Dissertation final

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Why do collaborations occur between sportswear and Japanese brands and what are the consumer benefits? Alex Gaskin DE0929 Project Research


Contents 2 - Introduction 3 - Methodology 4 - Existing Colaborations 7 - Consumer Benefits 10 - Y-3 13 - Misfired Collaborations 16 - Conclusion 17 - References and Bibliography 21 - Image References


Introduction

The aim of this project research is to analyse why sportswear brands focus on collaborating with Japanese labels and designers and what benefits there are for the consumer when purchased. With Tokyo being a relatively new fashion capital, Japanese designers are being more actively recognised for their talent. “Japanese influence has helped redraw the boundaries of fashion, away from ‘Western’ideals of the body and conventions of clothing.” (Salazar, 2015) Existing Japanese and sportswear collaborations will be carefully researched and all relevant brands and designers will be analysed to correctly examine the initial thought process before collaboration takes place. Research into factors explaining why consumers decide to purchase these specific collaborations will be explored in order to gain a social and demographic understanding. With Y-3, the partnership between Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas is arguably considered as being one ofthe most successful collaborations to exist. Exploration into the factors leading to their triumphant success will be undertaken. Elements such as what makes Yamamoto such a successful designer to collaborate with will be studied, along with the views of Y-3’s ambassadors on the partnership. By acquiring the opinions of Y-3’s ambassadors, this allows reliable and in depth knowledge to be included. There are times where collaborations may sometimes be unsuccessful. Factors including misfired collaborations and over exposure will be researched to judge the overall effective impact on brands involved, including the analysis of high street label H&M and street wear brand Supreme. The risks of laziness and large slogan branding in collaboration will be researched to view the positive or negative impact it may cause.

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Methodology Primary research was conducted through an interview with Y-3 ambassador, Erika Bowes to develop an in depth insight to Y-3 and its relevance to todays fashion trends. (See appendix 5) Interviews were conducted with consumers who resell clothing for profit to gain an in-depth knowledge on why consumers see collaborations as beneficial. (See appendix 4) Surveys were also conducted to enhance qualitative and quantitative data into reasons why consumers are interested in Japanese and sportswear collaborations and were posted on relevant website forums such as Hypebeast. (see appendix 3) Secondary research was conducted through examination of literature such as online journals including WGSN and Women’s Wear Daily. Academic books and reports were also gathered to gain authoritative opinions on significant collaborations and biography research into Japanese designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo and Sacai. Up to date and relevant magazines were analysed such as international street wear publications Highsnobiety, with articles from Japanese designer Nigo as well as Hypebeast including articles from Mark Parker, CEO of Nike. Trusted research platforms such as Mintel were carefully analysed to gather statistical quantitative data to back up consumer research. Trusted newspaper platforms were used such as The Telegraph and The Independent. Trusted business and fashion platforms such as Forbes and Business of Fashion were analysed.

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-1Existing Collaborations

Collaboration is defined as “an intellectual effort between people and companies from different fields of expertise.” (Haas, 2015) Without collaboration, the sportswear industry has a limited target market directed at athletes. Global brands such as Adidas and Nike are viewed as extremely professional and performance focused and in order for sportswear brands to appeal to a new audience, collaborations with different fields of specialisation are vital. With Nike labeling themselves “a meeting point between culture and sport,” (Tungate, 2005), it is evident that there was a gap in the market for fashion and sportswear to meet. While brands originating from the same countries can also effectively produce a successful collaboration, the bridging of different cultures can create new elements of style. The incorporation of cultural influences in collaboration invites brands to engage in unfamiliar territory. For example, the 2012 collaboration between American skate brand, Supreme, and high-end Japanese fashion label, Comme des Garçons “found a common ground to produce a collection that speaks to consumers in both camps.” (Haas, 2015) With a large amount of Japanese and sportswear partnerships occurring, there are several factors to consider when focusing on why they choose to collaborate with each other. Firstly, it is significant to analyse the overall feel of the Japanese aesthetic. The fashion style of Japan can be considered different when compared to western culture. With different fashion capitals holding different style stereotypes, the geometrical, clean and simple aesthetic that Japanese fashion holds matches the same characteristics of sportswear attire. “The sports shoe in particular being a perfect match - the very idea of heels with Japanese fashion is ridiculous.” (English, 2011) The current partnership between Nike and Japanese designer Sacai can be seen as successful for various reasons. Nike’s vice president and creative director, Kurt Palmer, has described their enthusiasm to work with Sacai due to her “unique understanding of form and silhouette” and her “elegant and graceful application of materials.” (Johnson, 2015) Japanese designers, such as Sacai and Yohji Yamamoto hold a significant amount of respect for structure and the human body, with Sacai as a brand being

