Taking a pause from fashion month for a moment, the past week has seen some blockbuster brand collaborations break the internet, with consumers celebrating Pharrell’s tie-up with one of the music industry’s most vibrant icons, Tyler, the Creator.
Meanwhile, Nike and Jacquemus have revealed what could be the next instant classic: “Le Sac Swoosh.” A teaser photo features the instantly recognizable arm of world-famous American track and field sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson.
Finally, Nigo has given Penfolds Grange a makeover in a second collaborative launch. Leveraging the fan power of culture, art, fine alcohol, and luxury collector’s items, the drop is carving a new era for the Australian wine brand
Read on for our verdict, and subscribe here to receive these updates via the Collabs & Drops newsletter every Tuesday.
Louis Vuitton x Tyler, the Creator#
Details: Capsule collection, March 21
Social context: The four Louis Vuitton Instagram posts about this collaboration have approximately 223,600 likes in total so far. Tyler, the Creator (14.4 million followers) also posted about the collection, gaining over 2 million likes.
Verdict:
- When Pharrell Williams was announced as Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director, the luxury fashion house cemented its streetwear vision. Leveraging the power of popular culture and hip hop’s streetwear history, Louis Vuitton found a stellar partner in Tyler, the Creator.
- The star has evolved into a prominent music artist-turned-designer, launching Golf Wang in 2011 and the luxury lifestyle brand Golf le Fleur in 2021. Playing a significant role in popular culture as part of the music collective Odd Future since 2007, Tyler, the Creator has cultivated a loyal and extensive fan base.
- Louis Vuitton and Tyler, the Creator also share a long-standing working relationship, having collaborated on tunes like “Cash In Cash Out” and various other musical projects. The collection bears Tyler’s colorful fingerprint, featuring a “Craggy Monogram” print of pastel, chocolate brown, and cream."
Nike x Jacquemus#
Details: Swoosh Nike bag, February 2024
Social context: The teaser Jacquemus Instagram post has 224,800 likes.
Verdict:
- Starring wildly popular athlete Sha’Carri Richardson in the campaign, this collaboration ticks so many boxes (no pun intended). Unveiling a hero novelty piece in the lead-up to the full Spring 2024 collection is great publicity.
- As the first ever bag in the shape of Nike’s signature tick, fans are expecting the product to instantly sell out and hit resale sites, which is the ultimate goal for many collaborations.
- The novelty shape has consumers wondering what they could fit inside the bag. When it comes to meme fashion, the more impractical it is, the better.
Penfolds x Nigo#
Details: The Grange by Nigo for Penfolds’ 180th anniversary year. Collectible 750ml (1,500 available), 1.5L (150 available) gift boxes for 2019 Grange, and 25 silk rugs, February 22
Social context: #Penfolds奔富 has 71.4 million reads on Weibo, and #Penfolds奔富 has 9.15 million views on Xiaohongshu.
Verdict:
- Combining the worlds of art and fine alcohol, Penfolds ventures into an exciting era of luxury that reaches the collector culture of streetwear and art through this collaboration with Nigo, artistic director of Kenzo and creative director of Human Made.
- The first collection of apparel items between Penfolds and Nigo sold out globally in less than one and a half hours. As a collector of Grange for many years, Nigo already had a relationship with the brand and understood the craft and history behind it, making the partnership seamless.
- Working with artists and cultural tastemakers on innovative limited edition lines and products enables alcohol companies to enter spaces that they could not enter alone. This marks a new era of Penfolds Grange’s luxury identity, potentially foreshadowing a blossoming of cultural representation that enhances its positioning in Eastern and Western markets.