From Yves St Laurent to Ralph Lauren, many fashion designers' personal names (and personalities) have become synonymous with the fashion houses they represent. Anything associated with them often becomes more coveted. These days a designer’s name is his/her most valuable asset and designers are lending their names and skills to mass-market retailers for exclusive and temporary collections. Cole Haan for Nike, Alice & Oliva for Payless, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Anna Sui for Target, and Jimmy Choo for H&M are just some of the unexpected concepts as well as names that are not only gaining instant buzz, but are shunning convention and breaking down the usual rules of fashion. Co-branding allows elite fashion-houses to crossover a brand into new markets and attain instant credibility. These partnerships create affordable luxury. While the prices are thrifty, the apparel's designs remain on-trend and true to each label's aesthetic. The irony is that often these pieces are more exclusive than the designers primary collections and end-up on eBay auctioning off for exuberant prices (re: studded leather jacket from Alexander McQueen for Target) or they are sold out in a matter of minutes (re: fashionistas swarmed H&M's Manhattan flagship and gutted the store in under 30 minutes when Roberto Cavalli designed for H&M). Check out KPA designed Adidas for Stella McCartney designed kicks, Lesportsac for Stella McCartney luggage line, and Forever 21 for Fifi Lapin’s exclusive T-shirt collection.
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