China’s brand collaboration landscape saw many firsts this week, including The North Face and Gap working with local names, and household beauty leader Perfect Diary teaming up with folk band Wu Tiao Ren.
Joining The North Face’s industry-leading roster of collaborators is Clot in what is the US outerwear leader's first tie-up with a China-based brand.
Also tapping into the thriving gorpcore utility-wear movement, global powerhouse Gap has, interestingly, released a collection with lesser-known local label Attempt, known for its structural staples.
We dive into these releases in the latest Collabs & Drops newsletter. Read our verdict below, and sign up here to receive these updates, and more, straight to your inbox.
Gap x Attempt#
Date
February 24
Verdict
US fast-fashion retail brand Gap is emerging from the collab-car crash that Yeezy Gap turned into with this collection in the mainland. It follows Attempt’s releases with the likes of both Ugg and Puma; global names clearly recognize Attempt’s targeted exposure potential, despite it still not being widely known across China, or the rest of the world.
Founded by Liang Dong in 2015, the sleek streetwear brand shares Gap's minimalist aesthetic. The two names are, therefore, a great match because of the common ground they share – staple basics.
To amp up the hype, Gap released a capsule of hoodies, sweaters, jackets, T-shirts, trousers, shorts, and caps for pre-sale. Across Chinese social platforms, the move drove an average level of engagement. The collab’s official hashtag on Xiaohongshu generated 48,600 views, as of press time, attributable to Attempt’s niche fanbase of fashion followers in the mainland — the Chinese brand has just 19,000 fans on Weibo, and 9,383 followers on Instagram.
Clot x The North Face#
Date
February 23
Verdict
This hotly-anticipated Clot collection is outerwear titan The North Face’s first collaboration with a China-based name. Beyond the tie-up being a no-brainer as the two brands’ consumer bases cross over in many ways, it's also a notable moment for Chinese streetwear.
The partnership is being led by China, which is big news. It combines streetwear brands that are renowned in the mainland, as well as taps into the gorpcore trend that's soaring in China and beyond. The official hashtag had gained 92,000 reads on Weibo at the time of writing, and 203,400 views on Xiaohongshu.
Inspired by Mother Earth, the collection’s slogan is “colored by nature, inspired by exploration."
Perfect Diary x Wu Tiao Ren#
Date
February 27
Verdict
Popular beauty brand Perfect Diary, established in 2016 and known widely as China's Glossier, has proven its innovative collaboration strategy over the years, having been one of the first Chinese beauty brands to work with museums and leverage the pet economy.
Now, it's branching out into the C-pop realm, embracing China's legions of music fans. Not only is Wu Tiao Ren one of China's best-loved folk bands (boasting 1.1 million fans on Weibo alone), it also reflects national pride. The artists famously sing dialect-heavy lyrics that feature the traditions of rural Guangdong — in short, this couldn't get more Guochao as a brand collaboration. It’s a big win for Perfect Diary that showcases its ability to tap into Millennial and Gen-Z interests.