Weird fashion collaborations: when will it end?
Some collaborations are as perfect as Pimms x lemonade, others are chalk and cheese. Here are the weirdest fashion collaborations in recent memory
Lindsey Lohan for Emanuel Ungaro
The Collaboration: In 2009 Lohan was invited to design a line for the prestigious Parisian fashion house Ungaro. So she did: hot pink bandage dresses, sequin hearts stuck on at random and bandeau tops. It looked a little Valentines Day card. Made by an eight year old.
The verdict: "A disaster" said Ungaro, who at that point had left the fashion house to American investors. The collaboration was universally panned by the press. Mean girls, much?
Jeff Koons x Louis Vuitton
The collaboration: Louis Vuitton bags emblazoned with oil painting prints by Da Vinci, Titian, Rubens, Fragonard and Van Gogh, with the artists's name on them, alongside the LV logo. Add some coloured straps and an inflatable bunny charm and you have artist Jeff Koons's misjudged commercialisation of the Old Masters.
The verdict: It left our reviewer "a little dazed and confused... Poor Da Vinci.'
Read more ...Manolo Blahnik and Rihanna
The collaboration: On one hand, you have a designer who's shoes stomped all over the nineties, book-ending the decade by being the BFC's accessory designer of the year in both 1990 and 1999. They were symbolic of aspiration and glamour. Carrie Bradshaw loved her Manolos.And then you have thigh-high denim boots with decoration 'inspired by Rihanna's hand tattoos'.
The verdict: It doesn't matter what we think - the success of this unlikely team-up lead to a second 'savage' collection, featuring thigh-high brocade.
Read more ...Miranda Kerr for Royal Albert
The collaboration: A keen tea drinker from a young age, Australian model Miranda Kerr thought herself best placed of all mankind to design her own patterns for Royal Albert porcelain. The designs, featuring flowers and butterflies, were hardly groundbreaking, but essentially harmless.
The verdict:Kerr-ching for Miranda.
Victoria Beckham x Target
The collaboration: A rather ill-judged attempt at girly dresses, soft shapes and mother-and-daughter matching from a woman we normally associate with incredible tailoring. The signature look: arum lilies on low-slung trousers, left us a little cold.
The verdict: Our reviewer's thoughts? '"Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking." The words of the fictional Miranda Priestley are applicable here.' Ouch.
Read more ...Grayson Perry and Mulberry
The collaboration: Mulberry are sponsoring Grayson Perry's current Serpentine Gallery exhibition, and they created two custom bags for the opening based on their new Amberley shape, designed to match Perry's outfit. We're not sure what Perry wore, exactly...
The verdict: It's a mixed blessing that this irridescent mock croc isn't available for general sale.
Read more ...Heidi Klum for Lidl
The collaboration: Two Germans with international reputations join forces. Heidi Klum's range will be affordable (hear that, Rihanna x Chopard?) and aimed at busy families. Whilst we don't have pictures yet (it will come out later this year), we hope it's as good as Lidl's champagne selection.
The verdict: To quote Lidl, let's hope this is: 'Big on quality, Lidl on price' and not, to quote Klum on Project Runway, a case of 'As you know in fashion, one day you're in. And the next day, you're out.'
Vetements SS17: 18 different collaborations
The collaboration: Anti-fashion brand Vetements worked with 18 different brands to create their couture runway looks for SS17. The pinnacle was surely the Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, yours for £615. Ironically name-wise, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the first time Juicy has appeared at Couture Week.
The verdict: Vetements are no longer staging fashion shows, so this epic collaboration fest will go down in history. We're a little sad that Juicy's comeback is so... sombre and high fashion. We'd have liked some more rhinestones, please.
Christopher Kane x Crocs
The collaboration: No, no, no, please, no. Why did Crocs have to come back? We thought we'd left ours on our back porch forever. And why did the person to stage their comeback have to be the best British designer around? If anyone can get us to wear (bejewelled) Crocs again, it's Christopher Kane.
The verdict: Vulgar, ugly, surprising, daring. That's fashion for you.