UNDERCOVER and Givenchy have issued their share of strange collaborations and unexpected team-ups but who knew that when the two fashion labels would get together, the result would be both entirely familiar and more than a little strange?
Early on August 21, Jun Takahashi and Matthew M. Williams, the founder of UNDERCOVER and creative director of Givenchy, respectively, announced a one-off collaboration that brings together two big names for a tiny 'lil collab.
UNDERCOVER x Givenchy yields... a single graphic T-shirt set to drop August 26 at Givenchy's new flagship at GINZA SIX. That's it, just a ¥121,000 (about $830) collaborative shirt printed with UNDERCOVER's signature teddy bear motif except with Givenchy's monogram printed inside.
In fairness, not the first time that a brand in this space has commemorated a store opening with a one-off tee. Supreme does this every time it opens a new retail outpost, for instance. The vibe is more celebratory than in-depth, anyways.
"Jun Takahashi has been a major inspiration in my life," Williams said on Instagram. "Jun and his work are authentically connected to culture. Which is rare for designers and brands in this era. ... I am grateful and it is a honor to be welcomed to Tokyo by Undercover and Jun with this symbolic collaboration of friendship."
Still, it is odd that two companies so well-regarded for their thoughtful partnerships would issue something so simple.
Givenchy, for its own part, often taps artists at Williams' whim for quiet collaborations that flesh out its seasonal collaborations, whereas UNDERCOVER previously explored a large-scale luxury link-up with Valentino, yielding a thoughtful collection that met both brands' codes in the middle.
Perhaps a larger Givenchy x UNDERCOVER collaboration is in order down the road. Certainly, anyone whose whistle is whet by this one-off would be keen on a bigger crossover
