When unlikely partners colab
Finally, the big moment happened when Kim Jones of Fendi and Donatella Versace decided to blend the names of their houses and create Fendace, an entirely new label with a brand new logo, to survive the battle of brands.
It was also the perfect time for fast fashion giants such as HnM to tap India’s famous couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee to create a fast-selling RTW line.
Despite the controversial sustainable vs fast fashion debate that started with Sabya, designer Rahul Mishra too jumped on the bandwagon, joining hands with Wishful, TCNS Clothing, for a quick profitable collection. Indian brand Melissa collaborated with globally-renowned Victor&Rolf this year.
Ruchi Sally, MD of Melissa Shoes India, says, “Primarily, collaboration facilitates the exchange of ideas and brings in more diversity. Consumers of all segments, including luxury, need out-of-the-box creativity and brands are happy to present it to a bigger piece of audience. Some of our popular global collabs that happened are with iconic brands like Vivienne Westwood, Jason Wu, and Campana.”
Though the new collaborations often leave us scratching our heads, there is no doubting their uniqueness. The message being conveyed is “there are no rules, when it comes to contemporary art, fashion, design, and technology,” according to Namrata Lodha of the label Myaraa that collaborated recently with Kate Stoltz. She says, “What seemed unusual and strange at first is now deemed the norm and maybe even sort of expected and here to stay. Collabs are now appreciated and celebrated by consumers, sometimes even more than a brand’s stand-alone drops. This has become increasingly fundamental in today’s age of social media. Our latest collab with designer Kate Stoltz from New York draws from our collective cultural heritage seen through a global lens. It was a bold move for both of us to do a creative project like this, as she is an American model and designs made-to-measure luxury designer wear in New York City, whereas we make hats of straw and fabrics. It’s anticipation for our customers and makes them more invested in us, as they start following us to see what’s more to come.”
ART AND DESIGN
The much-awaited collab set to launch in 2022 involves the house of Bieber – after collaborating with fashion (Balenciaga) and food (Tim Hortons), singer Justin Bieber is now joining hands with the Italian luxury scooter brand Vespa for a line high on design. And, reality star Kim Kardashian West embarked
“The roles are very distinct — letting each other do exactly what they are good at. I am currently collaborating with the Kochi Biennale Foundation and curator Bose Krish for a show in Allapuzha (Kerala). And, in Mumbai, I opened a show at the Tao art gallery in collaboration with Gallery Threshold. I foresee artists’ collabs getting bigger in the future.”
— Alex Davis, renowned artist and sculptor
on her fashion collab with Fendi’s Skims shapewear. In search of new artistic innovation, Givenchy's creative director Matthew M. Williams has partnered with graphic artist Chito for his next collection.
Many artists also prefer to work in partnership with galleries. Renowned artist and sculptor Alex Davis says, “The roles are very distinct — letting each other do exactly what they are good at. The galleries work as your partner for the long run. I am currently collaborating with the Kochi Biennale Foundation and curator Bose Krish for a show in Allapuzha (Kerala). And, in Mumbai, I opened a show at the Tao art gallery in collaboration with Gallery Threshold. I foresee artists’ collabs getting bigger in the future.”
LUXE LIAISONS
In 2021, some unexpected collaborations in sectors like travel, hospitality, and luxury lifestyle also made headlines because of the nexus of non-related sectors. Luxury resort Eden Rock at St Barths recently collaborated with iconic watchmakers Hublot to create a special line of watches, bringing together the ethos of both brands. Speaking of this unique idea, Fabrice Moizan, GM at Eden Rock, St Barth’s, says, “Drawing inspiration from the destination, the two timepieces feature details that ensure this special place lives on in memory. This exceptional hotel boasts a history dating back to the 1950s, and is regularly visited by illustrious personalities representing all facets of the world's rich cultural heritage, from music to cinema and literature, as well as artists seeking inspiration.”
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, adds, “Eden Rock – St Barths has played host to glittering stars including Greta Garbo. Excellence, exclusivity and exuberance are just a few of the qualities that we hope to bring out from this collection.” Similarly, renowned Swiss group Les Roches, École Ducasse, and Glion Institute of Higher Education recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) to accelerate leadership in the food and beverage industry. Speaking about the tie-up, Kunal Vasudeva, COO, ISH, shares, “Post-pandemic, we have seen an increase in brands collaborating, and across varied industries. In a rapidly evolving world where innovation is the key, when two different brands come together with an interesting offering, there are benefits for both the brands involved and for the end customer. We also recently partnered with KFC, a leading QSR chain in the country, to launch the Area Coaches Programme for Women. The collaboration aims to enable women to upskill and strengthen their professional abilities with specialized programs.”
In search of better ideas and untapped consumers, a lot of brands are now expanding their reach with collaborations. Brand expert Anshu Khanna, Founder of Royal Fabels, calls it ‘collective consciousness,’ and emphasizes that the “need to create a new wave together is stronger than ever before.” Speaking about her brand’s recent collab with auction house Historic Auctions, she says, “Covid has restricted us from creating stories in real-time, or real-life experiences. We recently linked with like-minded entities to spread awareness of ‘Princely India’ and grow together.”