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“You really have to be passionate about the same parts of the universe for any partnership to work.” - Mark Parker, Nike CEO

described as having the ability to be “sexy, but it is never vulgar at all.” (Abe, 2015) Holding the capability to be stylish but comfortable and respectable is an aspect that could be viewed as influential to active wear due to the nature it holds, with the influence of Japanese design aiding to “redraw the boundaries of fashion, away from western’ ideals of the body and conventions of clothing.” (Salazar, 2011) With different characteristics naturally emphasised in Japanese lifestyle such as peace and simplicity in comparison to Western living, Japanese designers hold alternative outlooks on life. Therefore, they have the potential to hold a fresh and new perspective on design. Kawakubo is known to find “beauty in the unfinished, irregular, the monochromatic and the ambiguous. Placed within the context of Zen Buddhist philosophy, this translates as an appreciation of poverty, simplicity and imperfection.” (English, 2011) Evident in Sacai’s collaboration with Nike (fig. 1) and the creation of Y-3 with Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto, Japanese designers put strong emphasis on holding the ability to represent themselves through their work. They appear to view collaborations as a personal project. Creator of Comme des Garcons, Rei Kawakubo states her personal importance outcome of designing is to “express what is happening in my own life, to express my personal feelings through my designs.” (English, 2011) The significance of doing this is to ensure collaboration is a true representation of each designers input. Integrating emotional influences creates a fresh take on design as designers absorb themselves and encapsulate expression through their work. The ongoing partnership between Nigo and Adidas has been described as a “personal interpretation” (Cardiner, 2014) for the Japanese designer himself, with the design director of Adidas Originals, Paul Mittleman, proclaiming “bringing Nigo on board was a no brainer” and that he dominates a “great skill for seeing what is happening and what is not happening.” (Flores, 2014) The creation of a personal creative output is difficult to view as strategically profit driven, which is important to avoid in collaboration. Nike’s CEO, Mark Parker, states, “Our collaborations are not transactions. They are relationships.” (Parker, 2015)

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Collaborations with sportswear designers may be an element of a process to rebrand or accentuate a current trend. The initial 2008 collaboration between Speedo and Comme des Garçons produced male swimming briefs was described as “more covetable.” (Porter, 2010) With more males attending the gym to work on building a respectable figure, the subtle Comme des Garçons collaboration could have placed Speedo’s back into a more stylish and desirable light to purchase and wear small briefs without the negative stigma. With the origin of Japanese tradition and culture holding Zen and wellbeing characteristics, incorporating an artistic calligraphic graphic print translating to “heart, mind, spirit, feeling” (Calderin, 2013) into her swimsuit design represents both brands thinking on the same wavelength, wanting to create to enhance wellbeing. Mark Parker, CEO of Nike, states, “You really have to be passionate about the same parts of the universe for any partnership to work.” (Parker, 2015)

