Style
The Fashion Collaborations We Never Knew We Needed
Creative minds work better together. From luxury fashion houses to independent designers, we line up this year’s top fashion collaborations to put on your wish list
As if one creative powerhouse wasn’t enough – try pairing it with another. Over the past few years, the fashion industry has given birth to multiple collaborations between high-end designers and mainstream retailers, whether in a bid to expand customer demographics, drive brand engagement, expand their design portfolio with a completely different aesthetic, or all of the above. Whatever the reason, we’re not complaining. From luxury fashion houses to independent designers and street style favourites, these are the fashion collaborations to watch this year.
Etro x Harris Reed
The 26-year-old British-American designer Harris Reed, best known for creating the gender-fluid looks worn by Harry Styles, Troye Sivan and Ezra Miller, teamed up with Italian luxury brand Etro to create a limited capsule collection of silk genderless blouses inspired by an early ‘70s aesthetic. Maintaining Etro’s heritage and sporting paisley and floral motifs combined with Reed’s voluminosity, blouson sleeves and signature bows that can be tied on the front or the back, the blouses were part of a recycling project where only deadstock fabrics from Etro’s archives were used.
Gabriela Hearst x Madres & Artesanas Tex
Often described as ‘sustainable luxury’, Gabriela Hearst keeps developing her core values of empowering women, preserving the value of craftsmanship and taking care of the environment. Case in point: her latest collaboration with Madres & Artesanas Tex, a women-led mini-businesses organisation in Bolivia dedicated to the craft of handmade fabrics. The luxury brand and the non-profit organisation joined forces to create a limited collection of hand crocheted bags, where GH’s iconic Nina and Demi bags were completely renovated and transformed into four different colourful designs (Fire, Neutral, Phoenix and Mineral) using Gabriela’s sketch as inspiration.
Veja x Marni
As one of the most popular street style brands in today’s sneaker society, French label Veja knows a thing or two about creating eco-chic designs that last forever. Now, add to the mix Italian Marni’s luxurious innovation and unpredictability. The Veja x Marni collaboration has two co-branded sneakers (for men and women) assembled by hand, upholding Veja’s original commitment to social practices and eco-friendly production processes, and taking its classic, simple designs as a blank canvas for Marni to add its bright colours and free spirit with whimsical scribble art.
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Markarian x Summersalt
If you’re planning a late-summer getaway, you might want to get a piece (or five) from the Markarian x Summersalt collab collection. Whether you’re looking for swimwear looks or loungewear options, the collection’s got both. With one- and two-piece swimsuits, a shirt-and-short set and even hair accessories all designed with Markarian’s classic feminine ruffles and a romantic light blue print, the collection screams ‘summer in coastal France’ all over. And if you’re familiar with Summersalt’s products, you’ll know they’re all made from recycled materials and offer UPF 50+ protection. It’s not too late, plan your beach trip!
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Madewell x Made Some Souvenirs
If, on the other hand, you were stuck with armchair travel all summer, you can still fuel your wanderlust with Madewell x Made Some Souvenirs’ collection. Travel to Ibiza, Bondi Beach, Tulum or St. Tropez with their tourist baby tees and sweatshirt range made from cotton and in pastel colours, inspired by 1977 travel souvenirs.
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Merrell x Sweaty Betty
Bestselling outdoor footwear meets chic women’s activewear, and the result is stylish hiking shoes for active types looking to break a sweat in nature. With the common goal of empowering women to get outside and exercise in the outdoors, Merrell and Sweaty Betty worked together to create three different designs. Boasting Merrell’s well-known waterproof properties, high-quality breathability and 100% recycled materials, and Sweaty Betty’s two-decade expertise in stylish athleisure, this collaboration is everything from a functional and fashionable point of view.
Todd Snyder x Harley Davidson
The world of modern gentlemen and edgy bikers collided when Harley Davidson chose Todd Snyder as the first ever designer to work with them and have access to their archives. Good decision, HD team. The Todd Snyder x Harley Davidson collection, along with Champion, a regular Snyder collaborator, is the perfect mix of modern and sleek with old-school cool vibes. With redefined motor jackets, team jerseys, tees and shirts, it shows what this era’s motorbike riders should be wearing.
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By Far x Mimi Cuttrell
Bulgarian accessories label By Far quickly became a favourite among street style celebrities like Kaia Gerber, the Hadid sisters and Irina Shayk, and now it has reached new heights pairing up with New York-based red carpet stylist Mimi Cuttrell, because if there’s someone who can anticipate trends, it’s her. Earlier this year, the partnership launched a 9-piece collection of bags and shoes, including mini purses, knee-high boots and pointy-toe pumps, and all pieces follow By Far’s simplicity and minimalism with a subtle touch of red-carpet-worthy details – in both bolder and neutral colours – introduced by Cuttrell.
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UNIQLO x Mame Kurogouchi
Global apparel retailer UNIQLO teamed up with Japanese ready-to-wear fashion designer Mame Kurogouchi to launch a collection of minimalist loungewear and underwear pieces in a neutral palette of white, brown, beige and black using UNIQLO’s AIRism technology that wicks away moisture and heat, making them breathable, quick-drying and silky-soft. The collection includes tank tops, shorts, camisoles and innerwear in clean, seamless lines, and adheres to Kurogouchi’s DNA of contemporary femininity and traditional savoir-faire.
Reebok x The Jetsons & Flintstones
Two of everyone’s favourite animated families are making their way into the world of fashion. Reebok collaborated with Hanna-Barbera’s The Jetsons and The Flintstones, or better yet, The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones television movie, to create a blast-from-the-past limited collection of sneakers and apparel inspired by characters and locations from both shows. With either prehistoric animal prints, futuristic metallic details or a collision of both, the collection ranges from 34 to 190 euros, and is selling fast, so you better get in your cave-mobile or your flying car and go get your pair.
[Photo Credit: © TM Hanna Barbera]
[Header and Teaser Photo: Etro x Harris Reed]
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