BERLIN, GERMANY – JULY 05: Designs on display at the Disney X Der Berliner Salon show during ‘Der Berliner Salon’ Spring/Summer 2019 at Kronprinzenpalais on July 5, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Der Berliner Salon)
Collaborations
It seems like everything is a collaboration these days. To be fair, great things can be made when minds are put together – including, a lot of money. Disney seems to be collaborating with everyone these days: Vans, Coach, Rag & Bone, Lacoste, Opening Ceremony. Anna Sui and Hello Kitty recently teamed up with Modcloth, bringing on more nostalgia.
On the more innovative side of things, Prada worked with three female architects to launch Prada Invites. It’s been described as “a for women, by women project that fosters collaborations between the brand and female visionaries to expand Prada’s ongoing fascination with multifaceted representations of femininity.” It produced some interesting results, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is excited for future collaborations. Meanwhile, Uniqlo’s artistic director led a team of international designers under the new Uniqlo U, to innovate on their materials, shapes, and methods.
A collaboration that surprised and delighted me personally is Payless x Christian Siriano. I loved him when he was competing on season 4 of Project Runway, but you just never know who will have actual break-out success from reality TV. He’s done it in a big way. Not only does he dress the rich and famous, but he a huge proponent of inclusivity and accessibility. Well, Siriano has reached me.
Growing up in a small town, there were not a lot of shoe store options. Payless was one of them, and I can remember walking those aisles as a kid. Fast-forward to my adult self, and I find myself at Payless even more. That’s what happens when you can’t seem to pay off your credit card – cheap shoes! I’m terribly picky about buying staples. I was so stoked when I tried on a pair of black over-the-knee boots, with a chunky mid-height heel, that Christian Siriano created for Payless. After sale and a coupon, they were under $30. I wear them all the time, and they are ridiculously comfortable. Props to them for their recent fake luxury shoe store stunt, and for keeping their partnership with Siriano.
Other collaborations we can look forward to in 2019 include: H&M x Eytys gender neutral collection (Jan. 24) and Reebok x Card B, who recently collaborated with the top fast-fashion retailer, Fashion Nova. Oh, and all of the Nike collabs.