- FASHION -
COMMERCIALITY We all know when it comes down to it the success of a designer collaboration comes from its commercial ability. Versace X H&M sold out in less than 60 minutes worldwide. Websites crashed, eBay almost imploded and women suffered broken nails on a global scale. The key for a catwalk designer lending their talents to a fastfashion giant is found in their commercial flair to fit their aesthetic to the needs of the retailers’ customers.
MARKETING Christopher Shannon X River Island showed us a taste of things to come before the official launch of their collection by releasing a fashion film, illustrated sketches, product imagery and an official look book. They offer up a story of independent catwalk design from start to finish, creating an online presence and enabling us to feel the essence of the designer’s imagination. It hooks us in and lets us know that this isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill high street collection.
ENDORSEMENT In the case of Kanye’s Yeezy X Adidas, we have something extra. Here, a celebrity not only endorses the product but also has a hand in the creative process. Yes, it is limited edition and yes, it is a high end collection but the allure of living and aspiring to the life of our celebrity idols heightens the exclusivity factor tenfold. For a brand, the product sells itself when
a high profile actor, musician, designer or blogger joins the party. They tap into a new audience and create a celebrity-infused identity which is synonymous with the brand’s core beliefs.
HASHTAGS Finally, we have what is without a doubt the biggest tool in pulling off a successful designer collaboration: social media. To be more specific: Instagram. Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing has over 1.4 million followers and with hashtags like #Balmainarmy and #HMBALMAINATION. His fans, acolytes, style disciples and Balmain troops are instantly linked and ready to receive their orders. It cements the idea that Balmain isn’t becoming a part of the H&M family but rather for a really short period of time H&M is joining the force that is Balmain. Brand ambassadors and PR gurus can explore, adapt, utilize and inject everything they need to do to secure a victorious designer collaboration by using social media and tracking bloggers, stylists, models, influencers. The power of the hashtag teamed with the amalgamation of a designer’s mind and a high street giant’s vision and resources is basically an unstoppable machine. A machine that will continue to produce many more monumental collections for a long time to come. Why? Because we want it to.
LEWIS ROBERT CAMERON @lewisRcameron
Runner, A Kind of Guise x Adidas Photographer Du Jingze Available in Nowhere, Dublin.