Sports brand Vans has announced the launch of ‘Vans World,’ an interactive shopping experience hosted by online games platform Roblox.

Customers can customise shoes and skateboards on the platform, where they can wear and purchase the items digitally.

The online game will enable Vans customers to practice their skateboard tricks whilst also trying on exclusive items.

Vans said that Roblox’s recently augmented physics layer helps achieve the “true sensation of skating for Vans.”

The move is the company’s first venture into the metaverse.

“Individual expression is deeply embedded in skate culture, and Vans has been supporting and enabling this exact type of creativity for more than 50 years,” said Nick Street, Vans vice president of global integrated marketing. “With the Vans World experience on Roblox, we are empowering creative expression in the digital world, bridging the gap between virtual and real-world fashion and sports in an accessible, inclusive way.”

The Vans World experience, including the brand’s featured skate shoes, was created by Vans in partnership with Roblox community developers The Gang Stockholm.

“Vans is showcasing its commitment to empowering self-expression with Vans World,” said Christina Wootton, vice president of brand partnerships for Roblox. “By leveraging cutting edge technology and partnering with the Roblox developer community to build this 3D experience, Vans is bringing brand enthusiasts together in an authentic and interactive way.”

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