How Collaborations are Changing the Fashion Landscape
How Collaborations are Changing the Fashion Landscape
People’s styles are perpetually influenced by pop culture, including musicians, mainstream movies and
TV shows, books, celebrities, and social media. Fashion constantly evolves throughout seasons, time, and cultural changes.
In essence, people change, and the world shifts. This year’s latest trends will become out of fashion
the following year, but old trends can rise again, as influential people put them back in the spotlight.
The fashion industry touches new grounds as collaborations between brands and creative personalities set new trends.
The industry has become a playground for art and profit, creating visionary pieces that are stylish and profitable.
Brands and Fashion Designers: A Match Made in Retail Heaven
Most clothing brands have in-house designers, especially in the luxury category. But independent designers are the ones breathing new life into brands and their collections.
The brands’ creative designers work hard to keep their name established and on top of people’s minds, but they also champion creatives, artists, social organizations, and other significant and relatable personalities who have a considerable following.
These creative collisions offer something more original and exclusive—something truly unique that people couldn’t ignore. Let’s have a look at some of the advantages of brand x brand fashion collaborations.
Advertisement by association - There’s no better way to promote products than through association with a personality known in an industry your target audience follows.
For instance, visual artist and graphic designer Paulina Ortega collaborated with Filipino fashion labels Tropa and Áraw, showcasing a collection of scarves, bucket hats, and slip dresses, respectively. Ortega is known in the creative and fashion industry for her refined sense of style and work as an artist.
Broaden audience reach - When brands or known personalities form a brand alliance, they can instantaneously reach other markets. The host brand can access more people through the partner brand and vice versa. An example of this is Vans, which often collaborates with artists, athletes, and musicians.
Combined resources - When two brands work together, they are essentially merging their resources and promoting one another in their marketing channels. When both of their audiences are exposed to the collaboration materials, their attention to the ads and promotions increases
A Welcome Addition: Influencers!
Influencers became social media stars because people want in on their lives—what they do, what their daily routine looks like,
and where they buy things like clothing pieces. In turn, their followers want to dress like them. Influencers always search for what’s new
and make sure that they’re one of the firsts to hop on trends, often in the form of fashion.
In the age of social media and with a rising number of consumers on social media platforms, it’s easier for brands
to get to know their customers better. Influencers with large followings can showcase (through tags and media content)
their go-to fashion brands and share product discoveries. They have the power to lead their followers
towards supporting the products or brands they promote.
Brands who involve influencers with a substantial following to co-brand a limited run of products or simply market their brand do so
because of the two-way benefits. With the right influencer, it’s a win-win marketing strategy for both parties.
And when we say the right influencer, we’re talking about Raven Tacwigan and Nikki More. Both are fitness advocates and
lifestyle influencers who have amassed over 240,000 and 2,500 followers respectively. They’ve joined the brand to market our
Huawei gadgets and accessories to help make workouts more fun.
IBrand x Brand Team-Ups
From a strategic perspective, brand collaborations can be utilized as a targeting tactic to tap on new consumers and increase brand awareness. A powerful collaboration strategy involves:
- A clear understanding of audience profiles and business goals
- Creating a list of possible collaborators and making initial calls
- Working on the idea with the selected co-brand or influencers
In the Philippine fashion industry, local brand bag Katrè collaborated with Sanrio to showcase the beloved character,
Hello Kitty, for a kawaii yet stylish bag collection, catching the attention of Hello Kitty lovers. Meanwhile,
retail giant Uniqlo worked with Team Manila and Filipino illustrator Dan Matutina back in 2015 to
capture the Filipino identity for their shirt designs.
Beauty-wise, the Vice Cosmetics x BT21 (co-created by LINE FRIENDS and BTS) collaboration caught not only the attention
of makeup enthusiasts but also BTS fans—allowing Vice Cosmetics to expand its audience reach. The partnership was such a hit
that a part two collection was released later on.
Earth’s mightiest heroes teamed up with 0917 Lifestyle to make sure fans feel part of the alliance when they suit up with the
0917 Marvel collections. The brand has also collaborated with two of the biggest pop culture names that have made their mark
in the 80s and 90s. It’s nostalgia at its finest when rocking both the Nickelodeon and MTV collections as
OOTDs that would definitely turn heads.
When a brand team-up gets it right and changes the playing field, it could last for the benefit of those involved.
Engage and Excite Customers with Brand Collaboration
The main goal of collaboration in fashion or any other industry is to boost brand awareness and increase sales
through value-led intentions. Customers these days are buying not just clothing pieces, makeup products, and accessories;
they are also buying experiences and supporting creatives and advocacies.
If you’re in the market for trendy fashion pieces and accessories, check out 0917 apparel and the variety of
selection at Globe 0917. You’ll definitely find a thing or two that matches your style.