Fig. 1 Nike x Sacai 2015 Collaboration


-2Consumer Benefits

Collaborations allow consumers to step out of their comfort zone and experience the feel and design of a new brand, while still holding the comfort of the brands they are usually loyal to. Consumers are able to still purchase the characteristics of sportswear brands such as Adidas and Nike, but with input from designers they would never normally purchase from. With Western fashion being more established in the fashion industry, the new influences of Eastern fashion can be considered a fresh perspective. Due to new cultural influences being introduced, Western fashion is given an opportunity to grow. There are several benefits for consumers purchasing sportswear and Japanese collaborations. With the ‘sports-luxe’ trend constantly evolving, “over half of consumers buy sports clothing and footwear for leisurewear rather than for participating in a sport.” (Sender, 2015) Consumers are seen as more likely to cross comfort with style as before the sports-luxe trend was available, consumers strictly decided between either a comfortable outfit or a stylish outfit. The merge of sportswear and high-end designers means such a sharp decision does not have to be made. “Fashion and performance are not separate anymore.” (Beckett, 2006) For consumers that hold a strong interest in sportswear but may feel like they are unable to wear performance clothing, collaborations help bridge the gap between athletic wear and fashion. As collaborations naturally meet in the middle of both styles, the line is effectively blurred between comfort and style from both sides of the spectrum. Although sportswear brands offer advanced technological active wear, it can still be seen as moderately expensive if the consumer does not view the product as an every day item. Collaborating sportswear and fashion allows the consumer to feel comfortable in paying more for an item, knowing they have versatility in the decision to wear it. High street collaborations such as Comme des Garcons and H&M (2008) offer the consumer to purchase a piece of designer wear for a significantly cheaper price. Applying this method to sportswear and Japanese brands, consumers gain the ability to purchase items with the creative direction of Japanese designers such as Yohji Yamamoto for a significantly more affordable price.

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With youth culture being one of the more fashion conscious demographics, “over two fifths of consumers agree that fashion is important to them when deciding which sports goods to buy.” (Sender, 2013) Sportswear brands do not hold the extensive knowledge of luxury fashion to be able to create design decisions purely based on aesthetics and vice versa. Nike’s CEO, Mark Parker, states, “Mutual learning is absolutely critical to any successful partnership. Then we look to our partners to provide an insight or skill or point of view that we may not have.” (Parker, 2015)

“Over half of consumers buy sports clothing and footwear for leisurewear rather than for participating in a sport.” - Mintel, 2015

Purchasing collaboration pieces with a Japanese designer involved can be seen as a beneficial move, with some Japanese designers viewing collaborations as a personal project. By potentially applying maximum amount of effort to projects they commit to, the collaboration between Junya Watanabe and Carhartt in 2010 is a relevant example. Watanabe allegedly bought 100 jackets to customise, instead of making the decision to release the manufacture through Carhartt. (Li, 2015) Jun Takahashi’s collaboration with Nike can also be seen as an organic creation. As Takahashi describes himself as “a runner” (Woo, 2013) Takahashi’s previous immersion in athletic culture essentially provided the basis of an honest and relevant collaboration. Consumers may view these collaborations as more exclusive, with a low reproduction level and limited amounts sold. A survey conducted investigating the opinions of consumers suggests that Japanese and sportswear collaborations can be “great investments if you are a reseller.” (See appendix 3)

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Buying to resell limited edition items to gain a financial profit is becoming significantly more popular in today’s street wear culture. An interview conducted with Simon Makin, a regular reseller of in demand clothing, proclaimed that through observation, collaborations generally sell for more due to limited release and lack of restock. In terms of Japanese designers, Makin sold a pair of Reebok x MITA x Bape Instapump Fury’s (fig. 2) and made a £140 profit within three days of purchase.

Fig, 2 Reebox x MITA x Bape Instapump Fury

However, buying to solely resell is considered as socially unethical among the community, the act of reselling may disinterest consumers in purchasing these collaborations. The opportunity to purchase collaboration pieces significantly decreases due to popularity, therefore, it could be argued that although resellers are actively willing to purchase, the interest in authenticity of the product is not genuine. Secondly, consumers may decide not to purchase these collaborations due to resellers potentially reducing their chance of getting hold of such limited edition items, leading to not attempting to buy at all. Although footwear brands such as Vans claim “no Vans collaboration is actualised under the eye of profit,” (Lendrum, 2015) profit is one of the prominent priorities for all businesses. It could be argued that the aim of corporate companies such as Adidas and Nike will always be to increase sales and financially grow. Brands are more likely to collaborate with a brand that they are certain will sell effectively.

