13 of the Biggest Fashion Collaborations of 2020
Even though the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in declining sales at retail, many shoppers still have an appetite for new fashion, thanks in part to this year’s many buzzy fashion collaborations.
This year has seen several major fashion collaborations from design houses like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Gucci, as well as top musicians such as Justin Bieber, Drake, Lizzo and H.E.R.
One of the most anticipated fashion collaborations of the 2020 was between Dior and Nike, which revealed their Air Dior sneaker last December. The design house finally opened up its online draw for the sneakers in June, which resulted in a five million person waitlist for the coveted shoes.
Here, WWD looks at 13 of the biggest fashion collaborations of 2020. Read on for more.
1. H.E.R. x Diff Eyewear
R&B singer H.E.R. brought her signature style to Diff Eyewear in February, teaming on a four-piece collection that took inspiration from her favorite accessory.
“I feel like shades are just the icing on the cake and they add that extra oomph to my outfit,” she told WWD. “I like to pair clothes or accessories that wouldn’t usually go together. I’m a sneaker girl, but I like to make comfort fancy.”
The collection included reimagined versions of Diff Eyewear’s classic styles, including a black and gold version of its Bella square-shaped sunglasses and a gradient blue-to-gold version of the Driver sunglasses, which took inspiration from the album art of H.E.R.’s first album released in 2017. Each style in the collection retailed for $85.
2. Quay x Lizzo
Grammy Award-winner Lizzo teamed with eyewear brand Quay for a charitable collection of sunglasses and accessories in May.
The collection included eight eyewear styles, such as cat eyes, aviators and shields, in sunglasses and blue light options ranging in price from $55 to $75. The brand teamed with Feeding America for the collection to donate one million meals to the organization.
Lizzo teamed with Quay again in August for her second collaboration, this time creating a campaign that encouraged voter registration.
“Voting is a big way to contribute and to feel like we’re making a change,” Lizzo said in a statement. “But the power of voting in mid-term and local elections wasn’t something I was taught in school. I want to be part of informing future generations of our power.”
The second collection included Quay’s best-selling styles with details chosen by Lizzo, such as hot pink lenses, studs or crystal embellishments.
3. Target’s Designer Dress Collection
Target released its latest designer collaboration in June, this time teaming with three female-led fashion brands for a collection of summer dresses. The retailer teamed with LoveShackFancy, Cushnie and Lisa Marie Fernandez for a collection of more than 70 dresses that evoked the same feminine style that each brand is known for. The collection ranged in price from $40 to $60.
4. Dior and Nike’s Air Dior
Sneakerheads went into a frenzy in December 2019 when Dior and Nike unveiled its Air Jordan 1 High OG Dior limited-edition sneaker designed by creative director Kim Jones during Dior’s pre-fall 2020 show in Miami. The collaboration marked Nike’s first step into the “luxury streetwear” market.
Dior was initially planning on conducting an international online draw in April and May to allow customers to purchase the limited-edition sneaker, however, decided to postpone the initiative due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The fashion house later launched the online draw in June, creating a dedicated microsite where customers could register to purchase the sneaker.
Christian Dior Couture’s president and chief executive officer, Pietro Beccari, told WWD that five million people registered on the microsite upon the site’s launch. He stated that the brand produced 13,000 pairs of the sneakers, with 5,000 pairs offered to Dior’s top clients. The sneakers are priced at $2,000 for the low-top version and $2,200 for the high-top version.
5. Believe in Better Collection
A group of 19 American fashion designers joined forces in September to create a capsule collection — called Believe in Better — that supports former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
The collection included T-shirts, sweatshirts, totes, scarves, face masks and jewelry designed to encourage voting and creating a better future. Standout pieces included a T-shirt designed by Prabal Gurung that reads “Future Stronger in Color” written over an American flag and a tote bag designed by Edie Parker founder Brett Heyman that reads “Believe in Better” decorated with pins that say “Vote” and “Biden 2020.”
Other designers involved in the collection include Joseph Altuzarra, Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Jonathan Cohen, Carly Cushnie, Kathryn and Lizzie Fortunato, Victor Glemaud, Gabriela Hearst, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler, Aurora James of Brother Vellies, Thakoon Panichgul, Monique Pean, Joe Perez, Vera Wang and Jason Wu. The collection ranged in price from $40 to $60.
