A sweater from the House of Holland X Umbro collection.
At Louis Vuitton's Fall 2017 men's-wear presentation in Paris earlier this month, attendees and Instagram followers alike were treated to a splashy new partnership between the French luxury megabrand and New York-based streetwear company Supreme. The collection's double-branded pieces included monogrammed skateboards and a steamer trunk in Supreme's signature red that will retail for a reported $68,500 (U.S.). Men's style bible GQ dubbed the mash up the "hype-iest collaboration of the century."
Neither brand is new to collaborations. Supreme has partnered with the likes of Hanes, Stüssy and Comme des Garçons, while Louis Vuitton has famously tapped the creative powers of artists Stephen Sprouse and Takashi Murakami. Establishing a collaboration that resonates with fans on both sides requires negotiating design parameters without compromising brand identity, effectively adding diplomacy skills to a creative director's job description.
What makes these types of partnerships so attractive to consumers is their contrasting aesthetics coupled with elements of exclusivity and nostalgia, says Carey Melnichuk, owner of the Vancouver fashion and lifestyle concept boutique Secret Location. "The contradiction between the fairy tale of luxury brands and the reality of streetwear is obvious and exaggerated," she says. The Louis Vuitton x Supreme collection hits all the right notes, bringing a lick of 1990s slacker cool to the posh French house. "Collabs help each brand explore new territory of how their brand is experienced," says Melnichuk.
Keeping the mix and match preferences of its millennial clientele in mind, Secret Location stocks everything from established brands including Vionnet and vintage Chanel to boundary-pushing newbies such as David Koma and GCDS (God Can't Destroy Streetwear). On Jan. 26, the store is launching a limited-edition House of Holland X Umbro collection. "These types of collaborations efficiently introduce new customers to each brand and bridge the luxury and more mass markets."
THIS WEEK'S STYLE HAPPENINGS
- Square One Shopping Centre is now home to the Toronto area’s first standalone Rolex boutique. The Swiss watch brand has partnered with Raffi Jewellers on this new space, located within a new wing of the Mississauga mall and fitted out with walnut cabinets, bronze detailing and floors of Crema Marfil marble. For more information, visit www.rolex.com.
- Mixed media artist and former Globe Style Advisor cover subject Maxwell Burnstein recently crossed the Pacific to launch his first exhibition in Asia. The collection of 14 works will be on display at the W Retreat Koh Samui in Thailand until June. For more information, visit www.wretreatkohsamui.com.
- Lainey Gossip contributor and eTalk producer Sasha Tong has added perfumer to her list of accomplishments. On Jan. 26, Tong launches Lost & Found Apothecary, a collection of four handcrafted, made-to-order, all-natural fragrances, each with its own distinct vibe (Burn is a grounding, incense-inspired mix, while Willow is warm and feminine). For more information, visit www.lostandfoundapothecary.com.