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-3Y-3

“A perfect fusion of Western functional beauty and Japanese aesthetics,” (Adidas, 2015) the successful relationship between Yamamoto and Adidas has been described by Adidas’ creative director as “exceeding all expectations.” (Beckett, 2006) The creation of Y-3 produced an area of fashion that failed to exist previously, combining active wear and high-end fashion since 2001. (fig. 3)With Tokyo being a relatively new fashion capital, in 2001 it is likely that the capital city had not been creatively explored in depth as much as London, Paris and Milan. With Yamamoto providing a different energy and style with a geometrical and clean aesthetic towards his design, Adidas has been able to produce an original outcome that had not been exclusively exposed in previous collaborations. The Japanese designer is a strong cultural influence, known to care strongly about the traditional Japanese heritage, as he proclaims, “maybe I’ll be the last designer who cares strongly about ‘Made in Japan.’” (Salazar, 2011) The partnership can be viewed as successful as it gave consumers the confidence to pair high-end items with casual wear. Due to the originality of the outcome, the partnership has been able to evolve throughout the years. Jeffrey Kalinsky, vice president & designer fashion director at Nordstrom declares that his clients “understand that they can wear a Y-3 sweat jacket with a $1,000 skirt to give it a modern spin.” (Kletter, 2004) Including a high-end designer such as Yamamoto attracted a new higher end target market for Adidas. High fashion consumers may have previously viewed Adidas as tasteless due to the lower class stereotype sportswear previously held when not used for athleticism. The contribution of aesthetical elements of both Yamamoto and Adidas are equally evident in Y-3. In an interview with Y-3 ambassador, Erika Bowes, she explains that Yamamoto’s Japanese “aesthetic and influence” is instantly recognisable in the collections, but Adidas also equally contribute a “sporty edge and durability.” (see appendix 5) Although the infusion of sportswear and high-end clothing is an established trend in today’s society, it still caters to a small minority of consumer style. Bowes explains, “not everyone is into it, but the people who are have that exclusivity.” Although Y-3 is an ongoing partnership and new ideas are constantly generated, the idea behind Y-3 is that it fuses two creative talents that are difficult to find elsewhere. Some consumers appreciate owning items of clothing that have an exclusive and limited feel.

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“Y-3 is not a collaboration trying to make money out of everyone” - Erika Bowes, Y-3 Ambassador

Y-3 could have been seen as an element of rebranding and redirection. Robert-Louis Dreyfus reformed and refocused the direction of Adidas, recognising the changes that needed to be made in order for Adidas to grow as a brand. His three point strategy included focusing on “professional sports footwear, consumer oriented sports heritage and fashion.” (Tungate, 2005) Yamamoto’s cultural influence aided Adidas effectively in developing the fashion industry and the brand would not have been so successful without acquiring help from designers in their fields of expertise. Because of this, Yamamoto brought Adidas to a place it could not have reached on its own. With his inspiration coming from sportswear, Yamamoto is an influential designer known for rebelling against the ordinary. Previously stating he has always “headed in his own direction in parallel to fashion” and aspiring to achieve “anti-fashion,” the designer is known to work with thirteen different shades of black. (Salazar, 2011) Such a cautious and innovative design approach ties in with the professionalism and structural aesthetic Adidas strive for, due to sportswear brands constantly aiming to enhance technology and performance in its creations. Bowes clarifies that Y-3 “is not a collaboration trying to make money out of everyone.” Yamamoto describes himself as a “designer first” (Independent, 2011) and places more emphasis on this aspect instead of acquiring financial profit. With Yamamoto filing for Bankruptcy in 2010, the designer still believes the financial aspect of his company is not his part of contribution to his brand. Successful fashion collaborations tend to come from an organic place, and learning to develop and nourish the talent of each brand or designer in involved is a crucial component. Yamamoto’s aim was to develop sportswear into a stylish and wearable concept, while still maintaining the comfort and durability of sportswear. He describes Adidas as “very personal” to him, “enriching his creative life.” (Adidas, 2015) Japanese designer, Nigo, elucidates how “easy” it is to work in collaboration with Adidas, clarifying that they are a brand with the ability to provide designers with freedom to express their ideas without much hesitation.

