THE ART OF COOLNESS: HOW LUXURY BRANDS DRIVE REJUVENATION BY COLLABORATING WITH STREETWEAR
For decades if not centuries leading European luxury fashion brands try to elevate their image by fostering the collaboration with art. Louis Vuitton for example has been working with Japanese artists to refresh its brand appeal and did not even shy away from diving into commercial "art of kitch" with its most recent collaboration with Jeff Koons.
But with the increasing importance of the new millenial generation it seems like even most experiential contemporary art has lost its luster and lacks the necessary coolness - one of the most crucial assets for attracting a younger audience. It comes as no surprise that streetwear labels such as Supreme and others are taking over the role of art in order to refresh traditional European houses. (It´s actually interesting that some of those streetwear labels, such as BENCH, for example, seem to miss out on the window of opportunity). In other words: lifestyle seems to outweight the importance of art in an ever fast-paced world - at least when you´re reaching out for the next generation.
From the luxury brands´s perspective, this is definitely a right move. Question remains: Who will benefit more from the collaboration? And to whom belongs the future?