JOANNE Watkinson
IT TAKES TWO BABY
Collaborations, or hacks as they have become known, aren’t a new concept. Fashion designers have been collaborating with artists and other taste makers for decades.
One of the most memorable was the Stephen Sprouse x Louis Vuitton hook-up in 2001 that was the brain child of Marc Jacobs. The result was the now famous ‘Graffiti’ bag that was so successful they joined forces three times in one season.
The collabs we see today are less about seeing the impact of a muse and more a crosspollination of brands.
Previously we would see a small brand with major kudos pairing with a heavyweight name that is looking to buy itself some street cred.
In 2017, Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton made this work with American streetwear brand Supreme, a collaboration so successful its resale value still exceeds its original price.
Since then, there have been too many mash-ups to mention.
H&M has teamed up with everyone from Alexander Wang to Victor & Rolf.
The high street giant has become known for its collaborations with many of them selling out on launch.
In September the Iris Apfel x H&M collection was announced to celebrate the New Yorkbased fashion icon’s 100th birthday and will be released early next year.
This year kicked off with The North Face x Gucci. It saw the outdoor brand’s signature puffer jackets combined with the jewel colours and monogram print of Gucci. It’s one of the few collabs I have ever lusted over.
Alas, with the entry level price £400 for a short-sleeve cotton T-shirt and the coats retailing for more than £2,000, it wasn’t to be.
Gucci then connected with Balenciaga, before Fendi x Versace or “Fendace” as it was dubbed.
Then Fendi collaborated with Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims.
The year ended with Louis Vuitton at the forefront of street culture with its yet-to-be released Louis Vuitton x Nike AF1.
Put together by the late Virgil Abloh, this sort of brand clash has been seen unofficially in custom-made streetwear since the 1980s which, for collectors, makes it even more attractive.
There will be 21 styles up for grabs when they launch in spring, all you need is a spare £2,000...