As the famous saying goes, “Two heads are better than one.” This quote might have been true especially in the world of fashion. Collaborations, or more widely known as “collabs” have been one of the reasons why fashion in general never lose its momentum in delivering new and creative ideas to the world, in general.
Collaborations of a brand to a different brand, a brand to a specific designer, of a brand to a famous artist — all of which brought about interesting pieces of art through fashion and it is nearly impossible not to notice on this ultra-connected society.
According to one well-known website, “Collaboration is working with others to do a task and to achieve shared goals. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, (this is more than the intersection of common goals seen in co-operative ventures, but a deep, collective determination to reach an identical objective, for example, an endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus.
Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group.
In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.
Collaboration is also present in opposing goals exhibiting the notion of adversarial collaboration, though this is not a common case for using the word.”
Simply said, although two or more ideas are about to merge, the said collaborative effect would be leaning towards a unified goal of creating things and trends for the enjoyment and benefit of their (brand) consumers.
The fashion industry is one of the many fields of business that features and boasts collaborations as not only the act, but the victory (already) of the brands or artists or designers involved.
It is with collabs that a brand reemerges say from a failing sales for a specific quarter, an outlet for very intrinsic designers to make their work more accessible to the masses, an opportunity for a line to do some re-branding and a vehicle for new but promising artists/designers to be showcased in the general fashion scene.
Now, let me cite some of the best collabs that I have witnessed, and deemed as successful ones:
JEREMY SCOTT x ADIDAS 2003
High-low designer Jeremy Scott is no stranger to collaborations– he’s done tons in the course of his career, including one with Louboutin in the late ’90s.
None have lasted as long as his relationship with Adidas, though. The collab has yielded a Keith Haring-inspired collection and countless tongue-in-cheek designs like animal hoodies and metallic winged sneakers.
His creativity knows no bounds, and neither do the shelves of the sneakerheads who collect his kicks. (http://fashionista.com/2012/06/the-top-20-designer-collaborations-a-timeline#5)
COMMES DES GARCONS x H&M 2008
Launched in 2008, this was Rei Kawakubo’s first foray in mass fashion. Often pegged as an elusive designer with a highly discerning clientele, this collaboration gave everyone the chance to look kick ass in a way only Comme des Garcons can provide.
Of course, when the collaboration with the conceptual designer was announced, mass hysteria ensued. Even Tavi took the day off of school to go buy some.
VERSACE x H&M 2011
This was the most-hyped, most anticipated, and most debated H&M (classy or tacky?) collaboration ever. Staying true to Versace’s glam party-girl roots, Donatella threw one hell of a soiree before the line launched, featuring Nicki Minaj and most of the fashion people who live in New York City.
Fans were rabid to get their hands on Donatella’s offerings, camping on the sidewalk two days before the launch and crashing the website multiple times.
ANDY WARHOL x CONVERSE
With Converse Chucks as the canvas, Andy Warhol’s iconic print looks as good as new.
SUPREME x HANES 2009
Supreme started making branded Hanes gear in 2009, from tank tops, to basic white tees, and other colored crewnecks. What’s ingenious about these is the tiny box logo in the bottom left corner is pretty much indistinguishable to most people.
Like the embroidered Polo horse on an otherwise plain T-shirt, it’s a subtle signifier of style that has nothing to do with quality, but everything to do with branding.
This collab is a perfect example of how brand association can transform the most mundane gear into something worth coveting, and also the fact that Supreme can pretty much sell anything it wants.
KANYE WEST x LOUIS VUITTON 2009
2009 was the year Kanye West went from sneaker head to sneaker head. As if dropping the Air Yeezy wasn’t enough, his footwear line for Louis Vuitton also hit LV stores in summer of 2009.
Each model is named after a member of Yeezy’s entourage: The Don, The Jasper, and The Mr. Hudson, and he worked closely with Vuitton shoe director Fabrizio Vitti to make sure everything was on point.
It was absolutely crazy that the French fashion house would just let a rapper come in like that and drop a line, but it also showed that Kanye West was a game changer in the world of style.
STUSSY x G-SHOCK 1997
There could be an entire list of GShock collaborations with streetwear brands alone, but this one pioneered them all. In an era before everyone was collaborating with everyone, Stussy continued to pave the way with this exclusive DW-6900 watch done with Casio Japan.
It’s been revisited a few times since its inital (and very, very limited) launch in 1997, but the original remains not only a collector’s item, but also signified the beginning of a new era for streetwear.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário