Cheers to Fashion!
It seems that beer brands have been barreling into the fashion world.
But where is the connection between beer and fashion? It surprised me when I first heard word that Heineken, Miller High Life, Dogfish Head, New Belgium and Budweiser, amongst others, have been forging fashion collaborations in the menswear sector. If this is shocking to you, wait for this role reversal: Apparently Lululemon (the Canadian brand known for making luxe men’s and women’s athletic wear) even has its own beer brand. Tipsy yoga sessions anyone?
Lululemon's limited edition beer can. Image Credit: Instagram/Laurennicolefoot.
But before you write off the entire idea of clothing designed by beer makers, you should know that these boozy brands are not just centering their logos on t-shirts and hats and calling it a day. The creative designers know that minimalism is “cool” in the fashion world right now, especially among Millennials, who compose their target market.
Miller High Life recently collaborated with Stock Manufacturing Co. to design its High Life Heritage collection, which launched this month. The beer company’s collection is a throwback to their vintage advertisements, spanning a 160-year history.
The red plaid "Fisherman's Shirt" from the Stock Mfg. Co. x Miller High Life collection. Image Credit: Stock Manufacturing Co.
The thing is, a beer logo smacked onto a plain white tee is nothing new. You can buy a Pabst Blue Ribbon top from Urban Outfitters for $34. But now beer brands are branching into garments beyond this commercial prototype, taking a minimalist approach to designs that eschew logo branding. They are teaming up with fashion influencers to create original clothing and accessories, and to expand their appeal to fashion-savvy consumers.
Collaborations between seemingly disparate brand specialties are geared toward individuals who value that “Made in America” label, who likely know Carhartt better for its street wear than its work wear, and who carefully consider which brand they want to associate with. Beer brands aim to weave themselves into the larger picture of the consumer’s personal identity.
Heineken, for example, tries to connect with their consumers on a more personal level with its #Heineken100 collaboration. Its collaboration with Gerret Leight exemplifies the avoidance of conspicuous branding in non-beer merchandise: “#Heineken100” was etched on the interior of one arm of the sunglasses. These beer companies are trying to use fashion in order to promote a deeper brand-consumer relationship. Their aim is for their consumers to feel more connected to the brand when they wear their logo-free clothing.
Image Credit: Complex UK.
Budweiser also took on a relatively low-profile collaboration with LA-based swimwear brand Kaohs. The recognition came later, when Kim Kardashian donned Kaohs's Gypsy bikini on the cover of her photo book, “Selfish.”
These beer brands are making their way into the fashion industry and, to be honest, their designs are not half bad. Next time you're picking up something special for your boyfriend, or even yourself, you can turn to a collaboration by one of your favorite breweries and perhaps take a swig from your favorite label beer as you swipe the card.
Look for the hashtags #Heineken100 on the +Gram or Twitter to see the latest updates on what is brewing in the fashion world!
