There are more collaborations between different brands than ever. As a result, it becomes difficult to navigate, to distinguish what is simply marketing or a sincere collaboration, a crossing of DNA for a top product.
So, what is the origin of these collaborations? What are the different types? Why are there more of them? Or what collabs would we find the coolest at BonneGueule? All my answers are in this video.
Obviously, the question arises of collaborations at BonneGueule, and here I give the floor to Benoit just after the video.
Benoit's point of view
Why do a collab with another brand?
At BonneGueule, we collaborate with a brand for several reasons, I'll explain everything to you.
- Sometimes, it is for know-how, sourcing to which we do not have access. The collaboration with Inis Meáin is the best example of this, because it is a workshop on an island of 200 inhabitants in Ireland.
- Other times, what we are looking for is a style, a vision of clothing, of fit, rather distant from ours. For example, the Maharishi pants are 100% cotton, but the cut and details are far from our universe. Releasing pants with such a divisive cut would not have been possible in our line. Not to mention the fascinating story of Maharishi, where spirituality mixes with military influences.
- In the case of our pants with ABCL Garments , it is the spirit of the brand, this “vibe” around its clothes, all this intangible and indescribable aspect that seduced us. While technically, it's a relatively simple pair of pants to make. But it also allowed us to highlight this adorable brand that is ABCL, very qualitative, with the good taste of Mattia, its founder.
- Finally, we sometimes look for style and technicality from another brand. Our latest collaboration with Norwegian Rain is the best illustration of this: they have undeniable tailoring know-how in terms of cut and details, and it requires great technical assembly skills to work with these waterproof and breathable Japanese materials.
The genesis of a collaboration…
How do we choose the brand we collaborate with? There must be a universe that is both strong and complementary to ours... and certain know-how!
So, I don't think you'll see BonneGueule collaborating on a hoodie from a major streetwear brand.
On the other hand, we could definitely make a hoodie with ancestral Japanese fleece from a brand specializing in vintage reproductions. Do you see the nuance?
Such brands to collaborate with, I come across in several different ways. It could be through a forum, a professional show, a meeting, a discovery in a store, my digital wanderings... or an old dream (hello Norwegian Rain). It’s very varied actually!
Then we contact the brand, and we introduce them to BonneGueule. If this step seems simple with a French brand, the rules of the game change completely with a foreign brand because they don't know us, and sometimes have difficulty understanding our atypical business model...
Go and explain our synergies between the media, our community, our brand, and our stores, in English, to a foreign designer who is not very digitally savvy!
How far can we go?
This is THE question we ask from the start: how far can BonneGueule bring its touch?
There are two major constraints:
- the brand wants its universe, its codes, and its prices to be generally respected. In general, this is really not the problem point.
- technical limitations: developing a new cut, a new pattern, all that takes a lot of time just for ONE collaboration. For example, developing a new shape of shoe is very long-term work, which is why we have little latitude.
For this last point, it varies greatly, it depends on the brands, the workshops with which they work, and the product on which we collaborate.
Each new brand = a whole new story, with new possibilities, and… new constraints! This is what makes each collaboration exciting.
In what cases do we not want to collaborate?
- First case to avoid: “marketing concept” collaboration. Let me explain: doing a collaboration for the sake of doing a collaboration doesn't interest me. The trap is to fall into the collaboration imagined just to grow our audience, hoping that the brand with which we collaborate will relay our collaboration en masse. This is a very short-term logic, and the most dangerous thing is that the reason for this type of collaboration is no longer the product nor the added value that results from the mixture of two universes, but rather a purely (and only) marketing issue.
- Another irrelevant case in my opinion: when there is no real added value in the creation of the piece. For example, it wouldn't be very relevant to create a casual shirt with a brand in the same universe as us, simply because we have the know-how (fabric, workshop) to make it ourselves.
- On the other hand, if the production includes unique finishes, if it uses never before seen fabrics, or if it has a strong history, this is relevant. So, on a shirt, I could definitely see myself collaborating with a brand like Gitman Bros, but not Everlane .
And the next BonneGueule collaborations?
Unless there is a very strong brand history, or unique know-how, we no longer seek to collaborate with French brands in our ecosystem because we are based on know-how or worlds that are too close.
The goal is rather to seek an international dimension, as we did with Maharishi, Inis Meain or Norwegian Rain. These are the kinds of brands that I want you to discover, because they are very rich. This is a huge thrill for me.
So expect even more unique collaborations.
The collaborations that make me dream…
Well, here we are entering into the most total dream. Let's imagine that our readers have an unlimited budget, and that all brands would like to work with us. I would like to do :
- an outerwear piece with Nanamica
- another with Meanswhile
- Gore-Tex dress shoes with nonnative
- a mid layer with Norse Projects
- Windstopper mesh with 66 North
- jeans with Momotaro or 3Sixteen
- an overshirt with Rogue Territory
- an indestructible parka with Grenfell
- shoes with Viberg or Oakstreet Bootmakers
- an ultimate costume with Husbands
- a coat with eclectic
- and not to mention all the backpack collaborations!
- etc…
Who knows, maybe one day the dream will come true for good.
