Menswear brand and e-tailer Frank & Oak has partnered with Ubisoft to cross-promote the new Watch Dogs game through an exclusive line of limited edition clothing and accessories. Taking cues from the Watch Dogs universe, the 12-piece capsule collection bears a dark and mysterious near-future aesthetic. The distressed v-neck pocket tees ($32), printed denim shirts ($55), waffle henley ($42), black canvas pant ($65), patterned sweater ($65), and French terry hoodie ($65) feature raw and worn details and textures; and the crew neck tees ($32), baseball cap ($35) and military canvas duffle ($115) boast subtle Watch Dogs graphic details for the growing number of hardcore and casual gamers.

Ethan Song

Ethan Song, co-founder and CEO of Frank & Oak, explains why video games offer a unique opportunity to connect fashion with digital consumers in this exclusive interview.

[a]list daily: Can you talk about your brand?

Ethan Song: Frank & Oak is the simplest way to shop the latest trends in menswear, with quality designs and integrated lifestyle content. As a vertically integrated brand, we design, manufacture, and sell a new curated collection of premium clothing and accessories each month.

[a]list daily: What’s your retail footprint in North America?

Ethan Song: We sell across North America through frankandoak.com, and recently opened Atelier Frank & Oak, a shop and community space in our native Montreal. We only sell directly to our customers in order to create a unique experience for each individual.

[a]list daily: How big is your online customer base?

Ethan Song: We have over 1 million members — and growing.

[a]list daily: Why did you decide to get involved with video games

Ethan Song: As a next-generation brand, we’re constantly inspired by the digital world. This collaboration was a chance to combine three things we’re passionate about — fashion, art, and technology — and speak to the interests of our technology- and gaming-focused customers.

[a]list daily: What is it about Watch Dogs that appealed to your brand?

Ethan Song: We found the themes tackled in Watch Dogs — the importance of information and the digital world in near-future society — really interesting and relevant to the now. Our brand is, in part, about innovation, and we’re always interested in working on projects that don’t follow typical convention. 

[a]list daily: How have you worked with Ubisoft on this clothing line?

Ethan Song: We worked with Ubisoft’s creative directors early on in the project, and viewed initial versions of the game to fully understand the themes and aesthetic of the Watch Dogs universe. When it came to actually designing and producing the clothing, we had full creative freedom.

[a]list daily: How does the design connect with the video game world of Chicago?

Ethan Song: The Capsule Collection — like the chaotic game metropolis that is Chicago — has a dark and mysterious near-future aesthetic. Dark shades, and worn, faded, and functional details captured that feeling.

[a]list daily: Do you have a sense of how many of your customers are gamers?

Ethan Song: Through research and ongoing conversations with our customers, we know that many of them are interested in technology, and gaming specifically. Today, gaming isn’t only for a younger audience — it connects across all ages, genders, and generations.

[a]list daily: Why do you think we don’t see more clothing deals like this around big video game launches?

Ethan Song: Fashion trends are often inspired by relatable or aspirational pop culture icons — The Beatles, Mick Jagger, James Dean. As video games move in this direction, I think we’ll see a shift toward clothing inspired by the digital world.

[a]list daily: What role do you see this game playing in generating new customers?

Ethan Song: Many of our existing customers share a deep-rooted interest in technology and gaming, and as a next-generation digital brand, we’re sure our approach to e-commerce will resonate with Watch Dogs fans.