fashion collaboration

Off-White, fall 2021 Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Fashion is back! That was the collective feeling as the spring 2022 collections wrapped in early October with Nicolas Ghesquière’s masquerade ball for Louis Vuitton. In an outdoor passage of the Louvre, models swapped N95s for extravagantly bejeweled sunglasses and donned pannier dresses for a 21st century Belle Epoque.
But now it’s January and the only thing that’s roaring is the Omicron variant. The status of the upcoming men’s season, scheduled to start in Florence early next week, is in question, and who knows what state the world will be in by the women’s shows (start date: February 11). Still, there’s lots to look forward to—from Glenn Martens’s Jean Paul Gaultier couture intervention to Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry pre-fall collab with Lea T—whether events wind up being IRL, virtual, or, as is most likely, somewhere in between.
The industry loves a debut and early 2022 brings us not one, but three. Matthieu Blazy’s first collection as creative director at Bottega Veneta will be much watched, partly because of the abrupt, startling departure of his predecessor Daniel Lee, when the brand had been on such a roll, and partly because Blazy has long been admired for his behind-the-scenes work, most notably at Maison Margiela. The show is scheduled for February 26 at 8 pm Milan time.
Bottega Veneta, spring 2022. Photographed by Rose Hohl
We’ll also be keeping our eye out for Camille Miceli’s Emilio Pucci, though she’s indicated that she’s not interested in the runway. The Italian heritage brand has been operating quietly without an artistic director for five years, so whichever direction she goes, Miceli will make news. An industry veteran with stints at Marc Jacobs’s and Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton and a job at Dior in between, she said she’s thinking along the lines of “joy and well-being.”
Nigo, of A Bathing Ape and Human Made fame, will present his vision for LVMH’s Kenzo early this year, too—it’s listed on the Paris men’s schedule for January 23 at 11 am. Nigo is the first Japanese designer to helm the label since its founder Kenzo Takada stepped down in 1999, and he was brought into the LVMH fold when the late Virgil Abloh collaborated with him on a pre-season men’s collection for Louis Vuitton in 2020.
Who, if anyone, succeeds Abloh at Louis Vuitton men’s and his own brand Off-White will be the subject of much speculation, but the early part of the year is likely to be devoted to tributes to his powerful legacy—and to more consumer jockeying for his uber-collectible final designs. Abloh had recently begun showing Off-White on a see-now, buy-now schedule, which means we could be seeing his spring 2022 collection for the label.
Will this year bring our first look at Phoebe Philo’s new brand? Will Alexander Wang return to the fashion stage? And how will Demna no-last-name-necessary follow up his Balenciaga successes of 2021? Watch this space to find out. Meanwhile, fashion will most definitely be back when part two of the Costume Institute’s “American Lexicon” exhibition opens shortly after the Met Gala on the first Monday in May.
Balenciaga, spring 2022. Photo: Courtesy of Balenciaga
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Originally published on Vogue.com 

