5 fashion collaborations to get the industry talking this summer

Fashion collaborations have become increasingly interesting and diverse in recent years.

In fact, across the retail industry – in fashion, grocery, food-to-go, and homewares – there is a trend in marketing and design right now to team up brands that traditionally would not have gone together.

Think sausage roll seller Greggs launching a fashion range with Primark, outdoor pursuits brand The North Face aligning with luxury goods player Gucci, and streetwear brand Off-White creating a rugs and bags collection with Ikea. Everywhere you look at the moment, marketers are trying to create a moment and catch consumers’ attention.

As we find ourselves speeding through the summer months, we’ve picked out some interesting fashion comings together that we think are worth talking about this season. The collaborations underline the trend in fashion retail for thinking outside the box, and the need to be agile and open to new opportunities in a fast-changing market.

END and Polo Ralph Lauren

END Clothing and Polo Ralph Lauren have collaborated again following their previously successful ‘Baroque’ range.

Indeed, END is very much in collaboration mode at the moment, recently announcing work with Levi’s, New Era, and Champion.

The Ralph Lauren partnership, though, is a ten-piece capsule inspired – in its own words – “by staycations spent by the lake with friends, embodying the joy and youthful energy of carefree summers in the sun”.

It includes tees, hoodies, and sweatpants, which END says are crafted from reverse French terry with exposed seams — which brings a point of difference or “a raw edge” to the clean-cut aesthetic typically associated with its fashion collaborator.

Pepe Jeans racing into Selfridges

The Red Bull Racing x Pepe Jeans ready-to-wear collection for autumn-winter 2024 is now on show in premium London department store Selfridges.

This collaboration – in pop-up form at Selfridges – aims to blend the speed and style of Formula 1 racing with Pepe Jeans' lifestyle design expertise, bringing sport and fashion together.

Like many retailers, sport is a key theme for Selfridges this summer reflecting the Olympic Games in Paris and the men’s football European Championship which punctuate the summer of 2024. And the Red Bull-Pepe coming together is part of the department store’s ongoing ‘Sportopia’ theme.

The collection features a range of apparel including aerodynamic windbreakers, sweatshirts, and dynamic graphic T-shirts. The pop-up will be in place until 25 August to help promote the launch of the range.

The Walt Disney Company and Adidas, Asos, and Pandora

It is the 90th anniversary of Walt Disney’s Donald Duck character, and that has kickstarted an array of apparel, jewellery, and accessory collaborations alongside global fashion brands.

The likes of Adidas, ASOS, and Pandora are involved in the Donald Duck partnerships, including the release of Adidas Superstar shoes for kids adorned with Donald Duck, an oversized sweatshirt from ASOS featuring a print of the famous character, and Disney-related charms by Pandora.

On announcing the collabs, Liz Shortreed, senior vice president of Disney global soft lines & global brand strategy, commented: “Donald Duck's relatable and endearing frustrations with everyday life have made him one of the world's most famous personalities, so we knew we had to make sure to celebrate him in a big way.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with some of retail's biggest brands to bring fans an array of Donald Duck products like never before."

Nike and Jacquemus

Jumping on the Olympics theme, Nike and Jacquemus have partnered to create a collection and campaign featuring the city of Paris as well as Nike’s portfolio of athletes.

It is the third time these two brands have worked on a collection together, and this one has ten women’s and men’s lifestyle pieces, such as tracksuits, the ‘Le Swoosh’ handbag, and the new Nike x Jacquemus Air Max 1.

Designer and founder of his eponymous brand, Simon Porte Jacquemus, said of the launch: “This collection is born from the inspiration I find every day in Paris and in Nike’s athletes and the sports references I have always loved.

“I see the collection as a mix of sport, fashion and culture in the most beautiful city in the world, where Nike athletes will take centre stage this summer.”

This summer’s collection gives a nod to Jacquemus’ French roots and comes to market with red, white, blue and silver colourings.

Victoria Beckham and Mango

Designer fashion meets the high street with the new Victoria Beckham-Mango collection which is being sold in stores in 26 countries and online across 90 nations.

The partnership coincides with Mango's 40th anniversary and is part of the ‘Elevate’ pillar of its 2024-26 strategic plan and help heighten its international standing – with a particular focus on the UK and US markets, where Victoria Beckham is a household name.

Luis Casacuberta, director of product & sustainability, called Victoria Beckham “a global benchmark in the fashion world”, and described the collaboration as “a unique collection that exudes style, quality and femininity, values that we at Mango share with the designer”.

Fashion collaborations have become increasingly interesting and diverse in recent years.

The collection is a collaboration between Mango’s design department, led by Justi Ruano, and the Victoria Beckham team.

Inspired by the 1969 film La Piscine, starring Jane Birkin, the Victoria Beckham x Mango capsule collection reflects 70s style at its most sophisticated, including wardrobe items for day and night.

Notably, Victoria Beckman is a BlueCherry customer, leveraging the latest technology for efficient operations within their fashion brand.

All of these collaborations – and, it must be stated, there are plenty more around right now – highlight the diversity and innovation in today’s fashion world.

Brands and retailers looking to keep up with the speed of change need a supply chain system that keeps them connected to their suppliers and designers, and which allows them to plan new collections with transparency and traceability across operations. In short, the modern fashion industry needs the latest technology to keep it moving in the right direction and able to take advantage of new opportunities as and when they arise.

Fashion retailers and brand looking to boost inventory visibility and optimise product allocation in a new era for the industry should consider the BlueCherry ERP and PLM solutions which are built specifically for their industry