This week, China served a real variety of brand collaboration news. Retail stores launched exclusive independent capsules (hello Browns x Untitlab), architects made fashion come to life, and K-Swiss exhibited at K11 in collaboration with local photographer Ye Ye Le.
There are a few lessons to take away from this edition of theCollabs & Drops newsletter. One is that labels must look into how they can project a 360-degree view of their product and lifestyle. Another is that consumers want to be entertained, wined, dined, and generally engaged. And the most successful, noteworthy partnerships are always those that invite you to become acquainted with a new side of your favorite brand, or introduce you to a line you had never heard of.
Make sure that you subscribe to have the weekly updates straight to your inbox. Here's an extended version of today's China Collab Spotlights:
YEHUAFAN X LOUIS ISADORE KAHN#
LAUNCH DATE:#
October 8
TREND:#
Runway installation
VERDICT:#
How to make a fashion concept come to life through architecture. As Yehuafan loves to look at how clothes complement bodies, incorporating the dramatic lighting of the late celebrated architect Louis Isadore Kahn accentuates his concept and vision. Presented at Shanghai Fashion Week, the collection explores geometric shapes translated into clothing cuts and silhouettes. Designers often work with artists on their runway shows to produce a spectacle, providing another layer of depth to the garments by placing them in an artistic context.
UNTITLAB X BROWNS#
LAUNCH DATE:#
October 11
TREND:#
Retail x brand
VERDICT:#
A retailer gains new consumers and and a brand is given a platform for creativity. Shanghai-based label Untitlab has a niche yet targeted fanbase of fashion followers, one which Browns can definitely benefit from. It's also of the same taste of those who shop Browns' set. Furthermore, a partnership like this allows the British luxury retailer to better target high-paying Chinese luxury consumers, proving that it engages with the market and champions local talent. The independent label has shown at Shanghai, London, and Paris fashion weeks, as well as Piti Uomo, becoming known as a boundary-breaking name in the mainland — and this collaboration is further proof of that.
STÜSSY X PERRON-ROETTINGER#
LAUNCH DATE:#
October 12
TREND:#
Store interior
VERDICT:#
The process of solidifying brand image with store interiors. The pair behind Perron-Roettinger has a past of collaborating on visual projects with music artists, from Rihanna to Jay-Z, so working with Stüssy feels fitting. Maintaining the same interior as other global stores not only strengthens the brand image but also creates an affinity to the design studio. This new location in Beijing is the second store opening in China for Stüssy, suggesting confidence in the mainland. As the streetwear market continues to swell globally, future store openings are expected as a way to truly connect to consumers there. Whether Stüssy will do a local collaboration next, time will tell.
K-SWISS X COLA BEAR#
LAUNCH DATE:#
September 30 to October 18
TREND:#
Branded exhibition
THE VERDICT:#
Carving brand identity through an exhibition. Invited by the Shanghai K11 Black Gold Club Q Art Club, artist Ye Ye Le's solo exhibition "That Summer – The Travel Diary of the Keli Le Bear" presents photos taken by artist Ye Ye Le walking the streets of Paris. The photographer wears K-Swiss' Classic 66 tennis skate shoes and the brand's new autumn 2022 collection, therefore becoming an active part in the campaign despite also producing it. By hosting the exhibition, K11 helps to carve a playful brand image for K-Swiss while capturing the attention of China's Gen Z.
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