This year was full of fantastic brand collaborations. New Balance stepped up to the plate with a genius collection partnered with streetwear favorite Aimé Leon Dore, Travis Scott had an unbeaten run with Nike and Kendrick Lamar was in a league of his own.
We tasked our ONE37pm and VaynerMedia teams with pinpointing the single most impactful—and their personal favorite—collab of 2019. The results are as insightful as you’d imagine, hitting the most notable and memorable. Take a look.
“Justin is doing exactly what I started to do in 1987 when I founded A.P.C. in the sense that his approach is extremely obsessive and driven by a search for perfection that is almost impossible to attain,” said Jean Touitou, the founder of A.P.C. These two brands are focused on quality, execution and minimalism. The product’s fit and wearability always come first. Then, the garments are synergized with clean design and typography. I loved this collab.—Thomas Huerta, VaynerMedia
My favorite sneaker collab of the year, other than the hugely hyped obvious choices (Nike x Sacai, NB x Aimé Leon Dore, Nike x Travis Scott, etc.) would definitely be the Reebok x Pyer Moss Experiment 4 Fury Trail. I'm a sucker for chunky, colorful silhouettes, a fascination which I owe to the many Raf Simons x Adidas collabs over the years. I just love the colors on these kicks; the "baked clay" color on the mudguard is especially beautiful. Kerby Jean-Raymond is a hell of a designer, and he masterfully distills his strengths (an eye for color, a willingness to try different silhouettes) into this sneaker collab. Be on the lookout for the second colorway being releasing Dec. 7. —Charlie Kolbrener, Gallery Media Group
If I had to nominate one favorite brand collab of 2019, it would be KAWS x UNIQLO. KAWS has always been a popular name in the art and fashion world due to the artist’s invigorating sculptures that have caught the eye of many greats such as Pharrell Williams and Swizz Beatz. So when teamed up with UNIQLO, an affordable but chic fashion brand, it was a win-win for consumers who wanted to look stylish at a manageable price point.—Omari White, ONE37pm
My favorite clothing/sneaker collaboration of the year has got to be the New Balance x Aimé Leon Dore project. The shoes are absolute heat, that much is for sure. The gorgeous forest green and the mismatch of different materials (buttery suede next to gray mesh) perfectly complement the corresponding clothing collection. Ultimately, both the sneakers and the clothes are about the interaction of textures. Between the drapey, speckled overcoats and the cuffed sweatpants/shirts, the collection comprises a perfect amalgam of both traditional workwear and retrofitted sportswear.—Charlie Kolbrener, Gallery Media Group
This collab basically gave customers the opportunity to customize a collaboration. It made you a part of the collab, powered by Nike by You technology. Not many brands have that ability, and for a lucky few, this was a great moment to add a personal touch to one of 2019’s best brand collaborations.—Michael Saintil, ONE37pm
The Nike x Sacai collab was the most hyped—and for good reason—collab of the year. The colorways were great, and the LD Waffle was an underused silhouette that's now stamped as a classic. You can’t have a 2019 list without mentioning this partnership.—Kevin Smith, ONE37pm
