10 Collaborations Blurring the Line Between Streetwear and Luxury
From Supreme x Louis Vuitton to Yeezy x Gap x Balenciaga.
In 2000, Supreme unveiled a limited range of skate decks printed with a flipped version of Louis Vuitton’s iconic monogram. Two weeks later, the New York skate brand received a cease and desist from the French luxury giant. Years passed without incident as creatives and cultural figures around the world experimented with styling possibilities, mixing pieces from streetwear and luxury into cohesive forms of personal expression.
In 2017, everything changed. Kim Jones, a British designer who grew up inspired by streetwear’s irreverent sensibilities, leveraged his position as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director to change the trajectory of fashion forever, sending models down the runway in a range of official Supreme x Louis Vuitton styles.
Among the most consequential collaborations in fashion history, today streetwear and luxury are connected like never before. Each season, brands reach across the aisle to present new collections informed by the values and aesthetics of both worlds, pushing style into unmapped territory.
As the lines continue to blur, we revisit 10 of the most influential collaborations between streetwear and luxury brands, from Supreme x Louis Vuitton to Yeezy x Gap x Balenciaga.
Everyone x Vetements (2016)
Before Supreme and Louis Vuitton came together in early 2017, Demna Gvasalia’s Vetements worked with just about everyone else for the brand’s Spring 2016 collection. Although Vetements had already established a reputation for straddling the line between streetwear and luxury, the label’s Spring 2016 capsule was composed entirely of collaborative styles, an ethos endemic to the culture of streetwear and a hint of what was to come from the world of luxury. From Brioni, Comme des Garçons Shirt and Canada Goose to Levi’s, Champion and Reebok, Vetements Spring 2016 helped reinforce Demna’s position as culture’s most conceptual and fearless provocateur.
Supreme x Louis Vuitton (2017)
The tipping point. Rumored for weeks among industry insiders, Supreme x Louis Vuitton was no less groundbreaking when it appeared on the runway at Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2017. The collaboration featured a number of iconic motifs, from Supreme’s Barbara Kruger-inspired logo to Louis Vuitton’s monogram, while the French house’s most familiar styles appeared in the New York brand’s vibrant red. The partnership opened the doors for other brands to follow suit, paving the way for streetwear and luxury brands to find a middle ground.
Kith x Moncler (2017)
Preceding the launch of Moncler Genius—Moncler’s collaboration initiative announced in February 2018—the iconic outerwear brand joined forces with Ronnie Fieg’s Kith on a range of winter styles. Unveiled in November 2017, Kith x Moncler included everything from puffers and vests to backpacks and hiking boots. A palette of red, white and blue spoke to both Moncler’s French heritage and Fieg’s American roots, while logo mashups recalled the streetwear world’s penchant for collaboration. Today, Kith x Moncler stands as an influential milestone in the timeline of streetwear x luxury collaborations.
UNDERCOVER x Valentino (2019)
Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli garnered headlines with his Fall/Winter 2019 collection. First seen during Paris Fashion Week, the expansive collection included a full catalog of styles done in collaboration with Jun Takahashi’s UNDERCOVER. UNDERCOVER x Valentino brought together the best of both brands, from UNDERCOVER’s esoteric subcultural references to Valentino’s tailored silhouettes. The collaboration marked a triumph for both brands as UNDERCOVER received a co-sign from one of Europe’s most prestigious houses, while Valentino enjoyed newfound interest among the streetwear set.
Jordan Brand x Dior (2020)
Following his appointment at Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones took over as men’s artistic director of Dior in 2018. Building on the groundwork he laid at LV, Jones debuted a three-way collaboration between Dior, Jordan Brand and Shawn Stussy at the French house’s Pre-Fall 2020 show. In addition to a luxurious hand-crafted Air Jordan 1, the trio presented a range of products spanning sweaters, shorts, armbands, scarves and more.
The sneakers featured Stussy’s signature font, while the apparel and accessories brought Jordan’s Wings logo to a selection of tailored styles. Considered one of the most successful partnerships of 2020, the teamup accelerated the creative possibilities of streetwear x luxury collaborations.
