Years ago (nobody quite knows exactly when), one streetwear brand owner said to another: “Instead of just releasing another season of our clothing, why don’t we combine our aesthetics into a limited run of clothing?”
Thus, collaborations were born and today they’ve become staples of the year’s menswear landscape, and the most exciting at that.
As 2013 draws to a close, here is part I of SlamXHype’s list of the best collaborations of the year.
Jadakiss x ALIFE by Jason Nocito T-Shirt
Riding the wave from Jadakiss‘ 2013 solo album, Top 5, Dead or Alive, ALIFE partnered with the Yonkers rapper and photographer Jason Nocito for a T-Shirt design. The ear-to-ear grin on Jada’s face flipped the otherwise uber-morbid graphic into something wild and fun.
Hit up ALIFE’s webstore.
Supreme x Jean-Michel Basquiat
Supreme partnered with the estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat to bring his innovative artistic designs to the world of menswear. The 11-piece drop featured Basquiat pictures and graphics plastered on T-Shirts, button downs, sweatshirts, and a uber-unreal parka in black and read.
Tracking down this quick-selling collaboration will be difficult, but start on Supreme’s webstore.
Ronnie Fieg x ASICS Gel Lyte III “Flamingo”
SlamXHype included Ronnie Fieg X ASICS Gel Lyte III “Flamingo” in the rundown of RF’s 13 Best Ronnie Fieg Collaborations of 2013, but the retro shoe deserves inclusion here as well.
It’s the kind of shoe that doesn’t scream “look at me!”, but once you do, the pale pink color splashes, offset by deep grey, will melt a sneakerhead’s heart.
For more from Ronnie, go to Kith NYC’s webstore.
Kanye West x A.P.C.
A.P.C. and Kanye West made waves when they dropped their collaboration. Yes, there was a lot of outrage amidst the streetwear community over the $120 price tag of the extra-long “Hip Hop T-Shirt”, but for those who got their hands on it — jeans and sweatshirts were also part of the capsule — they’re the kind of pieces that will stay in heavy outfit rotation for years to come.
See the whole collection on A.P.C.’s webstore.
José Perla X Bamford Watch Department Rolex
For colette‘s Miami Art Basel pop-up store, José Parla and Bamford Watch Department created a customized Rolex Explorer featuring Parla’s abstract graf designs. The watch ran for a whopping $27,500, but the inaccessibility of the price point only lent to it’s already other-worldly awesomeness.
Read more about the timepiece here.
Maison Martin Margiela x Converse 2013 Fall
Sneaker staple Converse went high and partnered with contemporary imprint Maison Martin Margiela on a shoe to remember. The two houses took the the high-top Chuck Taylor All Star and low-top Jack Purcell and slathered them in essentially white paint. As they wore in, the paint slowly chipped away, revealing the shoe underneath.
Find out more about the collab on Converse’s website.
Street Etiquette x Ebbets Field Flannels x The Brooklyn Circus
BK institution The Brooklyn Circus and creative collective Street Etiquette joined up with OG imprint Ebbets Field Flannels for a throwback cap celebrating all things Americana. The very limited edition pseudo-hipster piece featured a classic leather snapback design and dropped right before the 2013 MLB season hit it’s conclusion.
Shop everything BKc has to offer on their webstore.
Supreme X Vans “Power, Corruption, Lies”
2013 may have been the year of the camo print, but Supreme and Vans went deep floral with their Spring/Summer 2013 collection, ominously titled “Power, Corruption, and Lies”. They took Peter Saville‘s signature designs and laced them through Vans’ Sk8-His, Eras, and Chukkas, birthing an instant collectors item.
If floral this big come 2014, you’ll know where it started.
Hit up Supreme’s webstore.
Os Gemeos X Hennessy
Third in a series of limited edition releases done by underground graphic artists, Os Gemeos X Hennessy‘s bottle redesign was bright, colorful, whimsical and cinematic. The only problem: with such beautiful packaging, it felt like you were breaking the law if you cracked the bottle.
Check out more about Hennessy’s limited edition bottles, as well as their partnership with Nas, on their website.
A.P.C. X Nike Air Max
Beyond Kanye, A.P.C. brought their signature subtlety to the Nike Air Max 1. The clean, creamy white or navy blue designs featured suede and mesh, commingling for a retro design, but the neon slash on the inner shoe was the clincher.
Go to A.P.C.’s webstore to get your pair.
RELATED: THE BEST RONNIE FIEG COLLABORATIONS OF 2013
The Best Collaborations of 2013
The post The 10 Best Streetwear Collaborations of 2013 [Part I] appeared first on SLAMXHYPE.