Fashion collaborations have become so ubiquitous that the question is no longer whether brands will team up, but whether any of them still matter. A recent unveiling in New York suggested they do: Lululemon and Ganni, two brands from very different worlds, produced a collection that sold out quickly and drew praise for feeling both familiar and fresh.
What Made Lululemon x Ganni Work
The launch took place in a Williamsburg basement decorated in leopard print. The collection included loud leopard-print leggings, slouchy track jackets with feminine frills, and super-soft, sweat-wicking 1980s-inspired sweatshirts worn off one shoulder, Flashdance-style. Ganni founder Ditte Reffstrup said: “When a collaboration is good it puts a smile on your face because you can see both brands.” Lululemon’s creative director Jonathan Cheung called it “a surprise collaboration but not a surprise”.
Much of the Lululemon x Ganni range has sold out, a clear sign of commercial success. The pieces worked because they were bold yet intentional, combining elements that “shouldn’t work” but did.
M&S and the St Michael x Aries Surprise
Another of the year’s biggest unexpected collaborations paired Marks & Spencer’s St Michael label with streetwear brand Aries. The nostalgic M&S logo was revived to sit alongside a cult label known for gender-neutral silhouettes and graphic designs. The collection, including a leather version of an M&S lime green carrier bag, sold out quickly.
M&S has been on a collaborative streak, building on repeated collections with designer Bella Freud and following the Aries drop with an underwear collaboration with Coco de Mer. The latter offers a more premium product at an accessible price point. It remains to be seen whether M&S can keep the element of surprise without diluting its core line.
Established Partnerships and Celebrity Collaborations
Some long-running partnerships have faded. Victoria Beckham’s latest for Gap suggested that pairing may have run its course, while the frequency of Hunter and Barbour collaborations means strong ones like Paul Smith Loves Barbour get overlooked. JW Anderson for Uniqlo, by contrast, feels like part of the furniture but remains as good as ever.
Celebrity collaborations are another genre. This year’s big one is Alexa Chung for Reformation, a 30-piece edit that includes lace-trimmed co-ords, slips, velvet separates, logo tees and straight-leg jeans. Chung said she drew on external references: “I was reminded of Kirsten Dunst in the 2000s, and the purple strapless dress [from the collection] really feels like a nod to that era.” She added: “I would be lying if I didn’t say I also looked at a lot of images from Sex and the City. It’s elegant, relaxed and effortless, but I think in winter we need that pop of colour to keep things from looking too drab.”
The common thread in all these successes is thoughtful, timely design. Without it, any partnership risks being forgettable.
