Collaborations have been part of modern consumer culture for many years now. In the fashion industry they have become something of a cliché with almost every brand desperate to create positive noise and cachet, if only for a fleeting moment, before the cynical trend cycle rapidly moves on to the next ‘big thing’. Moncler x Palm Angels; Adidas x Ivy Park; Supreme x Louis Vuitton; Nike x Yeezy. The list is endless and perpetual.
Collaborations start to feel exciting when they enable an otherwise “out of reach” luxury brand democratically accessible – think JW Anderson for Uniqlo, Balmain for H&M or Swatch’s limited edition watch series with Omega, celebrating not only the moon landings and the watch Armstrong and co wore, but a host of mythical missions to other planets – Mission to Pluto, Mission to Jupiter, Mission to Mars, Mission to Neptune, mission to infinity and beyond. Good collaborations have serious commercial legs!
Of course, a collaboration can also build ethical credibility to an industry regarded as superficial and conceited. Kenzo’s big cat made its way onto a range of low – cost t-shirts made to promote the work of the WWF in the protection of endangered real big cats.
But the right collaboration can bring a sense of real meaningful magic, giving the otherwise unheard views and provocations of one collaborator, through the work and medium of the other, the opportunity to be seen and enjoyed. Back in 2017, designer Raf Simons, working with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, gave the late photographers’ ideas a platform for discussion. Mapplethorpe bravely challenged gender stereotypes and controversially celebrated erotic practices like BDSM. But Simons didn’t make garments with printed Mapplethorpe images, but literally built Mapplethorpe’s values and sensibilities into the very fabric and structure of his garments. Garments became art, art became garments.
Collaborators, in sharing a certain something – overt or nuanced – cross cultures, geographies, disciplines and generations. Each brings something distinct and special to the relationship, that when united, creates an object or experience that becomes far greater and deeper than the sum of its paring parts. Collaborations show us the beauty and the magic in tensions. Not as ‘oil and water’ incongruous mash-ups, but colliding worlds that offer beautiful new alternatives and perspectives. And perhaps most critically, in doing so they encourage us fresh synaptic connections. They give us a glimmer of what can be realised when we share (the risk and the reward), innovate, cross-pollinate and tango together.
But it runs deeper than mere fashion and lifestyle branding. There’s a strong argument to suggest that collaborations, if not exactly changing the world, certainly played a critical role in the evolution of modern culture.
We can bravely say that ‘dynamic duos’ have changed the world. But only when there’s mutual admiration and co-dependency. (Were talking fiction now, but Batman would never share the glory with his side-kick Robin and Sherlock’s ego would also prevent Dr Watson being a real partner in the business.) Its probably why Lennon and McCartney is generally regarded as the greatest creative collaboration of all time. (Elton and Bernie will no doubt protest). John’s edgy attitude and sometimes philosophical lyricism, combined with Paul’s crowd-pleasing and exuberant musicality. Both bringing a quality the other couldn’t. A tension par excellence. The solo work of both post Beatles feels two dimensional compared to the timeless magic that happened between 1960 and 1970. Like we said, great collaborations have serious legs.