YOUR GUIDE TO SPOTTING AUTHENTIC BRAND COLLABORATIONS

Over the past few years, collaborations have become the norm, allowing brands to reach new audiences while becoming culturally influential. Think Gucci x The North Face on A$AP Rocky. These brands work with each other, independent designers and sometimes even beer companies to deliver show stopping works. 

There are a number of reasons why a brand would release a collaborative project. It could be because it’s the bread and butter of their company, like Supreme’s (almost weekly) releases with the likes of Vans, Nike and Doc Martens. Maybe it’s because a brand feeds off the press coverage from an unorthodox project, like Palace’s work with Stella Artois. We can’t forget, brands also work together to share their techniques, aesthetics and design skills. Think Gucci teaming up with outerwear brand The North Face, which saw a collection that fused luxury with technicality. Or Moncler Genius by JW Anderson, which delivers gender-bending garments to a new audience. It could even be to ‘break the internet’ like Dior teaming up with Jordan or Supreme and Louis Vuitton bridging the gap between streetwear and luxury. You also have those that share a collaborative vision. Whether that be the expansive fashion universe of ‘Gucci hacks Balenciaga’ or Moncler Genius’ conceptual work with Craig Green. These are the collaborations that truly matter. But how do you spot a collaboration that feels truly deserved, invigorating and authentic? Well, here are a few questions to ask yourself.

Do the brands have anything in common? 

It’s ok for brands not to have had anything in common, it’s supposed to be a fusion of two different ideologies aiming for one objective. You should be able to feel the influence of both brands’ core values and understand their combined visions very clearly. A partnership is much more than slapping two logos on a t-shirt or tote. For example, Moncler Genius by Craig Green perfectly demonstrates this sort of authenticity. As an initiative which brings together progressive designers, Moncler Genius allows collaborators to present their own interpretation of the brand’s core values. 5 Moncler Craig Green saw both brands being inspired by the outdoors. With that, you are able to highlight and examine their relationship with nature, covering practicality, wearability and style all in one. It’s simple, Craig Green brings the design techniques and his unique concepts to Moncler’s long standing craftsmanship for outerwear. 

A collaboration should make sense. It should allow the brands to play to each other’s strengths and reach a joint goal. (Btw, if you want to learn more about 5 Moncler Craig Green, watch our TikTok video here.)

What is the collaboration bringing to the table? 

One of the many reasons that Supreme’s collaborations can often feel fresh and invigorating is due to the shared cultural influence of these brands. Supreme’s work with Playboy combines past and present pop-culture. Whereas Supreme’s work with Stone Island plays off the cult status of both brands. Stone Island has always had a following in the UK, but not in the US and the reverse could be said for Supreme. These collaborations bridge the gap, allowing for a cross-cult contamination of fashion.

Why am I buying this collaboration?

This question is more philosophical than practical. Do you want to own something from Palace’s collection with Ralph Lauren because it combines Americana heritage with modern British streetwear? Or are you simply buying something so you don’t feel left out? After all, with the immense saturation in the industry, too often we’re simply sucked into the hype around a partnership and forget to question whether it even makes sense or feels authentic. Collaborations mean exclusivity and that can breed unnecessary desires. Ganni x Ahluwalia’s recent collaboration isn’t necessarily carrying the same level of hype as the above mentioned ones, however, the care taken into using deadstock fabrics to create functional yet flirty items is incredibly desirable. It’s up to you to decide what’s worth buying.

How accessible is the collaboration?

How often do we get excited over a collaboration only to find out that it will be in limited stock, out of price and borderline impossible to buy? At that point, the collaboration ceases to be a creative meshing of ideas and begins to feel like a cash grab. There are of course exceptions to this, 5 Moncler Craig Green is widely available as any collection would be. If at the time of release, credit card in hand, you still aren’t able to purchase, that says more about the brands and their goals rather than your clicking speed.

Do I even like the collaboration?

A simple question, perhaps even a ridiculous one. But you have to ask yourself whether it’s something that works with your personal style and if it will look good years from now. This is especially important to consider if the collaboration is in the higher price bracket. It should not only be timeless, easily wearable and fairly priced, it should of course suit your authentic style.

Spotting an authentic collaboration is a skill that is developed over time. With our newsfeeds being constantly spammed with partnership after partnership, it’s important to take a step back and look through the hype-looking glass and find your own personal meaning in the process.

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See also: 5 MONCLER CRAIG GREEN IS A DREAM OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

See also: LOUIS VUITTON CELEBRATES 160 YEARS OF COLLABORATIONS