The three packs, each working with the Chuck 70, launch July 20 in limited quantities.
Source: Converse, Joshua Vides and Chinatown Market ComplexCon Chuck 70 Official Images
That title is confusing I’m sure, but so is the fact that at least once a year, sometimes twice or three times a year, I get confused because major brands are all working with the same designers/influencers. I’ve said this before, no shade to the designer/influencer… people have to eat and I’m not upset at Chinatown Market for saying, “I’m working with whoever wants to work with me.”
I have to ask though, “Isn’t this shortsighted and doesn’t this show a lack of innovation on the behalf of the brands?” Nike recently hosted the Harlem Fashion Row Retreat. The retreat gathered new designers and owners of brands and allowed them to work under the tutelage of established brand owners. I’m almost certain Converse was there; so why are Puma and Nike releasing shoes by the same designer? When they could be doing a more hyperlocal, targeted drop with fashion brands in key cities which would build relationships with local markets beyond just dropping the hot new designer in every sneaker boutique (or ComplexCon in this instance).
I feel like I’m lightweight hating, or hate-liking, or subtweeting, but I run a sneaker site. I used to spend a lot of time browsing the more popular sneaker sites. I realized that they post the exact same stuff over and over so over time I stopped visiting and decided to follow the brands to get information directly from the source. Doesn’t it seem that Nike and Puma could be heading into similar territory by working with the same designer? Once again, I don’t intend this to undercut Chinatown Market’s money. I happen to think Joshua Vides would be crazy to turn down money from both Nike and Puma. The CM brand is strengthened by showing its desirability. What I am doing here is questioning the brand strategy teams for both Nike and Puma. Shouldn’t someone have known that both brands were creating a marketing campaign for the same company?
I need feedback. Am I crazy for questioning why Puma and Nike have released collabs with the same brand at the same time? I wrote this post recently and in it are several examples of this type of cross-pollination. What do you think?