Over the years fashion, possibly more than any industry other than music, has produced some of the world's most talked about collaborations, though not always for the right reasons.
With the rapid evolution of streetwear from being reserved for hip hop's elite to becoming de rigeur for basically everyone, collaborations have become an effective way for brands to target mass audiences without diluting their brand. Once looked down upon by fashion insiders, the high street is now the go-to for trend-led affordable pieces and high-end fashion brands have become quite savvy in developing mutually beneficial relationships.
And it's worth noting that this doesn't always mean a collaboration between two fashion brands, collaborations with celebrities are a near-daily occurrence while some brands look elsewhere (e.g. home furnishings) to extend their reach.
Some collabs result in sheer genius, others in disaster. I'm somewhat obsessed with the phenomenon so I decided to write about 9 of fashion's most WTF collaborations - or at least 9 of my favourites - the good, the bad and the hideous. Buckle up.
For the past few seasons I've slowly started to fall out of love with fashion week. Not only do "seasons" feel somewhat antiquated but there's seems to be an increasing level of pomp and circumstance and more of focus on sales rather than artistry, resulting in a drought of talent or as André Leon Talley would call it, "A famine of beauty!".
While many new creative directors are still easing themselves into their roles, we're still waiting for a big bang moment, which may well come next season when some of them debut their collections.
That aside, designers seem to be phoning it in a little. Not only is artistry suffering but also quality and above all - fantasy! Regardless of what you might think of their work, when it comes to the big names, designers Alessandro Michele, Jeremy Scott, Marc Jacobs and Thom Browne seem to be the only ones having fun. When did fashion become so serious?! Mens fashion in particular is in dire need of cheering up. Models are stick thin, ghostly pale and draped in ill-fitting, dark clothing, stomping down the runway looking positively mortified at what their mates down the pub would say if they saw them dressed like this.