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With the fusion of two very strong talents in different areas of fashion, Bowes explains that the Y-3 collaboration “works really well as there was not and still is not anything else out there in the market.” With Y-3 commendably establishing itself in the fashion industry for over a decade, it has had time to evolve with society and current trends. Zinedine Zidane, footballer and ambassador of Y-3 states that he does not think “there is anything comparable, even today to Y-3.” (Adidas, 2015) It is possible that due to the reigning success that the collaboration still has, it has persuaded and encouraged other sports wear brands to culturally branch out and gather knowledge they are not able to acquire alone. Other brands may strive to create a new and innovative concept such as Y-3, and may view designers such as Yamamoto as the answer to success.

Fig. 3 Y-3 A/W Campaign 2015/16

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-4Misfired Collaborations

With collaborations becoming more and more frequent in the fashion industry and potentially over exposed, collaborations are now created for more reasons than to just to fill a gap in the market. Collaborations can potentially set brands up for misfortune when they hold the wrong outcome priorities. If collaboration begins with profit as a main focus, a lack of substance to the designs may occur as the focus is taken away from creation and placed on financial benefit. When brands decide to collaborate, they may begin to stray too far away from their original brand ethos to attempt to secure innovation. Although change and development can be a positive thing, some brands may step too far out of their comfort zone and create something that is out of depth for the consumer. “Overuse leads one down a path of ineffectiveness.” (Kan, 2015) Since 2004, H&M have created 16 designer and celebrity collaborations. (H&M, 2015) Although only one single designer collaboration is released annually at H&M and can still be viewed as exclusive, some consumers may begin to lose interest. Established Singapore based blogger, Bagaholicboy, stated his “eyes now naturally roll whenever I hear of, or read about, another new collaboration that is about to launch.” (Carreon, 2013) With some consumers purchasing collaborations for resell profit, it is stated that pieces from the collaboration between H&M and Balmain were being sold for £650 on eBay (Hathaway, 2015), making them more expensive than some original Balmain pieces. With the excessive price tag, consumers may become disinterested in the collaboration, potentially adding an artificial impression to the brands involved. While Nike and Sacai’s original consumer base view Sacai as a respectable Japanese designer, the recent collaboration with Nike gained negative attention. The collection that was described by Nike as a “bold expression of femininity” (Weigand, 2015) is seen to contradict the functionality purpose of active wear. Although Abe states that the collection is supposed to be functional for athletics, the pieces are seen as “not functional for yoga, running or competitive sports.” (Peterson, 2015) Viewed as a vanity project for Nike, some female athletes appear to be slightly offended that the sportswear brand are suggesting women prioritise style over functionality. Even with statistics showing that “roughly half of the people buying active wear these days are buying it for non-active wear” (Studeman, 2014), Nike’s attempt to cater to this group of consumers can be viewed as slightly misfired.

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Misfired collaborations generate mass media exposure. The collaboration between street wear brand Supreme and Japanese erotic manga artist Toshio Maeda gained positive recognition by online platforms such as Highsnobiety, predicting that the collaboration would “undoubtedly hit the ground running.” (Falcon, 2015) However, consumers portrayed a different reaction with loyal members of Facebook discussion group Supreme Talk UK/EU describing the collection as the “worst thing I’ve seen all year.” (Lole, 2015) Although it could be argued that Maeda is not an obvious fashion collaborator to work with, the collaboration could be seen as strategic marketing by Supreme, allowing the brand to live up to their self-assured and fearless reputation. It could also be argued that due to Supreme regularly generating partnerships and collaborations, media and consumer attention towards their collaborations is not as hyped as it once was. Therefore, the brand may feel a strategic need to collaborate with an unexpected artist or designer, potentially gaining a larger amount of attention.

