Other than Estée Lauder and Shushu/Tong‘s ruby red limited edition gift boxes, love wasn’t really in the air for this week’s Valentine’s Day issue of the Collabs & Drops newsletter. As we are in the midst of New York Fashion Week, designer collabs are all we can think about.
At the show of her eponymous brand, Chinese-American designer and balletcore queen Sandy Liang debuted a trainer and mesh slip-on shoe with Salomon. Meanwhile, Kate Spade and Pantone wrapped a selection of trademark NYC taxi cabs in “Kate Spade Green” to promote their upcoming capsule collection.
NYFW aside, we’re still thinking about the Super Bowl which had some 113 million viewers on Sunday. For the event, Damar Hamlin’s Jesus jacket caused a viral debate; it was a collaboration between Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and Yuta Hosokawa’s brand Saint Michael.
This week, we analyze Stella McCartney’s first foray into interiors, Jeremy Scott’s new Bone sneakers with Adidas, and Marimekko’s collection with Ikea. Check out our verdict on each below, and be sure to subscribe to the newsletter here, to receive these updates straight to your inbox.
Jeremy Scott x Adidas#
Date
February 16
Verdict
How is Jeremy Scott still launching Adidas sneakers? The dedicated Jeremy Scott x Adidas Instagram account has only 64,100 followers. Over on Twitter, the only responses to tweets promoting the latest Campus 80s Bone Sneakers collaboration have been negative. At least the bones on the footwear are removable, showcasing the brand’s signature playfulness. The real appeal lies in that these are a comeback sneaker, though. Consumers are discussing how they stir nostalgia for the original Adidas JS Bones which were released back in 2014. But even those have sold on StockX at about their original retail price. However, the 2011 Jeremy Scott Flintstones are the real gem, with a price premium of 208 percent; their popularity was influenced by ASAP Rocky wearing them in a music video. Judging by the Bones which flopped just three years after that, we aren’t expecting a lot from the Campus 80s Bone Sneakers.
Marimekko x Ikea#
Date
March 2023
Verdict
Discussed for over a year now, Marimekko x Ikea’s Bastua wellness collection is hotly anticipated. Due to the aesthetic similarities between Scandi and Nordic design, it’s a match made in interior heaven. Despite Ikea being considered more of a powerhouse than Finnish designer Marimekko, the latter actually has a wider fanbase around the world. Over the past year, Google Trends data shows that Marimekko has received attention from Brazil, New Zealand, and Argentina. Therefore, both brands in this partnership are benefitting from the exposure. Right now, the hashtag #ikeaxmarimekko has just 115 posts on Instagram, which is not too bad considering it hasn’t launched yet so there are no influencer or personal photos to post.
Stella McCartney x B&B Italia#
Date
February 9
Verdict
Revealed at Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2022, the three-piece LE Bambole Interior collection marks Stella McCartney’s first ever move into interiors. The armchair and sofa is covered in the British designer’s Spring 2022 hand-drawn “Fungi Forest” print, proving just how fluidly textile designs can be used across formats and industries. Despite the launch date having only just passed, neither brand has posted about the collection on their social media channels. B&B Italia benefits from adhering to McCartney’s sustainable ethos, as the furniture is all made from recycled materials. Furthermore, working with the designer feeds the company’s identity of celebrating contemporary design. Perhaps motivated by halted growth — the brand reported a 39.9 million (272 million RMB) loss in 2021 — Stella McCartney has been exploring new product avenues, including launching an LVMH beauty Maison called Stella in 2022.