Gaultier: Luxury Fashion Collaboration

Fashion brands spend a lot of time, money and resources in protecting their brand, especially in the luxury sector. The goal is to build a clear and concise brand identity, which allows companies to sell their products at higher prices and with bigger profit margins. Essentially, customers are willing to pay more for luxury products—and the marketing that goes with it--because they represent something more than the product itself. 

It’s no surprise then, that brands are very meticulous in who they affiliate with, whether it’s the retailer they partner with, or the celebrity they engage for their ad campaigns. The goal is to align with like-minded businesses and people to further reinforce brand values. 

This model has shifted dramatically since the 80s and 90s, as fast fashion brands began to knock-off luxury brands, eating into their profits and brand positions. In an effort to control the situation, luxury brands began to collaborate with retailers such as H&M and Target, bringing in a new era of collaboration between diametrically opposed partners. This trend precipitated as streetwear emerged as the defining trend of the decade, forcing luxury brands to get even more creative in their affiliations—from hiring VIrgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton to partnerships with brands like Supreme. 

Today, a new model is emerging. Jean Paul Gaultier just announced that his couture house would continue, but would feature new designers each season, providing the Gaultier house with constant aesthetic change. While other brands have played around with this concept, Gaultier is the first to adopt this as an overall business model. This dramatic shift has the potential to further disrupt the luxury market as we know it, infusing it with fresh talent and ideas.