top 10 collaborations

[tillyjoyceさん]

Collaborations have become a popular strategy for fashion brands in recent
years. Some of the most fruitful and surprising have been with the likes of
movie franchises, soft drink giants and technology firms. Paul Smith has
co-designed bikes, Vivienne Tam has done hotel suites and architect Zaha Hadid
has lent her talents to jewellery.

Locally, Kevin Poon of Clot will do rolling collaborations with Nike for the
Hong Kong market.

Here are 10 noteworthy collaborations from this year. Five are characterised
by strong designs and partnerships, while the other five are notable for their
quirkiness:

Top five "cool" collaborations

Esprit Dior in Seoul

Housed in Zaha Hadid's magnificent Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Dior's recent
exhibition not only documents the history of the fashion label, but invites
South Korean artists to reinterpret the brand's image. This was done through
various mediums, including paintings by Kiwon Park and Heryun Kim. The move
provided a sophisticated and localised context to the Dior brand.

Uniqlo and Lemaire

Since his spring-summer 2015 collection served as the swansong for his stint
as womenswear creative director of Hermès, Christopher Lemaire has wasted no
time in finding other interesting projects. Besides concentrating on building
his own eponymous label, Lemaire has delivered a capsule collection of basics
for Uniqlo that eschews trends in favour of timeless pieces. We can't think of a
better match, especially for the Japanese retailer which champions purity of
design compared to fast fashion rivals.

http://www.graziaprom.co.uk/long-prom-dresses

NikeLab and Sacai

Fashion's love of sportswear is turning out to be a long-term relationship.
One such collaboration that oozes coolness is NikeLab and Sacai, marrying
innovative new materials with killer cuts and high-performance functionality.
One example is the tech fleece, which has been reinterpreted into sweatshirts,
tops, dresses and sweatpants. Sacai's founder, Chitose Abe, reinterprets Nike's
heritage sportswear silhouettes through a feminine and modern lens to create a
concise eight-piece collection.

Opening Ceremony and Intel

You can always expect new and edgy ideas to come from multibrand online
boutique Opening Ceremony. Its latest buzzworthy move is a collaboration with
Intel in the wearable technology sector. The two companies have created the
"Mica" (my intelligent communication accessory) bracelet, a device that delivers
discreet text messages, Gmail notifications, Refinery 29 horoscopes and
appointment reminders. Style, of course, has not been sacrificed: this gadget is
made with snakeskin, pearls, lapis, obsidian and tiger's eye.

Cos and Mr Porter

Minimalist fashion brand Cos has caused a bit of a stir with its collection,
created in partnership with leading online menswear retailer Mr Porter. Designed
with the modern traveller in mind, the menswear collection is inspired by nature
and architecture. Customers will find graphic shapes and relaxed fabrics in the
smart and minimal aesthetic one might expect from both brands. You'll also find
a monochrome palette accented with pops of colour, along with clean lines and
silhouettes.

Top five "quirky" collaborations

Irregular Choice and Star Wars

Sci-fi geeks will rejoice with the news that funky British footwear brand
Irregular Choice is releasing a collection of shoes in collaboration with Star
Wars. The line will feature characters from the film series plastered in a
variety of ways, such as on heels, prints and embroidery details. For aspiring
Jedi knights, there's even a pair of flashing lightsabre heels. It's no wonder
that Irregular Choice has celebrity fans with an out-there fashion style, such
as Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.

chiffon prom
dresses

Diet Coke and J.W. Anderson

Much like his predecessors Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs, Jonathan Anderson
is bringing his creative vision and clout to the omnipresent soft-drink brand.
Part of Anderson's collaboration will include a makeover of the iconic Coke
bottle, which will be inspired by the knitwear of his autumn- winter 2015
collection. In addition, he will create the designs for two shirts and a
notebook.

Sophia Webster and Barbie

Shoe designer Sophia Webster's partnership with the iconic doll Barbie has
resulted in a series of nine different footwear styles: six for adults and three
for children. As one might expect, there is a lot of pink in the capsule line.
And though it includes high heels that are often seen on Barbie, Webster has
also created sandals, high-tops and slip-ons for those who prefer comfort.

ASOS and Wall's ice cream

The collaboration between fashion retailer ASOS and Wall's ice cream came at
a perfect time - just when Hong Kong's brutal summer hit. The 16-piece crazy
collection was inspired by the goodies and treats we know and love, which have
been shamelessly featured on steamy hot crop tops, mini dresses, luscious
clutches and slip-ons.

Minions and Selfridges

It was only a matter of time before someone in fashion capitalised on the
popularity of those little yellow creatures that first captured our hearts in
2010's Despicable Me. Selfridges has created a range of Minions-themed products
in collaboration with designers such as Giles Deacon, Piers Atkinson and Rupert
Sanderson. The collection features the Minions' beady eyes plastered over
everything from shoes to beanies and jumpers.