What a year for fashion friendships. Or, at least, just financially sound, aesthetically pleasing collaborations between powerhouse brands.
In 2015, designers, pop-culture icons and art mingled to come up with interesting hybrid products. Here are the top five collabs in our book.
1) Balmain x H&M
We forgot all about the casual cool that H&M usually delivers, because Balmain offered a textured, patterned and luxurious aesthetic to the fast-fashion brand.
Coinciding with the hedonistic nature of the holidays, the brand brought out its maximalist signature through sparkles, fur, sequins and leather. Kendall Jenner’s dancing videos might have contributed to the hype, but just the endless teasing we had to endure to find out the line’s pieces and prices made it memorable enough.
2) Uniqlo x Lemaire
Put Lemaire’s Parisian elegance and Uniqlo’s Japanese minimalism together, and you get this year’s fashion OTP (one true pairing). Crossing sartorial borders here are the many knits and wools that make the line’s clean-cut silhouettes.
The thoughtful design put into this collection proves that it’s far from being just another East-meets-West gimmick. While there’s a lot of layering and draping here, the pieces evoke a muted charm, much like Uniqlo’s many other brilliant products.
3) Kanye West x Adidas Originals
One of pop culture’s most polarizing personalities debuted another pair of Adidas Originals that—we’re unanimous with this—is pretty dope. Kanye “Yeezus” West may not be turning water into wine, but creating the Yeezy 350 Boost Low was a midyear miracle our feet yearned for. Its low-top slip-on, woven Primeknit upper and full-length Boost midsoles attract all sexes of different lifestyles, achieving the universality and timelessness that the pair is all about.
4) Moschino x Barbie
Moschino’s creative director Jeremy Scott knows pop culture the way he knows his Barbie. And boy, does he know a lot about the two. Last spring, the brand debuted a Barbie-inspired collection complete with pink leather, printed tops and ridiculously thin models.
Scott returned the favor months later by designing the famed doll’s apparel. While some thought it tacky, we thought it was a clever, cheeky subversion of high fashion’s elitism.
5) Guo Pei x MAC
Chinese haute couture designer Guo Pei dabbled in cosmetics this year with makeup giant MAC. Apart from being the brains behind Rihanna’s pizza dough, err, yellow MET ball gown, Guo Pei injected old-world East Asian flair on the makeup brand’s palettes and brushes.
We almost always find MAC pairing up with Western icons and producing bold and outlandish products. This time, we get essential hues in luxurious yet understated packaging.
