"There's a reason why this might be happening. "Online platforms have become crowded, [there are] rapidly accelerating trend cycles, [and] it's become more challenging than ever for brands to stand out," Cassandra Napoli, a head culture forecaster at WGSN, says. Collaborations continue to be a unique and important tool for marketing and maintaining cultural relevance. The best lead to attention-grabbing virality, as was the case with Nike x Skims' first drop, Sandy Liang x Gap, and Willy Chavarria x Adidas."
"But the truth is fashion has become inundated with collabs, and the net result of so much noise has ultimately had the opposite effect: We're numb to them. A collaboration alone is no longer enough to excite. To sell, they'll have to resonate with a brand's core audience, while also tapping into culture and surprising consumers with something new. What brands could break the internet together? Insiders reveal their blue-sky collaboration ideas for 2026."
Online platforms have become crowded and trend cycles are accelerating, making it harder for brands to stand out. Collaborations function as a marketing tool to maintain cultural relevance and can generate viral attention, exemplified by Nike x Skims, Sandy Liang x Gap, and Willy Chavarria x Adidas. Collaborations attract new consumer cohorts, provide fresh expressions of brand DNA, and satisfy customers' appetite for novelty. An abundance of collaborations has produced consumer numbness, so collaboration alone no longer guarantees excitement or sales. Successful collaborations must resonate with core audiences, tap into culture, and genuinely surprise consumers, prompting blue-sky ideas for 2026 such as Gap partnering with luxury designers.
Read at Fast Company
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