Fear of God x Ermenegildo Zegna (2020)
Jerry Lorenzo launched Fear of God in 2013, introducing a number of the decade’s most iconic styles in the brand’s inaugural collection. Fear of God continued to refine its vision season after season, culminating in a collaboration with Ermenegildo Zegna in 2020. From hoodies and coats to denim and accessories, Fear of God x Ermenegildo Zegna brought together Fear of God’s restrained color palette and championing of sportswear silhouettes with Zegna’s meticulous craftsmanship. The collaboration added another dimension to the ongoing merger of streetwear and luxury, highlighting the understatement of both brands to create something utterly unique.
Yeezy x Gap x Balenciaga (2020)
Kanye West’s Yeezy footwear has informed countless sneaker trends since the release of the first Yeezy Boost in 2015. The Yeezy apparel range has been no less influential, credited with driving style’s shift towards oversized, boxy silhouettes and neutral color palettes.
In June 2020, West took his design sensibility worldwide, announcing a partnership with Gap. Although drawing inspiration from sportswear more so than couture, Yeezy x Gap nonetheless demonstrated the possibilities that exist between global tastemakers and fashion institutions.
The partnership was elevated further when Ye enlisted Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia to creative direct his Donda launch party. Off the back of the post-apocalyptic presentation, the two continued working together, releasing a range of Yeezy x Gap styles “engineered by Balenciaga.” The three-way collaboration reflected Kanye’s and Demna’s ability to think beyond fashion boundaries, both figuratively and literally.
In late 2020, The North Face and Gucci unveiled a range of camping-inspired products, from puffers and hoodies to tents and backpacks. Leading up to the partnership, The North Face had become one of the world’s most sought-after brands, its Nuptse puffer jacket a street style fixture. In the same timeframe, Alessandro Michele continued to deliver his maximalist brand of luxury, keeping Gucci at the forefront of the cultural conversation.
The collaboration arrived at the exact point in time where people around the world were rediscovering the Great Outdoors as a reaction to months spent in lockdown. The result was a collaboration celebrated as much for its timely arrival as for its progressive design.
Jordan Brand x Off-White (2020 + 2021)
Virgil Abloh and Off-White changed the trajectory of sneakers forever with 'The Ten' in 2017. In 2020, Jordan Brand and Off-White debuted their first apparel collaboration as a supplement to their Air Jordan 5 'Sail' release. Each piece featured Off-White’s unmistakable design language, blending iconic basketball imagery with postmodern sensibilities.
In 2021, the two presented a far more exhaustive range of apparel untethered from an accompanying sneaker. Tapping into late ’90s and early ’00s basketball culture, styles made use of logos and graphics from both brands, while Off-White’s signature conceptual ethos was present in the form of a T-shirt/basketball jersey hybrid. Jordan Brand x Off-White expanded on the duo’s groundbreaking sneaker work, undoubtedly opening the door for more apparel collaborations between the two labels further down the line.
Under the creative direction of Bruno Sialelli, Lanvin tapped artist, designer and Gallery Dept. founder Josué Thomas for a colorful collaboration in 2021. The collection featured Gallery Dept.’s lived-in aesthetic and signature paint-drip technique applied to a selection of Lanvin pieces, including the skate-inspired Curb Sneaker. With distressing and daubing done by hand, each piece was one of one, presenting a new template for the evolving world of streetwear x luxury collaborations.
Arc’teryx x Jil Sander (2021)
First announced in December 2020, Arc’teryx and Jil Sander unveiled their anticipated collaboration almost a full year later. Billed as part of Jil Sander’s outdoors and performance-focused line Jil Sander+, Arc’teryx x Jil Sander incorporated influences from skiing, snowboarding and mountain sports.
As brands favored for their understated approach to performance and luxury respectively, the collaboration focused on elevating a unified minimal design language by elevating subtle details. Perhaps most importantly, Arc’teryx x Jil Sander further merged the worlds of streetwear, athleticwear and luxury, showcasing the endless creative possibilities of the medium.