Bitmoji is a subsidiary of social media platform Snapchat, and there are over 2.7 billion Bitmoji avatars globally. Miu Miu is a sister label of Prada and is owned by the Prada Group, which also owns Church’s, Car Shoe, Marchesi 1824 and Luna Rossa. Digital designer Maison Valentino launched the first luxury Bitmoji collection on Snapchat this year. The initial drop went live on November 16 and featured digital products from the Valentino Spring 2024 collection. “The Valentino Spring 2024 Bitmoji fashion collection represents an exciting step in its partnership with Snapchat, further cementing their ongoing investment in digital fashion,” Valentino said in a press release it issued. “Valentino’s exploration of the digital stems from its values of individuality and community. “In translating its latest collection into Bitmoji avatars, Valentino promotes individual expression and fosters an ever more global community through the brand’s most iconic motifs.” In December, Valentino added new styles to the Bitmoji offering. For 80 to 1,100 Snap Tokens, users can shop designer collections from Valentino, Prada and Miu Miu for their Bitmoji avatars. The cost of 80 tokens is about $1. Meaning, for under $10, a Bitmoji can sport a more pricey piece from the collection — worlds away from the cost of a physical Prada bag, pair of Valentino pumps and Miu Miu purse. In the bag Prada and Miu Miu’s partnership with Snapchat marked the start of a new product category — Bitmoji handbags. The range includes Prada’s Small Galleria Bag and Miu Miu’s Wander Bag, timeless styles that are both favourites with Gen Z shoppers. The Prada Group first partnered with Snapchat in 2021, with its Bag Try-On AR Lens that enabled customers to virtually ‘test-wear’ the Prada Galleria style. Snapping up a bargain Patrons of Prada or Miu Miu shopping in-store will struggle to purchase much under $1000. Now, for a few dollars, people can deck out their Bitmoji with designer threads. Over the years Bitmoji has partnered with many fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren and Levi’s. Being dressed head-to-toe in designer is a luxury many people can’t afford in the real world. However, the Bitmoji luxury partnerships have made ‘owning’ Valentino pumps, and a Prada or Miu Miu bag, more accessible. Whether or not the partnerships drive revenue for these brands is unclear. “There’s sales, and then there’s impact on brand,” Nicola Mansfield, chief thinker of the brand consultancy, The Designer Thinkers, told Inside Retail. “It does not feel luxury at all, and brand cues are lost with a product that looks generic, and store environments without brand cue,” Mansfield said. “Snapchat has been pushing luxury hard. But is the target audience listening? There is no chatter about it on Reddit at all, just stony silence.” The Prada Group has publicly stated that it “remains committed to enhancing their value by increasing their visibility and desirability over time.” “Their [Prada Group] goal is to have a presence where shoppers are, and for younger consumers, this might be Snapchat,” Mansfield said. Marc Jacobs, earlier this year attracted a lot of attention through its quirky TikTok campaign targeted at a younger Gen Z demographic. The strategy was vastly different from its polished Instagram marketing, targeted at an older Gen Y and Z audience. Gen Z covers the ages of 12 to 27 — meaning the majority of the generation won’t be affected by Australia’s new social media ban for under 16-year-olds. Snapchat for Business data states that the app reaches 90 per cent of 13 to 24-year-olds, and 75 per cent of the 13 to 34-year-old population, in over 25 countries. “For me, this feels like more channel ‘spray and pray’ that continues to make quality content such a challenge,” Mansfield said, in reference to Prada and Miu Miu’s Snapchat partnership. “If your goal is simply to be somewhere, this might suffice,” she said. “But this presence comes at the expense of brand premium — the brand codes are lost. The product feels generic, the store feels discount, and the whole presence is very underwhelming.  “It comes down to the target market’s impression — is presence on a channel worth enough to degrade your brand premium? I think not.” In November this year Nike “just did it” and became a launch partner for ‘Kicks’; a new footwear cosmetic in the popular video game Fortnite. The partnership was part of Nike’s commitment to “energising a new generation of athletes and fans by bringing Nike and Jordan Brand to franchises and platforms fans love,” the business publicly said. The Kicks collaboration allowed Fortnite players to customise their avatars’ outfits with Nike and Jordan Brand footwear as a means of self-expression similar to the luxury Bitmoji partnerships. “Nike did great from trainers in Fortnite, but it’s a different product, with a different positioning,” Mansfield said. However, regarding the Prada and Miu Miu collections for Bitmoji, “I can’t help but wonder if there is a smarter way,” Mansfield finished.