Off-White and Jimmy Choo have announced plans for a collaborative collection to be revealed on Off-White’s September 28, 2017, runway during Paris Fashion Week. In the Instagram teaser, a short clip shows pink leather, along with high heel shoe lasts plus a mood board image of Princess Diane.
This is an interesting pairing in part because it pairs Off-White designer Virgil Abloh, who’s know for an industrial and irreverent approach to fashion with a brand that has a super feminine, fairy princess appeal.
That said, the two do share a common appreciation for Princess Diana. Abloh has said his spring 2018 collection was inspired in part by her and she provided Jimmy Choo with a big boost when she wore a pair of the label’s baby blue mules in 1997.
The other interesting part of this pairing is that Jimmy Choo was purchased by Michael Kors for $1.2 billion in late July 2017. Jimmy Choo was founded in 1996 by Malaysian-born designer Jimmy Choo Yeang Kea and Tamara Mellon, who at the time was an accessories editor at British Vogue. Both Kea and Mellon had both sold their ownership of the company before it was purchased by Kors.
Given how long collaborations take, Abloh probably made the collaborative agreement prior to the purchase. If that’s the case, it would be interesting to know if Abloh still would’ve gone ahead with the Jimmy Choo collaboration under its new ownership especially given how downtrodden Kors fashion reputation is as of late. Given the Princess Diana connection, if anything he might have negotiated for for more money.
Kors’ reputation as a fashion brand isn’t what it used to be and some people fear it will end up dragging down Jimmy Choo’s reputation through association and management.
Check out the teaser below.
