Turning your attention away from fashion month for a moment, this week’s brand collaborations in China demonstrate how businesses can effectively connect with the mainland’s rising consumer demographic: Gen Z.
Adidas Originals has teamed up with Shanghai-based creative agency NoTitle on a clothing capsule including Samba sneakers, while Arch by Roaringwild has released a collection with Armpal, maker of 3D wooden games.
In other news, founded in 2002, Chinese designer label Ji Cheng has joined forces with French fragrance brand Le Sylphe as an extension of the Spring 2024 collection.Check out below for our verdict on these releases, and subscribe here to receive this news via the Collabs & Drops newsletter straight to your inbox every Tuesday.
Adidas Originals x NoTitle#
Details
Clothing collection and four Samba sneakers, released on September 8
Social context
The nine Instagram posts about the collab on NoTitle’s account have garnered 719 likes in total, while Adidas Originals’ posts on Weibo have amassed 92 likes
Verdict
- A collection dedicated to the beauty of adolescence, Adidas and NoTitle’s new offering connects with young streetwear fans in China — it provides the German sportswear brand with an authentic way to engage this group, all the while helped by a company that understands the market.
- Leveraging the global hype surrounding the Adidas Samba sneakers (on Xiaohongshu, #samba has 99.2 million views), the collection has also been launched on Adidas’ Confirmed app, creating a sense of hype and exclusivity.
- Adidas continues to target specific consumer demographics through exclusive local collaborations — this is its second with NoTitle.
Arch by Roaringwild x Armpal#
Details
Game and clothing line, September 2 to October 6
Social context
#ArchByRoaringwild on Xiaohongshu has 483,100 views
Verdict
- Armpal makes 3D wooden tabletop games, so this streetwear collection is merchandise for the company, promoting it to Arch by Roaringwild’s Gen Z consumer base.
- Armpal brings a unique creative concept to the Arch by Roaringwild brand: garments inspired by 3D wooden games’ geometry.
- The partnership shows how brands in diverse industries can team up to benefit from each other’s consumer bases, and expand their brand identities in the process.
Ji Cheng x Le Sylphe#
Details
Home fragrance accessories, September 1
Social context
The designer’s personal hashtag on Weibo #Jichengjicheng
(#
#吉承jicheng) has 8.67 million views
Verdict
- As Ji Cheng is a brand that champions Chinese traditions and style, the fragrance collaboration features traditional Yunnan Chuxiong Yi embroidery.
- The tie-up enables fragrance brand Le Sylphe to authentically connect with high-end Chinese consumers, as Ji Cheng is an established name in fashion.
- Partnership benefits include extending participants’ product categories, access to new creatives, and widening their consumer bases around the world.