SS24: 5 Fashion collaborations that made a mark this fashion month

Collaborations always have a place on the fashion week runways, and the same could be said for the spring/summer 2024 collections. Notable brands came together to present an array of special items for the shows, either in the form of eye-catching accessories or entire looks. FashionUnited has gathered some of the most memorable collaborations from New York to Milan.

Erdem x Barbour

To kick off the list, we first look to London, where two of the city’s fashion staples came together for a handful of runway looks. Canadian designer and London Fashion Week regular Erdem Moralioglu unveiled his eponymous brand’s SS24 collection, in which looks co-designed alongside British heritage brand Barbour graced the event. Two show pieces that were donned on the runway drew inspiration from Barbour’s traditional waxed jackets, which had their silhouettes transformed by Erdem into a trapeze shape, complete with quilted lining and patchworked remnants of floral curtains.

While the collaboration appeared to only last for two looks, comments following the show by Barbour’s head of womenswear, Nicola Brown, hint at more to come. In a statement, Brown said: “[Erdem’s] ageless and timeless approach to craftsmanship and quality are synonymous with Barbour and we are delighted to start what I am sure will be a long friendship between the two brands.” It also built on a growing number of collaborations initiated by Barbour, which had also recently revealed partnerships with Maison Kitsuné and House of Hackney.

Palomo Spain x Bimba Y Lola

On to New York now, where Spanish brands set the tone for this season’s accessory collaborations. Palomo Spain returned to the Big Apple to present its SS24 show, which continued on in its genderless approach to clothing and deepened connections to its folkloric origins. One outstanding element to the show, however, was the array of bags toted by models, notably donning the words ‘Bimba Y Palomo’. The pieces were a part of a collaboration between Palomo Spain and its fellow Spanish peer Bimba Y Lola. The duo exhibited several co-created accessories, as well as a few full looks, contributing to what they said was a “cohesive dialogue between their respective universes”.

In a release, the two companies said the collaboration aimed to create “a shared space where both brands can communicate effectively and naturally integrate their communities”. For Palomo, for example, it was the chance to explore a new territory that emphasised women’s fashion, an area that Bimba has historically been dedicated to through its signature feminine design codes. The collaboration will already become available on the duo’s respective e-commerce sites and in select retailers by mid-October.

Mulberry x Stefan Cooke

For their own collaboration, British accessory brand Mulberry and luxury designer Stefan Cooke worked together on a collection of bags made from pre-loved materials. As part of The Mulberry Exchange programme, the limited edition capsule featured 27 pieces that had been transformed by the brand’s artisans, with archival classics and “rare treasures” among the updated offering. The pieces debuted during Stefan Cooke’s SS24 show during London Fashion Week, the same day on which Mulberry launched a pre-loved pop-up and dropped the line in its Regent Street flagship.

The duo utilised upcycling and deconstruction techniques to rework the selection of vintage bags, bolstering their individual commitments to circularity and sustainable fashion. Items brought new life to deadstock leather, integrating both Cooke’s own design codes – bows, swings, braids and slashes – and Mulberry’s signature hardware and finishings, with a co-branded motif adorned on each piece.

Knwls x Jean Paul Gaultier

Two big players across the fashion week spectrum were another to collide this season, straying from their usual paths when it came to design. Ahead of the fashion month, Jean Paul Gaultier revealed that it had partnered with Knwls on a new collection, with the duo only later unveiling the line as the month progressed. Each piece saw links to both of the brands’ archives, utilising recognisable tropes that ultimately came to a head for the “pièce de résistance”, a hand-crocheted corset.

The look was the focal point of the finale for Knwls SS24 show, paraded down the runway as a signal of their collaboration. Screen printed leather and crochet panelling referenced both Knwls’ typical construction techniques, while the appearance of corrosion mirrored Jean Paul Gaultier’s own design values.

Faith Connexion

One show that has always been dedicated to the concept of collaboration is that of Faith Connexion, a Parisian fashion collective of designers and artists that come together to offer what it says represents an “elective yet stable wardrobe”. For this season, the collective worked with Fannie Schiavoni, Ronald van der Kemp, Kriba and Baobab on its line of youthful attire, that featured everything from figure-hugging dresses to sportswear-inspired looks, combining an array of materials, such as lace, tulle, metal mesh and shimmering nylon.

For her own contribution, British designer Fannie Schiavoni brought her staple mesh metal to the line, adding it to bralets and panels on dresses to contrast the flowing silhouettes they were styled beside. Ronald van der Kemp set out on a similar mission for his own partnership, opting for fishnet materials and lace to make his own mark. Meanwhile, Kriba was behind the array of corsetry and references to androgynous fashion, and Baobab’s signature swimwear and resort wear informed a number of the more ocean-like pieces.