Streetwear collaboration with luxury brands is not a new phenomenon in the world of fashion. These collaborations also involved cross-market segment and core business in recent times- i.e., multiple streetwear brands with jewellery brands like Swarovski with Vans and Supreme in 2023, or sports brands with luxury labels like Birkenstock with Dior in 2022 and 2023. This combination of accessibility through lower pricing and the limited edition of collaborative pieces makes the collections to be highly sought after.

With these brands in a kind of proximity even though their market segments and core businesses are different, there are countless ways to collaborate together and give a collection for all. Some of them choose to go with a collaborative collection in footwear only. People who are sneakerheads will know this culture. However, these collaborations will not only include streetwear brands but also sports brands.

The first known collaboration of this ludo was between Supreme and Clarks in 2011 working on the Chukka Boot collection. The duo has been active with their collaboration launches from 2011 to 2013 and then 2015 to 2024. Some of the renowned collections from this collaboration are SS23, SS18, FW21, SS15, SS19 and FW19.

Among the listed sports and streetwear brands, Converse has made the highest number of collaborations, counting 9 for multiple years in each of them. The most collaborated brand for Converse is Stussy (12 times), followed by Carhartt (5 times) and Comme des Garcons (5 times).

There were three brand partnerships: Swarovski, Vans, and Supreme in 2022; Adidas, Undefeated, and BAPE in 2024; and Nike, Kaws and Sacai in 2020 and 2024. Luxury brands such as Dior, Moncler, Maison Martin Margiela, Gucci, Giuseppe Zanotti, and JW Anderson were present too with Dior having the highest number of collaborations (2 times with Birkenstock and Jordan).

Off-White is the most collaborated fashion brand with three collaborations - Nike in 2017, Converse in 2018, and Jordan in 2020 and 2021.

One of the major collaborations that grabbed the attention of almost all consumers globally is Nike and Tiffany & Co. in 2023 when both the brands launched news of the collaboration through social media with the Air Force 1 low 1837 model with the jewellery label’s brand colourways. This was Tiffany & Co.’s attempt to attract younger customers and it did too. A year before that, during the 50th anniversary of Nike, the sports brand collaborated with Jacquemus for the first time followed by Louis Vuitton to launch the Nike Air Force 1 refurbished by the late Virgil Abloh as a part of LV’s Men’s SS22 collection.

In September 2024, Loro Piana brought quiet luxury to New Balance by giving a minimalistic Loro Piana-style makeover to its 990v6 sneakers. It also featured the luxury brand’s Pecora Nera wool for the first time. Loewe and On collaborated again to launch a capsule collection, comprising mainly footwear, followed by clothing and outerwear for women and men, in May 2024. The latter also partnered with Free People’s activewear brand FP Movement for a sneaker collection in March 2024.

The Designer Sneakers Ludo