6. Gucci x The North Face
Gucci revealed in September that it is teaming with The North Face on an upcoming collaboration. This marks the first time that Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele has collaborated on a full collection with another brand since starting his tenure at the design house.
The collaboration was revealed in a short video posted on Gucci’s Instagram and TikTok accounts that showed a flag placed on top of a mountain that featured both brands’ logos. A release date for the collaboration has not yet been revealed.
7. Crocs x Justin Bieber
A long-time fan of the brand, Justin Bieber teamed with Crocs in October for a limited-edition Classic Clog as part of his fashion brand, Drew House. The clogs were designed in Drew House’s signature yellow hue and included eight custom Crocs’ charms, including the Drew House smiley face logo, rainbows, daisies and pizza slices.
“As an artist, it’s important that my creations stay true to myself and my style,” Bieber said in a statement. “I wear Crocs all the time, so designing my own pair came naturally. With these Crocs, I just focused on making something cool that I want to wear.”
Bieber revealed the Crocs collaboration, which launched on Oct. 13 for $59.99, on his Instagram, taking part in the “real or cake” challenge where he cut into a pair of the clogs that turned out to be an actual cake.
8. Mucinex x Steven Alan and The Great Eros
The year’s most unexpected fashion collaboration came when fashion designers Steven Alan and Christina Viviani — the creative director behind The Great Eros — teamed with pharmaceutical brand Mucinex on an ath-leisure brand that launched in time for the flu season.
The collection includes tank tops, sweatshirts, loungewear sets, jumpsuits and accessories that are designed with antimicrobial silk, soothing colors and temperature-regulating fabrics to help the wearer fight off a cold.
The six-piece collection, which launched in October and ranged in price from $65 to $200, included a Feelgood Hoodie that was designed with a removable pillow, eye mask and aromatherapy sleeve that the wearer can use to insert rocks doused in essential oils. The collection’s color palette includes navy, green, white, pink and black, which are said to provide a sense of calm and comfort. Some pieces also include Mucinex’s Mr. Mucus logo.
9. Torrid x Betsey Johnson
Fashion designer Betsey Johnson brought designs from her 1988 and 1989 runway shows to plus-size retailer, Torrid, in October for a capsule collection. The collection included 63 pieces across apparel, intimates, jewelry, shoes and accessories ranging in price from $15 to $228.
10. Kith x BMW
Kith founder Ronnie Fieg teamed with BMW to rebuild the 1989 E30 M3 model that his grandfather had owned. To celebrate the partnership, Kith and BMW also released a 94-piece collection in October of apparel, accessories and outerwear inspired by the car.
The collection includes graphic T-shirts, hoodies, knitwear, tracksuits and homeware designed with the Kith x BMW roundel logo. This is Kith’s largest collection to date.
11. Louis Vuitton x NBA
Louis Vuitton linked a multiyear partnership with the NBA in January for capsule collections designed by the design house’s men’s wear creative director, Virgil Abloh.
The design house gave a sneak peek at its first capsule collection in October, which includes shoes, bags, ready-to-wear and jewelry featuring the NBA logo reimagined to resemble a houndstooth motif.
The collection is divided into three categories inspired by the idea of a basketball player’s wardrobe: travel, game arrival and press conference. Pieces will go on sale on Nov. 20.
12. Byredo’s Ben Gorham and Ikea
Byredo’s Ben Gorham linked with Ikea to create a more affordable line of the brand’s cult-favorite candles.
Gorham and Ikea collaborated on a scented candle line, called Osynlig, which includes 13 candles with scents divided into fresh, floral and woody categories. Each candle comes in a hand-formed, glazed ceramic vessel that’s meant to be reused. The candles come in three different sizes and range in price from $4.99 to $24.99 starting in November.
“The concept was to understand what type of smells people associated with the home, and that’s how we built our library of raw materials [that] we used to blend the different fragrances,” Gorham said. “Each fragrance was the result of insight on what emotions people experience when it came to thinking about smell and home.”
13. Drake x Nike
Rapper Drake has teamed with Nike in October for a “Certified Lover Boy” merchandise collection ahead of the release of his sixth album in January.
The collection includes puffer bomber jackets, graphic T-shirts, hoodies, socks and caps that include Nike branding. Several pieces were also teased in Drake’s music video for “Laugh Now Cry Later.” Items range in price from $18 to $75.
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