When Street Style Meets High Fashion
Every fashionista knows about the signature Supreme box logo and the timeless Louis Vuitton monogram. But what happens when these groundbreaking brands come together?
Supreme founder James Jebbia's appearance front row at a Louis Vuitton fashion show last summer, followed by an intriuging Instagram post, sparked rumors that these two brands could be creating one of the most talked-about collaborations in fashion history. After a lot of speculation about whether a collaboration could actually take place, heads turned when the Supreme logo appeared on the men’s Louis Vuitton runway at Paris Fashion Week.
The collection launches on July 17th but the news has already spread. And it didn't take long after the unveiling for the collection to hit the internet. Tons of celebrities, bloggers, and fashion industry hangers-on quickly posted photos and tweets of some of the pieces. From shoes to trunks to even bandanas, this collection is making people question if street wear is becoming as acclaimed as high fashion.
Despite being one of the most renowned designer brands, it is said that Louis Vuitton was the one who approached Supreme for this collab, even though Supreme had forged Louis Vuitton’s logo on some of their merchandise back in 2000. Kim Jones, the men’s artistic director for Louis Vuitton told WWD, “You can’t have the conversation of New York men’s wear without Supreme right now, because it’s such a massive global phenomenon.”
This collaboration is the first step in breaking down the barriers between the street style world and high fashion world. Highsnobiety, a daily news website covering street wear and a variety of other elements of the fashion world, states that, “Supreme x Louis Vuitton rips out the final brick in the wall that once separated street wear from high fashion. The two worlds are now so co-dependent, feeding off each other every season, that they’re one and the same.” This recognition by the high-fashion industry is a huge breakthrough for the street style community.
For consumers, this collaboration does not come cheap, however. The price list of some of products have become known and, even though this is a collaboration with a street style brand, the prices still seem to reflect that of high fashion merchandise. Shoes range from $500-$700, backpacks over $3000, and even a bandana costs more than $200. Nevertheless, people have been relentlessly waiting for this release and are willing to spend whatever it costs to get their hands on this collection. As GQ puts it, “We are about to learn just how die-hard Supreme's devotees really are for better or worse.” This collection is expected to sell out in no time.
Who knows where this innovative collaboration will take street style. Many are betting that Supreme and Louis Vuitton will inspire a new outlook on street wear and hopefully give rise to more collabs between high fashion and street style. After all, both brands are the powerhouses in their specialties and lead the way in fashion.
