Need to Know
02 : 03 : 23

France – A new campaign by Orange spotlights the lack of cultural representation in gaming and introduces a diversification of avatar skin tones and fashion honouring under-represented communities.

Africa and the Middle East are emerging as gaming hotspots, but local players don’t see themselves represented on screen. That’s why French telecoms company Orange and media firm Publicis created Cultural Avatars. Gamers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region can now wear their traditional outfits in The Witcher, Minecraft and other virtual realities.

Orange enlisted three young designers from northern Africa, the sub-Saharan region and Madagascar to create culturally relevant designs. The latter brought their vision and expertise to the team of gaming developers who turned traditional fashion into video game attire.

With Cultural Avatars, Orange stresses the need for more diverse narratives in gaming. We previously highlighted in Affirmative Avatars how netizens interested in gaming and digital fashion are a diverse group of distinct identities, values and aesthetics who wants to feel represented.

US – With the launch of The Elemental line, Noble Panacea highlights the critical role of the skin initialisation step to harness the full potential of a beauty routine.

Applying make-up or skincare without correctly preparing the skin hinders optimal results. That’s why Noble Panacea’s new two-step skin initialisation treatment is designed to supercharge the efficiency of products applied next.

Founded by chemistry Nobel prize winner Sir Fraser Stoddart, the brand is known for its unique technology, the Organic Super Molecular Vessel, which delivers active ingredients for a long-term release into the exact location within a skin cell with the perfect timing, control and sequence. The new Cleansing Balm and Exfoliating Refiner take this system to the next level by creating an elevated skin-preparation experience. Stoddart imagined both products as a way to smooth and refine skin texture – a skincare ritual anchored in Accredited Beauty.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – A new report by The Business of Fashion Insights reveals that 50% of high earners in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia spend more than £830 ($1,000, €938) a month on average on fashion. High earners with an annual household income of over £62,265 ($75,000, €70,300) also tend to spend more on clothing outside their home country.

On top of a favourable local economic context, fashion spending is growing in the region because of shifting societal norms. More women are entering the workforce and looking for shoes, beauty products and everyday apparel, which is increasing demand. In contrast, handbags and jewellery were once the purchase priorities for local women wearing modest fashion.

In Emerging Youth: Saudi Arabia, we identified how young Saudis are at the forefront of their country’s significant sociocultural, economic and progressive changes. Businesses seeking the right clientele in this market should pay attention to the local nuances. High earners might spend nearly four figures on fashion monthly; however, UAE and Saudi Arabia consumers also say their favourite brands are mainstream fast fashion names like Zara, Nike and Adidas.