, which was the moniker she went by while serving as the central character in the Final Fantasy XIII video game trilogy.
After being a soldier, fugitive, rebel, and demigoddess, Lightning is changing jobs again by becoming a model for Louis Vuitton’s Series 4 line for the upcoming Spring and Summer. The company’s creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière, has been sharing pictures of the Tetsuya Nomura-designed character dressed in designer outfits through his Instagram account.
Ghesquière cited Lightning’s courageousness and global attitude as key factors leading to the collaboration, both of which seem like apt descriptions for a woman who regularly battles wrathful gods while travelling between multiple worlds. Even Lightning herself has offered an official statement:
“My attire was always ‘equipment’ for the purpose of keeping me alive, so I never gave any thought to appearance or accessorization. Because of that, I might not be the best-suited person for the role of [fashion] ambassador.
But dressed like I am for the ads, I think I’ve started to realize something. Choosing your fashion, not having someone else decide on it for you, but selecting the apparel that’s just right for your tastes, is how we present ourselves to others in this world. It’s a thrilling sensation, like going to a land you’ve never been to before.
Louis Vuitton has guided me to a new fantasy. I’m looking forward to this experience from the bottom of my heart.”
That’s actually a pretty lengthy speech from the ordinarily reticent Miss Farron. But don’t worry about her new job changing her too much, as this video shows she’s still as athletic as ever.
▼ Click on the center of the black area to play the clip.
Looking sharp, Lightning.
▼ Even if that purse does sort of resemble Panasonic’s unfondly remembered 3DO game console.
Sources: Fashionsnap via Hachima Kiko, Hypebeast
Images: Louis Vuitton