The Top 10 Fashion Collabs of the Decade

Japanese contemporary artist, Takashi Murakami, first made his way onto the art scene in the 90’s. He founded the “superflat” movement, a postmodern art practice with anime and manga influences. Murakami’s art is approachable and fun, making him the perfect partner for brands and fashion houses. In 2010, he partnered with Casio, the fan-favorite watch brand, to create a special G-SHOCK Frogman design that married his signature flower print with the functional timepiece. This bright collaboration changed the way we look at watches—from stiff, fragile jewelry—to fun expressions of style.

Fast-fashion retailer, H&M, debuted their first designer collaboration in 2004. In 2011, they debuted Versace x H&M, a capsule collection that reflected Versace’s signature bold, Greek motif. The release was so popular, it crashed H&M’s website within minutes of going live and was immediately listed on the secondary market. The collaboration was so successful, H&M brought it back for a second season the following year.

The Nike Air Yeezy 2 helped Kanye West redefine sneaker culture, with a design noticeably different than its Nike Air Yeezy predecessor. The Red October colorway propelled the shoe into the icon it is today, a favorite among celebrities like NBA-proclaimed Sneaker King, P.J. Tucker. Although the West and Nike union didn’t last, the Nike Air Yeezy 2 paved the way for West’s successful partnership with adidas that started in 2014 and is still running.

Just this year, Target celebrated 20 years of designer partnerships with an anniversary collection featuring reissued pieces from their most popular collaborations. From Missioni and Rodarte to Hunter and Phillip Lim, these partnerships made designer goods accessible to the masses. Phillip Lim’s collection featured clothing and accessories for men and women across a wide range of prices. Popular items included a chic $29.99 graphic sweater and a killer $299.99 leather jacket. The collection further popularized Lim’s aesthetic by making understated, everyday basics beautiful.

In 2014, Adidas announced a long-term partnership with the popular music producer and style icon, Pharrell Williams. The Originals = Pharrell Williams collaboration launched with two classic pieces from the Originals collection: a leather version of the Superstar track jacket with contrasting 3-Stripes and the iconic Stan Smith, that were both available in three bold colorways. Williams still collaborates with the brand with his next piece dropping in early 2020, the highly anticipated Adidas 4D sneaker.

COMME des GARÇONS PLAY and Converse released their first collab shoe, the Chuck Taylor All Star ’70, in 2015. This collaboration brought the luxury fashion house into the home of admirers with its accessible price-point. The quirky heart-and-eyes logo, designed by New York graphic artist Filip Pagowski and Comme des Garçons’ founder Rei Kawakubo, combined with the classic Chuck Taylor All Star silhouette is among the most popular collabs of the decade.

The marriage of luxury and function made the Apple x Hermès collaboration one to watch (bad pun, couldn’t help it). Hermès released their signature leather wrap-band in a series of bold new colors for their partnership with the tech powerhouse. The Apple Watch Hermès band quickly became the ultimate example of a modern, elegant accessory

Aleali May made history when she collaborated Jordan in 2017 as the first women to design and drop a unisex sneaker. Her style and social influence caught the eye of Jordan designer, Frank Cooke, who solicited her help to bring his vision to life. Aleali May designed the iconic Air Jordan 1 sneaker to feature expensive materials and different textures, including corduroy, which was inspired by her LA roots and slippers her dad used to wear.

Supreme, the brand that created an entire hype-cycle and business model based on collaborations, released arguably their best collab yet with heritage fashion house, Louis Vuitton. The Louis Vuitton’s menswear fashion show in Paris even had some commentators claiming that this collaboration is the partnership that enabled streetwear to officially become “high fashion.” The collection consisted of denim trucker jackets, leather trunks, box logo hoodies, and more.

What happens when you unite tennis champion and Poshmark board member, Serena Williams, with Virgil Abloh’s Off-White and sports giant Nike? One of the most iconic sport and fashion moments of the decade. The “Queen” collection featured the NikeCourt Flare 2 PE, which Williams wore for the US Open, along with the lifestyle shoes Nike Blazer and Air Max 97 for the public. This epic collaboration pushed the boundaries of athleisure innovation into a new era where functional meets fashion.

After several rumors of a collaboration, the popular Scandinavian furniture brand Ikea released its collection with Virgil Abloh, MARKERAD IKEA, in November 2019. This collab mixed  everyday houseware items with Abloh’s unique aesthetic and priced them at Ikea’s affordable price point. Some of our favorite pieces include the “SCULPTURE” Frakta Bags and the “TEMPORARY” Wall Clock.