Fendi X Versace. Photo: Instagram.com/ellehongkong
What better way to round up 2021 than with a look back at the year’s best fashion brand moments? This year, brands amazed us with unexpected collaborations like Gucci x Balenciaga, major comebacks (hello, Mark Jacobs!) and sadly, a heartbreaking loss too, with the passing of one of the greatest fashion design icons of the 21st century, Virgil Abloh.
Gucci and Balenciaga stunned the fashion world when they announced a collaboration, launching the collection “hack” into stores. Alessandro Michele (creative director for Gucci) used quotes and logos from Demna (creative director for Balenciaga) and mixed them with his personal taste and signatures—the 70’s, suits and feathers. Later in 2021, the link-up between Versace and Fendi, better known as Fendace, was another collab to take note of.
Photo: Instagram.com/gucci
Known for his unexpected surprises, Kanye West announced The First Yeezy x Gap collaboration this year too. Out of nowhere, a cerulean puffer appeared on Gap’s website, which was the first product of the collaboration to be put up for sale. Balenciaga’s Demna definitely had a great year too. Not only was he a part of the collaboration with Gucci, but he also presented his first couture collection this year, a series of  beautifully sculpted gowns, trench coats and haute jeans. And that’s not all for Balenciaga. 2021 was also the year that the brand teamed up with the video game Fortnite and to create an unforeseen  line of skins.
Photo: Instagram.com/voguerunway
While everyone was focused on virtual shows and lookbooks, Marc Jacobs decided to stay old-school in 2021. After being absent from the runway for over a year, he returned with a special showcase at New York’s Public Library. Cocoon shapes and huge platform shoes mixed with holographic dresses and faux furs was the way to go for Jacobs.
Celebrating his 10th anniversary at Balmain this year, creative director Olivier Rousteing brought, strength, bold beauty, diversity, and craftsmanship on to the runway. Balmain’s spring/summer 2022 line was the talk of the town during Paris Fashion Week, which showcased iconic designs from the fashion house’s past decade while being surrounded by iconic women such as supermodel Naomi Campbell. A personal message from Beyoncé was also shared with Rousteing.
Photo: Instagram.com/olivier_rousteing
After a decade of working as the creative director for Celine, 2021 was also the year that Phoebe Philo launched a brand under her own name. But of all the big moments, nothing resounded quite like the loss of the iconic fashion designer Virgil Abloh. Two days after his death, Abloh’s spring 2022 collection was celebrated at Art Basel in Miami. Friends of the designer including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Rihanna were present to pay tribute to the unforgettable talent.
Fendi x Versace. Photo: Instagram.com/ellehongkong
Yeezy x Gap. Photo: Instagram/ yeezyxgap
Balenciaga x Fortnite. Photo: Instagram.com/voguerunway
Virgil Abloh. Photo: Instagram.com/virgilabloh
Phoebe Philo. Photo: Instagram.com/phoebephilodiary
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Towards the end of last year, as the pandemic raged on and the creative industries, including fashion, continued to carve out new ways of working and producing, The North Face and Gucci announced they were collaborating. A teaser video showing a single “The North Face x Gucci” tent flag blowing in the breeze dropped in […]
The post The North Face x Gucci Collaboration Takes to the Street with Artwalls appeared first on Vogue Arabia.

Rapper Cardi B models her new Club C footwear for the Reebok x Cardi collaboration

American rapper Cardi B decided to celebrate her 28th birthday with her loyal fans by taking to Instagram to announce her first ever Reebok x Cardi footwear collection, dedicating the drop to her followers. “As my birthday gift to my loyal fans I’m dropping limited pairs TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT EST on Reebok.com,” revealed the global superstar.
The Reebok x Cardi B footwear collection, which officially launched on November 13, and is available to Middle East fans on Namshi, has been designed to inspire women through self-expression and remaining unapologetically true to oneself – something Cardi B is famous for.
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The new collaboration sees the Grammy award-winning artist redesign the iconic Reebok Club C sneaker with two new silhouettes – the Club C Cardi (AED 475) and the Cardi Coated Club C Double (AED 399), both of which are available in women’s and children’s footwear sizing.
The Reebok x Cardi footwear is not for the fainthearted

While Cardi has been proudly modelling the collection across her social platforms, she is more than just a figurehead in the project. In fact, the musician and actor was hugely instrumental in the design process for the footwear, taking cues from some of her most recent iconic fashion moments. As a result the Reebok Club C shoe, which began its life in 1984 as a humble white tennis sneaker, has been revamped and transformed into a bold, show-stopping style statement. Not intended for wallflowers, the redesign by Cardi B comes in shades of black, white, or red, rendered in glossy finishes.
Cardi B in the new Reebok x Cardi campaign

“Through her new collaboration with Reebok, Cardi B will be headlining an all-new campaign titled B Unexplainable, celebrating her personal growth, passion for design, and equality,” explained a Reebok spokesperson. “Through the campaign Reebok and Cardi B aim to explore society’s expectations of women: how they are told to be perfect but humble, strong but caring; and when we have the nerve to get the balance wrong, we’re labeled as ‘too much,’ ‘too extra,’ ‘too dramatic,’ or ‘too vain.’ Instead of trying to do what we’re expected to do, let’s do what we’re entitled to do: move through the world without explanation. Just like Cardi.”
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