The fashion industry has been nearly devoid of new brands lately, due to a very low success rate for aspiring designers and companies. So-called spin-off brands, with certain companies branching out into things like children's wear or golf attire, are about all there is.
Amid these circumstances, collaborations between brands are announced almost daily. Some involve brands whose tastes are quite different, but these days they'll work together no matter what. Why? Because they usually won't fail unless they're horribly mismatched.
If a tie-up proves unpopular, the participants can just pull back. And even if some initial expenditures are required, it's still a safe bet at a low cost compared to the risk and expense of starting a completely new brand. In short, there are now many all-too-easy collaborations. It's hard to find a tie-up that really stands out, but here are three that have caught my eye recently.
The first one is Moncler, which is no stranger to collaboration, having worked with Thom Browne, Sacai (Chitose Abe is the designer) and many others. Since the brand's flagship products are down coats and jackets, which are for autumn and winter, the company seems to be strategically trying to increase profits throughout the year by creating a buzz with new collaborations.
It's an enormous project. Under the name "Moncler Genius," there are a whopping eight new collaborations going on simultaneously. The partners include four designers (Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and Kei Ninomiya), popular Japanese fashion producer Hiroshi Fujiwara, and the Italian skateboard fashion brand Palm Angels.
In addition, the company opened pop-up stores in October selling products from all these collaborations in Tokyo and New York. The House of Genius shops will run through Dec. 30.
Chanel is holding a beauty event based on traditional Japanese festivals through Nov. 11 at three venues in the country -- Tenso Shrine in Roppongi, Tokyo; the Rokkakudo pavilion of Chohoji temple in Kyoto; and the Seifukan seminar house of Hiroshima University of Economics in Hiroshima.
The elite French fashion brand aims to woo new customers at this event, which is titled Chanel Matsuri. Visitors can try the brand's new cosmetic products in the atmosphere of an autumn festival, drawing fortunes and getting a makeup artist's advice.
The Tokyo event is like a collaboration between the French luxury brand and a Japanese shrine. It's a bit of an anything-but-predictable attempt, but it has come out as an outstanding collaboration, not least because the event's key color of red is reminiscent of the red hakama trousers worn by miko female shrine attendants.
British lifestyle brand Cath Kidston, known for apparel, wallpaper, tableware and other products in classical floral prints, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a collaboration with Japanese hamburger chain Freshness Burger and U.S. ketchup brand Heinz.
The collaboration is taking place until the end of November at Freshness Burger shops across the country, where Cath Kidston tablecloths, plates and take-away paper bags are used. The collaborative treat, the Classic Roast Beef Burger (780 yen), is a British-style hamburger dish with roast beef and horseradish sauce.
Heinz ketchup bottles on the tables are printed with a picture of the Queen's Guard or an antique rose, another signature motif of Cath Kidston (460-gram bottles only). The collaborative ketchup is available at food stores and wholly-owned Cath Kidston stores around the country as well.
It's a fun collaboration. The Freshness Burger shop in Hibiya, Tokyo, is decorated on the exterior as well as the interior with the Queen's Guard pattern to evoke a British atmosphere.
Miura is the editor at large of WWD Japan.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
