The teaming up of both top luxury designer and streetwear brands is a fashion feature on the rise and a popular one at that. This mix up between contrasting creative direction is seen to deliver a more inclusive take on styling interests for both brand consumers. Thus, allowing these luxury brands to reach the interest of younger audiences and new potential customers.
Figure 1 - Louis Vuitton x Supreme (Modern Collectables)
Luxury brands have been seen to welcome top streetwear names with open arms with an array of past and up and coming collaborative collections. French trend forecasting site, Heuritech, uncovered that with the streetwear market predicticted to reach $231.7 billion by 2024’, top luxury brands are undeniably leaping at the chance to benefit from such popularity. Such popularity amongst these co-genre fashion collaborations seem only beneficial to both the luxury and streetwear brands involved. But with top streetwear brands such as Adidas, Supreme and Nike, ranking high in terms of ‘cool factor’, cultural relevance and functionality - it’s understandable for the rise of luxury and streetwear collection link ups.
Streetwear and it’s cultural ‘cool-factor’-
Luxury brands have been inspired by top streetwear styling over the last 20-years. This inspiration was shown to stem from the sportswear and luxurywear ‘team up’ of 1998’s Jil Sander’s fashion wear co-genre product. Hamburg-based fashion house, Jil Sander, stood as the earliest fashion brand to introduce streetwear to collaborate on a co-creation project. From then, the likes of Heuritech and more have recognised such actions as the forefront of luxury brands ‘drawing inspiration from streetwear shapes and culture’ (Heuritech, 2021).
While luxury brands have been heavily inspired by streetwear culture, original streetwear style comes out on top in terms of exceeding continuous trends and pop-culture impacts.
Before key streetwear looks were shown down the fashion runway, alongside top luxury names, streetwear was exclusively seen on the younger generation and prominent athletes. Incorporating the statement trainer, established logos and relaxed hoodies and sweatpants into the wardrobes of the younger generation, established a true sense of cultural infinity - as well as the important ‘cool-kid’ factor, seen throughout the young, urban scene.
Figure 2 - Louis Vuitton x Supreme Collection (The Flow House)
Effortlessly integrating streetwear-esque trends and styling into new clothing collections is a common theme throughout many luxury brands! Late Louis Vuitton, creator director Vigrli Abloh - alongside Alessandro Michele (Creative Director of Gucci) and Maria Grazia Chiuri (Creative Director of Dior), have been at the fashion forefront of streetwear and luxury brand collaborations.
Adidas x Gucci joined forces, showcasing the merging of talents and collaborative aesthetics at Milan Fashion Week 2022. Featuring an athletic style and Adidas iconic three-stripes throughout the co-genre collection - luxury fashion giant, Gucci, displayed huge influences of Adidas’ infamous, streetwear flare.
Going Sustainable -
The value of sustainable fashion is an important factor in today's society, especially concerning high-value, luxury brands. With the younger generation being highly aware of fashion sustainability and the such issues involving over-consumption and clothing wastage - it’s only understandable the efforts both luxury and streetwear brands go through to meet the sustainable expectations their younger consumers are looking for.
Digital agency Appnova, made aware that both the Millennial and Generation Z consumers hold the issue of brand sustainability as a key concern and are too ‘driving 85% of global luxury sales growth. As younger generations are seen to take time to research into both the environmental and ethical qualities of brands they are wanting to purchase from- luxury brands are more likely to go ahead with consumer wishes to keep their place within the fashion market.
Showcasing a new recognition of sustainability values, luxury giant Gucci, recently announced their aim to go carbon neutral as part of their 10-year brand plan (2019). Bringing together their three-pillars: the environment, people and innovation, the brand’s 2019 venture introduced ‘Gucci Equilibrium’. Their relatively new venture gives employees the chance to dedicate 1% of working time to volunteer within local communities, as well as fit sustainable regimes throughout all areas of clothing production and distribution.
Figure 4 - Gucci’s ‘Equilibrium’ Launch (Eco Warrior Princess)
Studies show that 73% of the Millennial generation are from a sustainable and clothing-conscious background. And with luxury brands sitting at much higher price points, top luxury designers have the ability to appeal to younger audiences when teaming up with sustainability-focused brands. This is due to the attraction streetwear brands and style have on younger consumers and the agreeable price point of these collections.
Are luxury brands declining?
WIth the heavy impact of top streetwear designers, such as, Virgol Abloh (RIP) Kanye West- the streetwear industry has done nothing but turn heads. Graphic tees and statement caps are being sold within the same big price point as top luxury names and people are totally for it! Brand marketing outlet, Adweek, brand the term ‘luxury’ as an ‘elusive concept’, paving from the popular streetwear-luxury brand merger over recent years. And with the line between luxury and streetwear becoming more integrated, only shows the direction in which both fashion houses are heading.
References:
https://medium.com/heuritech/when-luxury-teams-up-with-sportswear-a8c4dfcb1c74
https://www.heuritech.com/articles/industry-analysis/luxury-teams-up-with-sports/
https://www.appnova.com/sustainability-in-luxury-fashion-top-brands-and-their-sustainable-practices/
https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-streetwear-is-influencing-a-new-era-of-luxury-fashion/
Pictures used:
Figure 1 - https://moderncollectibles.jingdaily.com/
Figure 2 - https://www.theflowhouse.com/high-fashion-and-streetwear-opposites-attract-each-other/
Figure 3 - https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/a39225616/gucci-adidas-collab/