Final Fantasy XIII’s Lightning Farron Becomes A Model?!

Usually I don’t post stuff for video games but Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII was my first glimpse into the Final Fantasy World other than the Advent Children movie.

Now I know everyone’s shocked on this. Mainly because the very vocal part of the Final Fantasy Community says that Final Fantasy XIII sucks.

While it does have its flaws, namely it’s mind-numbing linearity until you get down to Pulse, the game does have excellent music, good graphics, and in my own opinion good characters. You really see these characters who are basically depressed and fatalistic about their turning into L’Cie and seeing as a death sentence to being determined to change their fates.

But that’s not important right now. What’s important now is this campaign and its news.

Check out the video!

As iconic as Louis Vuitton’s new campaign star might be, she isn’t an actor, a musician or a supermodel – it’s our very own Lightning, also known as Claire Farron. In 2016, the savior is to become the first video game character to become a high-fashion model in a major fashion house!

As the model for the “Series 4,” Lightning will appear on various magazine advertisements starting from the January 2016 issue and will also star in promotional videos for the campaign. In addition, she has become the new face of Louis Vuitton all over the social media.

Pretty big from a game that people said sucked…

Let’s check the pictures!

I’m not going to say that I’m into fashion but I have to be to a certain extent as a writer. Come on, let’s be realistic. As an author you have to imagine what your characters are wearing and a lot of time you get inspired what you see in magazines or what you see in real life.

For example I could see my main character’s older sister of my novel, Seven Shining Jewels, wear this outfit.

She has silvery gray hair so I think it would go with the dress personally.

That being said…I’m not really all that fond of wearing a jacket with shorts…that’s just me. If you’re wearing shorts that means that it’s too hot to wear a jacket. But that’s just my logic…

But enough of me let’s get back to the news. When asked to comment on the collaboration, the Louis Vuttion’s Artistic Director of Women’s Collection, Nicolas Ghesquière, had this to say:

“It’s clear that the virtual aesthetic of video games is predominant in this collection. If we push the reflection about heroines, or what might constitute the nature of a woman whose actions can be so courageous that she becomes superior and iconic, it becomes obvious that a virtual entity integrates with the founding principles of the Maison. Lightning is the perfect avatar for a global, heroic woman and for a world where social networks and communications are now seamlessly woven into our life. She is also the symbol of new pictorial processes. How can you create an image that goes beyond the classic principles of photography and design? Lightning heralds a new era of expression.”

I can definitely see that there is a certain amount of respect. I’m not going to say that the guy’s played the games but at least he’s got a general idea what Lightning’s about. And that’s very important in my opinion.

And from the Square Enix’s side, Tetsuya Nomura has this to say:

“The stunning new look of Lightning including her poses and character in action was fully produced by Louis Vuitton. Additionally, thanks to the Visual Works team, they were able to produce brilliant work under a tight schedule. This collaboration is not just a promotion of a game, and it is a great honor that the character herself received an offer from a world famous brand. As a result of this collaboration, this has infused new breath into the character, Lightning.”

A point I want to touch on is the last part which says “this has infused new breath into the character, Lightning”

For those of you that don’t know about the games, I’ll give a quick general description of Lightning.

She’s fairly cold and standoffish in most of the games especially in Final Fantasy XIII. While she does defrost a bit over the course of the first game and learns a lot more about herself and her own emotions in Lightning Returns, she’s still always the type of person that isn’t really the type to overtly show her emotions or a particularly gentle woman.

This puts her at odds with some of the fans who have a love for some of the Final Fantasy series more upbeat or more interesting female cast like Tifa Lockheart, Aerith Gainsbourough, Rinoa Heartilly, Yuna, Rikku, and many others.

Note: I’m writing this at 2 A.M. and if I didn’t refer to every freaking Final Fantasy game in existence. If you get salty because I didn’t mention your Final Fantasy waifu, that’s your problem not mine.

That being said, I like Lightning. Mostly because I see the human side of Final Fantasy XIII. These are people that chose to do anything or found some calling to save the world. These were regular people that just got caught up in something that they never expected to be in. If the fal’Cie was never found in Bodham then they would have all lived out normal and boring lives.

Now they’re thrown out of those lives and they don’t know what to do. So they act against in different ways. Lightning tries not to think about and keep fighting and lash out against the system that’s attacking her. It takes until she and Hope reach Palumpolum for her to realize this and she starts being a bit more warmer to Hope after this point.

I find the cast of Final Fantasy XIII to be very realistic because they aren’t the perfect heroes or saviors of the world. They’re just regular people and they don’t know what to do. And it shows to hell and back. Most of the game you are just randomly traveling around and the characters have no idea what they’re doing.

That being said, it has its appeal. That’s why I’m personally for Lightning being the face of Louis Vuttion. She’s not Tifa, she’s not Rinoa, she’s not Aerith or any of them. She’s not a heroine. She’s just a woman that caught up in something, lost her way, and somehow managed to find it again.

And it isn’t that the most human and the most relatable thing of all?

Finally we have a statement from Lightning herself.

“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.”

I like this statement from her.

I’d like it more of if Ali Hillis or Maaya Sakamoto voiced it. Ahh those two have such beautiful voices.

It shows Lightning’s advancement as a character after the events of Lightning Returns. After the events of the final game, the entire cast has been brought into the new world where there is no magic, monsters, and such. As a result, these characters who have had to fight for a long time have to take new perspectives and deal with things they have never had to deal with.

For Lightning, ironically, it’s being more feminine and having more choice and freedom in the way she dresses. Before in the first game she wore her Guardian Corps uniform, the second game she wore her Knight of Etro armor, and in the final game she wore the multitude of garbs and armors of Nova Chrysalia.

Now she doesn’t have to worry about what’s best for battle or what can protect her best. She can wear what fits her own personal style. It’s a simple thing that most people don’t think about but for Lightning it’s something she hasn’t thought about in probably years.

It’s an unusual but interesting feeling, I guess.

So that’s all I’ve got here for this post. Thanks for sitting through this Final Fantasy XIII nerd’s ramblings about his favorite character.

So until the next time,
Later Days
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