Fendi, Fragment, and Pokémon usher in Year of the Dragon, plus more global collabs

In the ever-evolving landscape of fashion collaborations, the Pokémon franchise reinforces its cultural appeal by partnering with iconic brands like Fendi and Hiroshi Fujiwara's Fragment for a special Year of the Dragon drop. This week’s brand collaboration spotlights explore this playful three-way Lunar New Year collision, alongside Ralph Lauren’s partnership with high-end furniture specialist Haworth Lifestyle Design, and SN37 x Google Pixel’s eighth season of Creator Labs. Subscribe here to receive the Collabs & Drops newsletter to your inbox every Tuesday. Fendi x Fragment x Pokémon Details: Clothing and accessories collection, January 4 Social context: Hiroshi Fujiwara's two Instagram posts about the collaboration have 16,619 likes in total. Verdict: The Pokémon franchise continues its trend of high-profile collaborations with brands such as Fendi and Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment, adding to a list that includes Daniel Arsham, Tiffany & Co., Clarks, and Comme des Garçons. Despite its roots in children's video games and cartoons, Pokémon has broadened its recent partnerships to achieve success in diverse markets such as luxury art and fashion. From Marc Jacobs to Bless at Design Miami, Fendi's roster of 2023 collabs has been diverse as well. The fashion house is striving to appeal to its growing young consumer base worldwide, particularly in Asia, as evidenced by the incorporation of a Japanese designer in this collection to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Ralph Lauren x Haworth Lifestyle Design Details: Long-term partnership, April 1, 2024 Social context: Haworth Lifestyle Design has 48,000 followers on Instagram. Verdict: This partnership aims to significantly expand the production and distribution of Ralph Lauren's Italian-made luxury furniture offerings. Ralph Lauren Corporation's collaboration with Haworth Lifestyle Design signifies a strategic commitment to expand its Ralph Lauren Home business globally. The tie-up will result in immersive Ralph Lauren Home stores in strategic locations, leveraging Haworth Lifestyle Design's expertise in craftsmanship, manufacturing, and customer service to accelerate global growth. While Haworth will manage product development, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, and wholesale accounts, Ralph Lauren will retain control over specific product categories. The latter’s focus will be on elevating brand visibility through standalone Ralph Lauren Home stores. SN37 x Google Pixel Details: Creator Labs, announced December 14 Social context: SN37 has 28,400 followers on Instagram. Verdict: Established through a collaboration between SN37 and Google, Creator Labs aims to support emerging talents in producing impactful work centered around crucial cultural narratives. The forthcoming projects, addressing themes like motherhood, community, migration, civil unrest, and diversity, underscore the diverse and socially relevant nature of the incubator's initiatives. The artists for Season 8 include Lawrence Agyei, Cruz Valdez, Kennedi Carter, June Canedo de Souza, Myesha Evon Gardner, Lelanie Foster, Coyote Park, Chiara Gabellini, and others. We expect to see collaborations coming from these talents, with the support of SN37 and Google. Creative talent agency SN37 is able to receive Google’s financial support and exposure, while Google is able to brand itself as a platform that celebrates creativity and emerging cultural tastemakers.

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Fendi, Fragment, and Pokémon usher in Year of the Dragon, plus more global collabs