Like for Hollywood blockbusters and latest releases from the Marvel universe, summer is always a hot time for fashion collab drops. This year has already seen some high-profile designer collabs (raise your hand if you too jumped on the H&M x Rokh and Victoria Beckham x Mango collections), but the cross-pollination between brands shows no signs of slowing down, now branching into some unexpected territory.
It's already selling out.
Often the birth of a collaboration can be quite organic. Perhaps two brands found synergies across their brand identity, aesthetics or values (Anine Bing’s Reebok collab comes to mind, the former’s athleisure-wear has always been a hit amongst their customers so a trainer collab was only a matter of time). It’s also a way for some brands to test the waters in a new category. Sometimes a luxury and a high street brand join hands to tap into each other’s audiences (aka any H&M designer collab). And other times, it feels like they partner up because why not? Who doesn’t love a limited edition drop from leading labels.
Below are some of the trending team-ups on our radar this summer.
Cultnaked x Pepsi
You may have seen some of your favourite influencers in the, well, cult label Cultnaked. Best known for reviving the Noughties aesthetic through slinky tanks and slick leather trousers, designer Mary Furtas' brand, like Pepsi, captures the current nostalgia for all things 90s. So perhaps the collab is less unexpected as some may think and the resulting pieces actually feel quite familiar, like something Jennifer Aniston may have worn to a Hollywood party. The leather bra in Pepsi blue and the sparkly Stardust net bag made to fit a Pepsi can are definitely the standout styles.
What do bikinis and notebooks have in common? Well, not much, on the surface, however, Hunza G's founder Georgiana Huddart shared that always carried a Smythson notebook in her handbag where she sketched out her ideas, and it felt fitting to tap the luxury stationary brand to celebrate the crinkle swimsuit brand's 40th birthday. The result is a limited-edition drop of Smythson's luxurious notebooks in Hunza G's signature bold pool party hues: Bubblegum, Lime, and Orange.
Olivia von Halle x De Gournay x The Peninsula London
Coming together to make pretty much the most luxurious pyjamas one could dream of, Olivia von Halle teamed up with hand-painted wallpaper brand De Gournay (as seen in Gwyneth Paltrow's home) and The Peninsula London for an epic collab. The idea was to take the majestic, hand-painted De Gournay wallpaper of the Royal Parks inside the lobby of The Peninsula London and print them on Olivia von Halle's classic Casablanca pyjamas and matching eye masks. As if we needed another reason to lounge in bed all day.
Tressé x Café Leandra
If you've not heard of new contemporary French label Tressé then buckle up, you're going to see a lot more of them. Tressé is the brainchild Ketzia and Sivan Chétrite, who also happen to be the children of Sandro founder Evelyne Chétrite. The fashion and lifestyle brand has been growing exponentially in France and has now tapped into the UK and US markets with the help of partnerships like its most recent collab with American influencer Leandra Medine. Leandra, who already owns a fabulous lifestyle site Café Leandra, leant her eye for quirky-casual designs to Tressé to create a line of homeware inspired by sunny prints and La Dolce Vita.
Levi's x McLaren Racing
Marking the iconic denim brand's first foray into motorsports, Levi's has collaborated with F1 racing team McLaren for a limited-edition collection. The line features jean jackets, T-shirts, 501 jeans, and even an entire denim Formula One style jumpsuit inspired by McLaren's late 80s era race cars and its iconic red and white livery. Now that we've seen the collection, we're surprised the collab hasn't happened earlier.
MCM x Harper Collective
Luxury fashion house MCM partnered with Harper Collective to create a capsule of sustainable suitcases. Harper Collective was founded by actor-musician Jaden Smith and Sebastian Manes, former executive buying and merchandising director at Selfridges, and the collaboration features hard, rolling suitcases made with a blend of 70 percent recycled ocean plastic, such as fishing nets, and post-consumer plastic, made luxe with a dash of MCM's signature monogram.
LoveShackFancy x Stanley
Fan-favourite water bottle brand Stanley is partnering up with LoveShackFancy on four limited-edition tumblers, marking Stanley's first-ever fashion partnership. The tumblers will be wrapped in vintage-inspired prints based on LoveShackFancy’s ruffly aesthetic, and will be named Happy Thoughts, Ribbon Rosa, Everblooming Rosettes and Blooming Heirloom. Stanley's earlier partnership with Starbucks went viral on TikTok, sending shoppers into a frenzy, and we wouldn't be surprised if this new partnership causes similar mayhem.
Party season outfits: sorted.
We never knew we needed a kettlebell bag until now.
Y/Project x Melissa
With fisherman sandals topping the charts of the hottest items of 2024 so far, the latest drop from the continued collab between luxury streetwear label Y/Project and OG fisherman sandal brand Melissa feels particularly timely. For their fourth collection, Glenn Martens continued to reinvent the jelly shoe, applying his distinctive texture and arabesques to clogs and mules alike. Just you wait, it's sure to make the end of year's hot list.
Evian x Humanrace
Evian, the official partner of the US Open, tapped Pharrell Williams, creative powerhouse and founder of lifestyle brand Humanrace, to create an unisex, tenniscore-inspired capsule made from 100 percent natural fibres. The small drop of ultra-sleek tees, sweatshirts and polos in pinks, whites and greys allows audiences to tap into Pharrell's “millionaire” aesthetic at a *relatively* affordable price point. Caps are priced at £75 and the cotton-candy hued mock-neck jumper at £90. The collection will be available from August 24, exclusively at Humanrace.com.
