Hardwear is actually a clothing partnership with a designer

Hardwear

Look, up in the sky! Is it a hardware? Is it a wearable? It’s a clothing and merch partnership! We finally know all there is to know about Microsoft’s big hardwear reveal that was all the rage on social media lately.

Redmond really turned up the dial up to 11 for this on Instagram.

And as it turns out, our intuition was correct.

Microsoft did not end up launching a new Surface or a smartwatch or a band or something. This whole social media tease was just a craze to hype up a new clothing and merchandising partnership with a famed designer.

This is best illustrated in a video, I say.

So, here is one that shows what this new deal is all about:

It is basically designer Gavin Mathieu teaming up with Microsoft to launch this new lineup of clothing and accessories for the Redmond based company. Or, rather, its fans who want to purchase some hot gear carrying Microsoft imagery.

The designer has created a nine-piece collection of tees, hats, sweats, jackets, and pants featuring Microsoft products.

You have a shirt with Microsoft Paint, a shirt with the Windows XP wallpaper, a hat with the classic Microsoft logo, and all that swag. Pretty neat collection here, apparently, and one well worth a consideration if you are into collecting items.

Just like the annual holiday sweaters that Microsoft makes available.

You can buy these items on the Xbox Gear Shop, with prices ranging from $60 to $150. Worth it, in case these end up becoming collector’s items down the road.