In this week’s Jing Collabs & Drops roundup of brand collaborations in China, retail was center stage. Gen Z-favorite store Labelhood released a collection with French label Casey Casey, while local sneaker brand Old Order joined streetwear brands Wassup and Sta for its first offline store opening.
Along with that, Edison Chen’s CLOT added another bear to its fruity Be@rbrick series, continuing the partnership which began back in 2004. Art-toy figurine collaborations like this will forever enhance a label’s cultural capital; streetwear brands share the same target market as hypebeasts who love incorporating pop culture into their interiors.
As an extended list of the Jing Collabs & Drops China roundup, we also look at Nespresso’s impressive skateboard line with DBH (Do By Heart) and L’Oréal Paris’ charitable project to push feminism in mainland China.
1. OLD ORDER X WASSUP X STA
Old Order x Wassup x Sta. Photo: Old Order
LAUNCH DATE: August 8
TREND: Streetwear store opening
VERDICT: To celebrate the opening of its first offline store in Dongshankou, Guangzhou, Chinese sneaker brand Old Order collaborated with streetwear brands Wassup and Sta. With similar audiences, the tie-up expands reach among likeminded consumer bases. Plus, it makes some noise for the store opening. In short, it’s a failsafe move.
2. LABELHOOD X CASEY CASEY
Labelhood x Casey Casey. Photo: Labelhood Weibo
LAUNCH DATE: August 9
TREND: Western brand x Chinese retail
VERDICT: This exclusive Labelhood collection by Casey Casey is a great example of how to appeal to Chinese Gen Z in an authentically creative way. The Parisian brand has never before collaborated with an international name, reflecting a focus on the China market. Furthermore, in comparison to other posts on the Labelhood account, it performed above average in terms of engagement.
3. CLOT X BE@RBRICK
Clot x Be@rbrick was released in celebration of the Juice Honolulu store opening. Photo: Be@rbrick
LAUNCH DATE: August 20
PRODUCT: Pink Pineapple Be@rbrick in 1000 percent, 100 percent, and 400 percent
TREND: Collector’s items assert cultural capital
VERDICT: It’ll be interesting to see whether this drop has the same impact as the Clot x Be@rbrick x Nike collaboration which has a 58 percent price premium on StockX, or the Summer Fruits Snow Strawberry which has a 48 percent price premium. However, with Clot being a leader in streetwear and Be@rbrick being a pop culture-favorite among young interior-obsessed Gen Zers and millennials, it is a straightforward move for both names involved.
4. NESPRESSO X DBH (Do By Heart)
The skateboards are made out of recycled Nespresso capsules. Photo: Nespresso x DBH
LAUNCH DATE: August 16
PRODUCT: Three limited-edition skateboards
TREND: Tapping subcultures to reach Chinese Gen Z
VERDICT: This clever collaboration involves the shell of Nespresso coffee capsules being made into skateboards, championing craft and sustainability. It meets the morals of Gen Z and simultaneously connects to a subculture that’s constantly on the up in China: skateboarding.
5. L’ORÉAL PARIS X PROJECT SEAGULL
LAUNCH DATE: August 15
TREND: Goodwill for Gen Z
VERDICT: In celebration of its 25th anniversary in China, L’Oréal Paris collaborated with Project Seagull to launch “She Guards,” a project that teaches women how to prevent and combat sexual harassment. Consumers can scan a QR code to join the movement and win a gift. With women’s empowerment being a popular topic among Chinese consumers, the initiative is a clever move for L’Oréal Paris.
