SCXR Academy: A New ARG Fashion Line?

Teaser images from the Office of Admissions at SCXR Academy

SCXR (pronounced “Scar”) is a new fashion brand. Its first line of products are slated to release at the end of May, and in the brand’s announcement video its creator Sugar (also known as Angelina Zhang) described its vision by explaining: “I have a hard time explaining what my dream style is. But if I had to choose a word, it’d be fictional.” And while that comment was intended to reference the brand’s aesthetic inspirations like the fashion featured in Bratz, Monster High, and My Little Pony, the “fictional” inspiration seems to go beyond that, moving into alternate reality gaming territory.

The SCXR website is currently fairly minimal, with retail features grayed out. However, registering for updates triggers an in-universe email from SCXR Academy’s Dean of Admissions Lilith Aranea welcoming new students to the academy with the somewhat ominous welcome message, “we can’t wait to see you on campus…The Academy is always watching“.

SCXR’s main character Scarlet, potentially providing a sneak peek at some of the featured fashion

In the project’s launch video, Zhang explains that the SCXR line takes place within the fictional world of SCXR Academy, and centers around Scarlet as the protagonist in a story that should appeal to fans of stories that touch on coming-of-age stories, dystopic thrillers, and mystery / ARG narratives.

While Zhang is still a University of Toronto student, she also built a massive presence as a Canadian online influencer, with almost 6 million followers on Douyin and TikTok alone. Her content leans towards musical covers with a healthy dose of fashion and cosplay thrown into the mix, although she was also one of the more vocal figures explaining Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu (“RedNote”) to US audiences worried about a potential TikTok ban.

In an interview with Gary Guo that touched on the project in January, Zhang explains, “it’s kind of a unique clothing concept because I have a lot of reoccurring character personas in my videos. I have a red haired girl, I have a black haired girl, and they’re very different. And my clothing brand is going to be something similar to using these characters to reflect their styles, versus using me as Sugar to reflect their styles…it’s going to be a virtual influencer brand.”

And it doesn’t seem like that earlier reference to ARGs is hyperbolic: this virtual influencer brand looks like it has some secrets to uncover.

Dig a little deeper through the SCXR website, and the company’s “About” section provides an in-universe explanation of how the brand is intended to work:

SCXR is a wardrobe division operated by SCXR Academy, established in 2025 to showcase our students and their evolution through curated design.

We offer two primary lines:

SCXR Character Collections feature exclusive, limited-edition drops tied directly to standout students. Each release features distinct color palettes, silhouettes, and styling that reflect their energy and evolution. These collections are available for a limited time only. Once a season concludes, access is revoked permanently.

SCXR Academy Basics are standard-issue essentials worn inside the Academy walls. Minimal, structured, and endlessly versatile, they’re engineered to pair with any Character Collection and are available year-round.

All SCXR garments and packaging contain embedded Academy easter eggs—encrypted clues that, when decoded, unlock secret content, collectibles, and classified information. Whether you’re here to observe or participate, the deeper you look, the more you’ll uncover.

There’s quite a history of alternate reality games using fashion as a platform for storytelling: ARGNet previously covered some of the more prominent examples in the past, ranging from MatPat’s Quest Jackets to Solve Our Shirts‘ escape room on a tshirt experiences. But SCXR Academy‘s aspirations seem more closely in line with Edoc Laundry, which used hidden codes embedded in designs of the fashion brand to solve a murder mystery. There are also some comparisons to be made with I Am Sophie, a horror ARG centered around influencer culture that recently launched its in-universe fashion brand YRP (Young Rich Powerful).

There isn’t much information about SCXR Academy available yet, but the vague promises of what’s to come were just too tantalizing to pass on. If you’re interested in seeing where things go, check out Zhang’s personal social platforms, sign up for updates at the SCXROfficial.com, check out the project’s social presences on Instagram and TikTok, and keep your eyes peeled for the first outfit drop on May 30th.

Updated 05/04 to add: Apparently, I skimmed over the teaser a little too fast. Last night, the SCXR Instagram account posted an Instagram Story implying that there was more to be discovered, here. In one of the Stories of people signing up for the mailing list, the message YLDPUK AV ZLL. C7 appeared. Decoding the shift cipher spells out “REWIND TO SEE”.