Consumer and brand – Win Wins!
Recent fashion collaborations got me thinking about these commercial marriages.
Collabs do not usually involve a meeting of creative minds. In contrast they are commercially driven enterprises designed to boost the sales of major brands. In this context not all collabs are equal.
What is the difference between the collabs we love and those we do not?
I featured a denim jacket that resulted from the Ellery x Witchery collab recently. See it here.
I love the products of this collab because Kym Ellery’s design voice and the codes of her brand, Ellery were evident in the affordable Witchery looks. This collab created a consumer and brand, Win! Win!
The internet loved it, but I was underwhelmed by the Birkenstock x Manolo Blahniks collab. The products were as gimmickry as the prices were stratospheric. A more down to earth option is the Birkenstock x Staud collab. If you are not familiar with it, Staud is a fun and funtional American brand.
In contrast the footwear from the Melissa x Lazy Oaf (read the blog here) resulted in fun vegan footwear that smells like bubble-gum. Perfect for driving emotion driven purchases. Or does the whimsy and nostalgia of the Lazy Oaf x Crocs collab appeal to you?
The Ganni x Scholl collab has produced footwear that made me smile. Scholl’s were the ‘good’ but very uncool shoes of my teenage years. I would have loved the product of the Ganni x Scholl collab. Me thinking of all the people with non-standard feet sizes being able to access fun and cool shoes made my teenage self-smile. This, if the products are still available for the Australian 2023 summer may drive a purchase decision. In the meantime it inspired this blog!
The collabs we love succeed by avoiding being gimmickry while making accessible a high-end designer we might not otherwise be able to afford.
Who can resist it when the uncool is remade as cool?
At their best collabs are transformative for the brands and by extension their customers. When this happens consumers and brands achieve win win and we consumers have a collab that is hard not too love.
Contact Bottlegreen and Yellow about transforming your style.
