Designer Collaborations Outwearing their Welcome
According to Forbes designer collaborations with retail stores started 30 years ago when Halston released a collection for JC Penney in the attempt to make designer pieces more affordable for the public. This was a concept sparking a trend in the fashion industry for designers, sadly not one to benefit Halston. You see, shortly after Halston released this exclusive, affordable line Bergdorf Goodman dropped Halston’s more expensive pieces due to his brand being ‘cheapened’.
In 2009, Marc Jacobs released a statement, “When Halston did that thing with JC Penney, it was very bad for his couture business”. Albeit this is a profoundly true statement about Halston’s collection, it seems a little pot calling the kettle black- particularly because Target currently stock a Marc Jacobs collection exclusively designed for the retail outlet. Now, putting raging hypocrites aside, the sheer volume of designer collaborations with retail outlets pose us to question the motives of the designers involved and furthermore, the consumer’s take on this.
Although designers and retail stores claim collaborations are purely for the consumer who can’t simply afford expensive pieces, it appears to have left consumers questioning how genuine these ‘exclusive’ collections are. Aside from Marc Jacob’s obvious desire to cash in on developing ‘affordable’ collections for the everyday person, it seems a bit like designers everywhere are releasing collections for the everyday person from the goodness of their hearts- or maybe not. In 2013, Target went absolutely wild with designer ranges when they released a whopping total of 24 designer collaborations, many of which sold out in 48 hours flat with a $29.99 pair of sandals from the Prabal Gurung being sold on eBay for $200.
With this abundance of designer collaborations and ‘exclusive’ lines just for the average folk you’d think consumers would be buzzing with excitement and warm, fuzzies. Well, sales figures say that they are and they aren’t. Collections such as the Missoni for Target sold out so quickly consumers were disappointed with the retailer for not having enough stock, however the 2013 Neiman Marcus collaboration the retail outlet sold such little stock it had to be put on heavy discount just to clear the unwanted stock (yikes).
This type of unpredicted reaction from consumers could be an indication that the shine has worn off from the ‘designer’s caring about your wallet’ concept. Consumers may actually be starting to see the situation as it is, cashed up designers cashing in on the consumer’s weakness to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. According to Forbes, recently several people from the fashion industry have posited the notion that the days of masstige fashion lines are coming to an end. Micky Boardman, editorial director of Paper Magazine recently stated, “It’s become very formulaic at this point,” adding, “Everyone does them, and so they don’t really seem as special.”
In another Forbes article, which discusses the fall of collaborations, David Wolfe, creative director of trend forecasting agency, The Doneger Group highlights that there are , “too many (collaborations) to generate the thrill that initially propelled customers into the store for these limited collections. The best collaborations were the first.”
If that doesn’t ring alarm bells for designers on the outcome of their humanitarianism for the fashion forward, this comment from Singapore-based blogger Bagaholicboy paints a fairly clear picture, “truth be told, my eyes now naturally roll whenever I hear of (or read about) about another new collab that’s about to launch. There were so many in 2012 alone that the concept of it is beginning to become very stale, and if not managed properly could quickly die off in the years to come.”
In an article on New York based Fashion blog, Racked the author explores Halston’s problem with Phillip Lim’s Pashli bag. “Thanks to the designer’s recent Target collaboration in which an iteration of the coveted satchel was produced (and later ransacked) in faux leather”, a discouraged shopper stated. The discouraged shopper went on to openly question the value of the bag on the forum, “Why would you spend $500 or even $400 [on] a bag that looks exactly like the Target one that is going for $49 on eBay? Do you think anyone can tell the difference from half a block away? I sold all mine when I saw the Target one! Too close too similar!”
So, in the bid to give the gift that keeps on giving to those who couldn’t afford the gift in the first place, designers are now overstaying their welcome or are quite possibly cheapening their existing brand. Interestingly enough, the general public appear to have caught on to the cashing in trend from the fashion industry and are sending a very clear message to designers of thanks but no thanks, your pity isn’t needed here.
