I’ve always thought that, given the chance, Louis Vuitton artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière and I would be best friends. There was the moment I saw model Kirstin Liljegren appear on the Balenciaga runway in a sculptural white crop top that recalled an orchid unfolding—it spoke to me, personally (“buy me”). And then there’s the fact that I’ve always suspected that Ghesquière, like me, is an enormous geek, which was finally confirmed last October with an incredible anime and video game–themed Vuitton collection.

There was the pink-haired Fernanda Ly in a Sailor Moon tiara and black manga lashes, Sora Choi with white brawler’s hand wraps, and references that ranged from Minecraft to Neon Genesis Evangelion—a thrilling sartorial tribute to all my favorite things. So when I saw Ghesquière’s Spring 2016 ad campaign with Final Fantasy’s Lightning, decked out in pink Vuitton leather with a Petite Malle bag hanging from her wrist, I was far from surprised: She is, after all, a well-dressed heroine from one of my favorite video game series.

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When I turned 7 years old, my uncle first introduced me to Final Fantasy VII. I spent hours on the game, running around Midgar attacking the Zolom (a giant water snake) as Tifa Lockhart, a skilled martial artist in a simple white tank and black mini, whom I idolized for being a warrior. Cloud Strife, the male lead, was oddly compelling, too, with a ribbed sleeveless turtleneck and matching harem pants that, in hindsight, are excellent (10/10: would wear now). There are many reasons to love Final Fantasy as a gamer (the tactical battle system, the striking design), but one that draws me—and Nicolas (probably)—actually is fashion. From a steampunk dystopia to a high-concept fairy tale, each game takes place in a new, richly imagined world created from the ground up, including the distinctive clothes. (That dystopia, for example, meant bucklers and cuffs, fashioned from scrap metal.)

So the series has become a hatching ground for whimsical, deeply transportive fashion: a deconstructed kimono with dripping ombré sleeves and a purple accordion-pleated skirt, worn by a dutiful heroine who saves the world twice; a pair of pink brocade boots with an extreme gold pointy toe à la Gaultier, paired with a pale pink silk fringed cape by a steampunk fighter. There are villains in plunging black gowns trimmed with feathers, and the men aren’t left out, either: Final Fantasy VIII’s Squall Leonhart, who was inspired by River Phoenix, sports a cropped black moto jacket and two belts crossed and slung low on the hips, a styling trick that’s a Ghesquière go-to. There are no practical limits in these fantasy worlds—a hot pink miniskirt with thigh-high armored leg warmers is battle-ready—and the results are fantastically wild in the best possible way.

It’s the sort of anything-goes mentality and dreamer instinct that good fashion requires. Not surprisingly, Ghesquière isn’t the first designer to reap inspiration from Final Fantasy: In 2012, the XIII-2 cast dressed in Miuccia Prada’s Spring menswear collection for a 12-page fashion spread, including Lightning (again) in an oversize silk bowling shirt and kerchief that would not have looked entirely out of place in Cocoon. It’s safe to say that they won’t be the last, and with the Fall 2016 collections and Final Fantasy XV around the corner, I, for one, can’t wait to see what comes next. By the way, Nicolas: When XV comes out this year, feel free to drop by. For you (and FF), I’m always around.

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