It’s the worst having to pick between two pieces, especially when they would work together so well in a fit. This is why we LOVE collabs at ThreadBeast. What’s better than your favorite brand? Two of your favorite brands… in one.
Collabs date back as far as the 1930s when an Italian designer drew inspiration from painter Salvador Dalí to make a fashion line. In the 2010s, collabs really took off again. So, we’re counting down our top 10 streetwear collabs.
10. Keith Haring x Diamond Supply Co.
Last November, Diamond Supply Co. collaborated with works from the late Keith Haring to release a 23-piece collection. Haring was an American artist in the 1980s who incorporated pop culture and graffiti into his iconic paintings. Haring’s style has surged in popularity and can be found at spots like Zumiez and Urban Outfitters. Diamond Supply Co. is known for simplistic designs, so it was a nice toss-up to partner with Haring’s vivid scribbles, earning the first spot on our list.
9. The Hundreds x Garfield
The Hundreds has actually done two collaborations with Jim Davis’s comic cat, Garfield. The Hundreds’ co-founder Bobby Kim is a longtime fan of the lasagna-loving cat, and the reason for this unlikely collab. ThreadBeast offered this collection in its monthly boxes during the release. The cartoon graphics let us feel like kids again without sacrificing style.
8. Guess x J Balvin
Guess has been relevant for several years now, and almost always has a new collection at Urban Outfitters and Pacsun. Their latest collab is with J Balvin, the Colombian reggaeton singer that’s been topping the billboard charts. The bright colorways of this collection captures the bright city of Medellín, Balvin’s hometown. We like a collab with some confidence, and this one is aggressive.
7. Levi’s x Just Don
Designer Don C. is best known for his iconic NBA shorts. We all ‘mired Lebron rocking those retro-looking Lakers shorts back in 2019. In one of his most recent collabs, Don C. teamed up with Levi’s to release an NBA All-Star inspired collection. The patterns and patches bring some pop to the Levi’s denim you love. The collection sold out almost instantly, but left a ripple of denim-meets-sporty for future trends.
6. Champion x Thrasher
This is a classic case of the best of both worlds. How many times have you gone into a store on a tight budget only to find two dope pieces, each from a different brand you love? Imagine being able to get both of those pieces in one. That’s what you got out of a flash collab of Thrasher x Champion. At an affordable price, you could get that Champion colorway on a Thrasher logo shirt or hoodie. Although the collection has sold out, you can find a lot of the pieces still selling on sites like Grailed and Poshmark.
5. Union LA x Jordan
Launching in 1989, Union LA has continued bringing the counter-culture vibes of New York fashion to Los Angeles. You’ve probably seen these Air Jordan 1s since they dropped in 2018. In addition to arguably the best colorway for Air Jordans, this collection also came with a sleek suede crew neck and some solid graphic tees. Jordan has collaborated with so many brands, athletes and events over the years, but we love the uniquely LA-streets vibe of this collection.
4. Supreme x The North Face
We love our streetwear and we love our outdoor gear, so why not bring them together. Supreme did just that in 2017 in a collab with North Face. Even though it’s on the pricier side, we really loved this collection when it first dropped. We’ve seen similar collabs done by North Face, Patagonia, Columbia and other outdoorsy brands alike.
3. PUMA x J. Cole
Similar to our #8 spot on this list, PUMA decided to collab with a billboard artist. The brand’s basketball division teamed up with rapper J. Cole to drop a high top sneaker with a vintage PUMA feel. Though they look super 80s, these kicks come with ProFoam technology and a sleek silhouette to meet the performance standard of other hightops on the market.
2.Ralph Lauren x Palace
You’ve definitely seen these Ralph Lauren pieces with the embroidered preppy bear. The second player is Palace, a UK skate brand. Compared to others on our list, these are on the pricier side. The pieces have been appearing in the pages of GQ, on rappers and in the kids section at Macy’s. The sheer popularity of this collab is enough to give it the #2 spot on our list, but there’s more. The beauty of these sweaters and tees is they can be dressed up or down. You can tuck a button-up under for a preppy fit, or even make a pair of sneakers and joggers look classier. The collection helped branch out Ralph Lauren to a younger, more streetwear-oriented shopper.
1. UNDEFEATED x Nike x Kobe Bryant
We’re still hurting for #24. And we all know, off the court, the Black Mamba had a taste for fashion. He’s had so much success with sneakers back with the Air Zoom Huaraches in ‘03 to the Kobe ADs of today. Most recently, in August 2019, Kobe and Nike teamed up with UNDEFEATED for the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro Pack. The different colorways represent members of Team Kobe: DeMar DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker and Kyle Kuzma. The hype was real when these dropped, and it makes us wish we got to see more of what Kobe had to offer.
