SS24: 5 Fashion collaborations that made a mark this fashion month

Collaborations always have a place on the fashion week runways, and the
same could be said for the spring/summer 2024 collections. Notable brands
came together to present an array of special items for the shows, either in
the form of eye-catching accessories or entire looks. FashionUnited has
gathered some of the most memorable collaborations from New York to Milan.

Erdem x Barbour

To kick off the list, we first look to London, where two of the city’s
fashion staples came together for a handful of runway looks. Canadian
designer and London Fashion Week regular Erdem Moralioglu unveiled his
eponymous brand’s SS24 collection, in which looks co-designed alongside
British heritage brand Barbour graced the event. Two show pieces that were
donned on the runway drew inspiration from Barbour’s traditional waxed
jackets, which had their silhouettes transformed by Erdem into a trapeze
shape, complete with quilted lining and patchworked remnants of floral
curtains.

While the collaboration appeared to only last for two looks, comments
following the show by Barbour’s head of womenswear, Nicola Brown, hint at
more to come. In a statement, Brown said: “[Erdem’s] ageless and timeless
approach to craftsmanship and quality are synonymous with Barbour and we
are delighted to start what I am sure will be a long friendship between the
two brands.” It also built on a growing number of collaborations initiated
by Barbour, which had also recently revealed partnerships with Maison
Kitsuné and House of Hackney.

Palomo Spain x Bimba Y Lola

On to New York now, where Spanish brands set the tone for this season’s
accessory collaborations. Palomo Spain returned to the Big Apple to present
its SS24 show, which continued on in its genderless approach to clothing
and deepened connections to its folkloric origins. One outstanding element
to the show, however, was the array of bags toted by models, notably
donning the words ‘Bimba Y Palomo’. The pieces were a part of a
collaboration between Palomo Spain and its fellow Spanish peer Bimba Y
Lola. The duo exhibited several co-created accessories, as well as a few
full looks, contributing to what they said was a “cohesive dialogue between
their respective universes”.

In a release, the two companies said the collaboration aimed to create
“a shared space where both brands can communicate effectively and naturally
integrate their communities”. For Palomo, for example, it was the chance to
explore a new territory that emphasised women’s fashion, an area that Bimba
has historically been dedicated to through its signature feminine design
codes. The collaboration will already become available on the duo’s
respective e-commerce sites and in select retailers by mid-October.

Mulberry x Stefan Cooke

For their own collaboration, British accessory brand Mulberry and luxury
designer Stefan Cooke worked together on a collection of bags made from
pre-loved materials. As part of The Mulberry Exchange programme, the
limited edition capsule featured 27 pieces that had been transformed by the
brand’s artisans, with archival classics and “rare treasures” among the
updated offering. The pieces debuted during Stefan Cooke’s SS24 show during
London Fashion Week, the same day on which Mulberry launched a pre-loved
pop-up and dropped the line in its Regent Street flagship.

The duo utilised upcycling and deconstruction techniques to rework the
selection of vintage bags, bolstering their individual commitments to
circularity and sustainable fashion. Items brought new life to deadstock
leather, integrating both Cooke’s own design codes – bows, swings, braids
and slashes – and Mulberry’s signature hardware and finishings, with a
co-branded motif adorned on each piece.

Knwls x Jean Paul Gaultier

Two big players across the fashion week spectrum were another to collide
this season, straying from their usual paths when it came to design. Ahead
of the fashion month, Jean Paul Gaultier revealed that it had partnered
with Knwls on a new collection, with the duo only later unveiling the line
as the month progressed. Each piece saw links to both of the brands’
archives, utilising recognisable tropes that ultimately came to a head for
the “pièce de résistance”, a hand-crocheted corset.

The look was the focal point of the finale for Knwls SS24 show, paraded
down the runway as a signal of their collaboration. Screen printed leather
and crochet panelling referenced both Knwls’ typical construction
techniques, while the appearance of corrosion mirrored Jean Paul Gaultier’s
own design values.

Faith Connexion

One show that has always been dedicated to the concept of collaboration
is that of Faith Connexion, a Parisian fashion collective of designers and
artists that come together to offer what it says represents an “elective
yet stable wardrobe”. For this season, the collective worked with Fannie
Schiavoni, Ronald van der Kemp, Kriba and Baobab on its line of youthful
attire, that featured everything from figure-hugging dresses to
sportswear-inspired looks, combining an array of materials, such as lace,
tulle, metal mesh and shimmering nylon.

For her own contribution, British designer Fannie Schiavoni brought her
staple mesh metal to the line, adding it to bralets and panels on dresses
to contrast the flowing silhouettes they were styled beside. Ronald van der
Kemp set out on a similar mission for his own partnership, opting for
fishnet materials and lace to make his own mark. Meanwhile, Kriba was
behind the array of corsetry and references to androgynous fashion, and
Baobab’s signature swimwear and resort wear informed a number of the more
ocean-like pieces.