Kaotiko and Team Heretics joined forces in early October to give birth to their first streetwear collection celebrating the world of video games. Both launch events at the flagship stores in Madrid and Barcelona were a great success and thousands of HERETICS fans came to Kaotiko’s stores to buy the collection and meet their favorite gamers. But, let’s go by parts.
In the world of e-sports, Team Heretics stands out as an unstoppable Spanish phenomenon since its foundation in 2016 by the charismatic youtuber Jorge Orejudo, known as ‘Goorgo’. This professional team has managed to position itself as one of the most competitive in its field, standing out in games like ‘Fortnite’, ‘League of Legends’ and ‘Valorant’.
Team Heretics players not only stand out for their exceptional skill in the complex maneuvers required by high-level tournaments, but they have also achieved remarkable successes. In 2020, the team was crowned champion of the LVP (Professional Video Game League) 2020 Cup, consolidating its status as a benchmark in the eSports scene. With more than 7 million followers on its social networks, Team Heretics has cultivated a loyal community that follows every move of its crafty players. The connection between the team and its followers goes beyond virtual matches, creating a shared experience that transcends the digital.
The second contributor to this equation is Kaotiko, the Barcelona-based streetwear brand. Known for its urban approach and a lifestyle aimed at those culturally open-minded and fashion-conscious with unique designs, Kaotiko has built an identity around music, street life, urban fashion and emerging trends. The brand is connected to the reality of contemporary youth, which is why the collaboration with Team Heretics is an important milestone that demonstrates that the boundaries between the e-sports industry and fashion are becoming increasingly blurred.
At Highxtar, we talked to the members of Team Heretics and Germán Bernad, CEO of Kaotiko, to discuss this great synergy, materialized in an unprecedented collection that unites the communities of both brands.
HIGHXTAR (H)– How are fashion and video games similar?
GERMÁN BERNAD (G.B.)– Both sectors are super creative and constantly evolving: in fashion, we create and design clothes and accessories, and in video games, developers create mind-blowing worlds and characters. Fashion, like video games, follows trends and has communities of passionate fans. They allow you to show your style and personality, whether it’s through your attire or the games you choose to play.
TEAM HERETICS (T.H.)– Fashion and video games are pure zeitgeist, they perfectly represent the world we live in, not necessarily expressing what is happening, but the concerns, desires and fantasies.
(H)– Why this collaboration and with what objective?
(G.B.)– The purpose is to bring together different audiences. Within the ‘gamers’ world, Heretics is the one that transmits more fashion through its talents and we liked that from the beginning. From Kaotiko we were looking to unite two worlds while offering a special product that unites the two brands.
(T.H.)- The collaboration was born from a conversation in which Kaotiko wants to go deeper and do different things within the fashion world. Team Heretics is looking for precisely the same but in the world of gaming, leaving merchandising and working seriously on product development, creative idea and garments. Kaotiko with its philosophy of responsible company and product was a perfect match.
(H)– We have seen collaborations between well-known fashion brands and videogames, what do you think about these collaborations and how do you think they benefit both industries? And in your particular case… What does this collaboration bring to you?
((G.B.)– This type of collaboration is always positive. They bring creativity, freshness and a way out of what each party already knows very well. In our particular case, the challenge of understanding what the firm you are collaborating with likes and how it works, takes you out of your comfort zone and always adds up.
(T.H.)- We feel that many times these collaborations do not fully understand the nature of the collaboration, and end up making very “niche” products that seek more to attract attention than really generate a product that can be worn in your day to day. We wanted to make something that came from fashion to video games and that represented the essence of Heretics and Kaotiko. For TH, gives us a cool product, with good quality and made in spain. With this collaboration we go a bit further in the fashion world with an established brand in Spain and together with them we have a relevant presence in places like Barcelona or Madrid.
(H)– How has the whole creation process been, from the moment it emerged until it has materialized in these garments??
(G.B.)– We have gone hand in hand during the whole process, choosing patterns, fabrics, embroidery and being very meticulous so that the result is what it is. To give you an example: the embroidery of the gamer bear is a real delight and practically handmade. Something that was very important to Heretics was that it should be locally produced, and that is something we have been doing for 24 years.
(T.H.)- Yes, the process was quite long, because we wanted to put out a collection that we were sure represented us as well as possible. Basically it was a process since last year of conversations and conceptualization of up to 5 different proposals of concepts that matched both brands. We finally felt that these were the perfect products.
(H)– What has been the main thread to create the whole imaginary of the collection? Have you been inspired by other fashion gaming collaborations of reference?
(G.B.)– We were both very clear about what kind of drop we wanted to make. Few garments but very careful in terms of design and quality. It was very easy to decide the colors, because both parties were very clear and we respected each other’s essence; and here is the result. It seems that we have been right because TH talents do not stop wearing the garments of the collaboration.
(T.H.)- The common thread has really been the internet culture and the aesthetic references of Kaotiko. The gaming teddy bear, bringing the essence of Kaotiko to the world of video games or claims like “You can’t teach passion” which is the “Think different” but from Team Heretics.
(H)– Do you think that fashion in video games can influence popular culture outside the gaming world?
(T.H.)- We are sure that video games and gaming are elements that already have a huge influence on popular culture; it’s everywhere: cinema, plastic arts, visual arts, fashion… Video games are right now the biggest stream of influence in popular culture. They are part of our daily life and their language and codes are being established in an increasingly “gamified” society.
(G.B.)– No doubt. Fashion in videogames has a brutal reach and a media exposure that we have already seen in other cases of this type of collaborations.
(H)– What was your first contact with the world of videogames (in the case of Kaotiko) and fashion (in the case of TH)?
(G.B.)– Kaotiko’s first contact with the gamer world was Team Herectics. You have to collaborate with the best.
(T.H.)- In our case we have been producing our own products since 2016, but focused on sportswear. Our first attempt more “fashion”, was in 2020 that we launched a commemorative baseball bag for the 4 years of the club on our anniversary and in 2022 in November, a collaboration with the Valencian brand Belaguer.
(H)– How do you see fashion gaming in Spain?
(T.H.)- We believe that we are going to promote it, with this collaboration as a spearhead, but Team Heretics is going to lead fashion gaming with slow steps and carefully. We believe that they are two worlds that converge perfectly and that a brand is needed and there is room for it, that understands perfectly the codes and language of the gaming world and can express it in textile fashion products. Soon we will launch our “Fall/Winter” collection where we have gone a little further with this imaginary representation of “Gaming” in fashion and we have closed all of 2024 with collaborations and our own launches that go deeper and deeper into this.
(G.B.)– It’s gaining ground in Spain, as it is in other places around the world. With Heretics we have seen that the gaming community in Spain is active and passionate. Right now gamers are real influencers in networks and have become trend setters. It is a sector that is on the rise.
(H) – What do you think Spain lacks in relation to gaming and the fashion world? Something you admire from other countries?
(T.H.)- It lacks sales potential, more than it is missing something creative speaking. In Spain in gaming there is much less knowledge and interest in the world of fashion. It is something that in countries like USA, UK or FR if you see much more. We want to push this to give it visibility and represent perfectly this cultural union.
(G.B.)– Well, look what I’m telling you: I think Spain is very powerful in terms of fashion, there are always things to improve but it’s a good time.
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