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When collaboration between brands focus solely on profit, the overall outcome can be viewed as potentially lazy. It is important in collaborations to share extensive knowledge, allowing the brands to work with each other in ways they would not have before, essentially allowing them to grow. The collaboration between Nike and Comme des Garcons has been described as being “not much more than a Comme jacket with a Swoosh, or a Blazer Low Premium with CDG stamped on it.” (Hellqvist, 2015) Nigo’s collaboration with Adidas has a similar feel, with items such as plain coach jackets and t-shirts branded with the Adidas logo and Nigo’s name. While these collaborations still sell as some consumers may buy into large slogan branding as a bragging mechanism, the lack of time and creativity into them is evident and may be factors that will make other consumers think twice about purchasing. Japanese street wear brand, A Bathing Ape, is known for commercially exposing their brand for collaborations, with some outcomes described as “mediocre.” (Bengtson, 2015) With A Bathing Ape unofficially claiming ownership on camouflage print through excessive use and brand marketing, it could be argued that the brand can be considered ineffective when it comes to collaborations. Although applying this print is instantly recognisable in the street wear industry, some may argue that A Bathing Ape lacks innovation and originality by only offering their signature print for collaboration. (See appendix 3) However, the ineffectiveness could be argued as the footwear collaboration between A Bathing Ape and sportswear brand Asics has received positive recognition, being placed in street wear’s media platform, Complex’s, top twenty collaborations of 2015. (Bengtson, 2015)

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Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that collaborations are significantly important for brands and designers to evolve and expand their knowledge. Collaborations have the ability to bridge the gap between different areas of fashion, which can be seen with the creation of Y-3 and the collaboration between Comme des Garcons and Supreme. Extensive research suggests that sportswear brands choose to collaborate with Japanese designers due to the minimal, structural and clean aesthetic that Japan holds. Designers such as Abe, Yamamoto and Kawakubo seem to hold personal relationships with their projects of work. Because of this, the designers are regarded as desirable, approaching each piece of work with a fresh and intimate mindset. Purchasing sportswear and Japanese collaborations can be beneficial for consumers, particularly resellers. As collaborations are viewed as limited edition, the resell profit would hypothetically be significantly higher, due to the reproduction rate of collaboration items being slim to none. Consumers gain a financial benefit from purchasing sportswear and Japanese collaborations, particularly on items such as footwear. Consumers enjoy the idea of having the power to integrate style and performance and mix high-end clothing with casual clothing. With the integration of style and performance, consumers have confidence in being able to wear active wear as everyday clothing if they desire to. These collaborations bridge the gap between style and performance and create a style that is in between. Collaborating with high-end designers also ensures the output of high quality clothing, essentially reassuring the consumer their purchase is worthwhile. Y-3 was the first major collaboration to create a new style from two opposite sides of the fashion spectrum, high-end fashion and sportswear. Y-3 highlights the importance of fusing diverse cultural talents and the significance of working relationships in collaborations. With Dreyfus making the strategic decision to rebrand Adidas, the collaboration between Yamamoto and Adidas was a crucial component to the fashion aspect of his three-point strategy. Y-3 is still viewed as original and innovative in today’s current fashion market. Although collaborations can be extremely beneficial to brands and designers involved, it is evident that there are several factors that may hinder success. Over production of collaborations take the ‘limited edition’ and exclusive feel of collaboration. With more and more collaborations in production each year, the outcome of excitement and interest from consumers is likely to decrease if over exposure continues. Because of over exposure, brands may feel the need to strive for something more eccentric than usual, which is evident in the collaboration between Supreme and Toshio Maeda. When financial profit is the main aim, the creative outcome of collaboration can be viewed as lazy. Branding is important when focusing on collaborating with other designers and brands, with A Bathing Ape gaining a complacent reputation due to excessive use of the camouflage print. Even though it is stated that some consumers enjoy blatant branding, other consumers are likely to think twice due to unoriginality in the final outcome of the collaboration.

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Image References Comme Des Garcons Logo, photograph, viewed January 1st 2016, <http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OxbpCfFokGE/ UMgD7Vu6oRI/AAAAAAAAAY8/c3fo5pck8DI/s1600/comme-des-garcons-desktop-wallpaper2.jpg>. Nike x Sacai 2015 Collaboration, photograph, viewed January 1st 2016, <http://cdn.businessoffashion.com/ site/uploads/2015/02/EMBED-IMAGE.jpg>. Reebox x MITA x Bape Instapump Fury, photograph, viewed January 1st 2016, <http://blog.wishatl.com/ wp-content/uploads/2014/8/Reebok-Bape-2.jpg>. Y-3 A/W Campaign 2015/16, photograph, viewed January 1st 2016, <http://www.y-3.com/assets/content/ landing-page/teaser_1/107097D_v6_QC_Width.jpg>.

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