If you grew up in the 90’s, then you must remember this iconic sportswear brand- Champion; and you’re probably thinking, where did they go this whole time? Well, they’re officially back on the market, and better than ever. They’ve teamed up with Vetements (pronounced vet-mahn), the hip French clothing label that first took the scene in 2014 for their eclectic and inventive style of clothing. The collaboration features activewear that includes hoodies, crewneck sweaters and matching sweat pants with a pretty hefty price tag, might we add!
Known for their fleece-lined clothing, Champion wanted to team up with the French designer only when the French fashion label had used their logo on a sweater. In a recent Racked interview with Champion’s Head Designer, Ned Munroe, it was revealed that only when they realised Vetements were doing them a favour by complimenting and bringing attention to the sportswear brand, was when they entertained the idea of a collaboration, “We said to them, we love your strategy and we love your positioning but you can’t [use our logo] without us being a partner”.
Munroe says the main hurdle during the design process was figuring out how to manipulate their fleece fabric (which they’re most known for) to a more modern interpretation of the Vetements look. He says one of the benefits of collaborating with them is that they get to expand their aesthetic and audience, “It’s connected to designer and to streetwear, it’s tapping into this amazing influencer in street culture right now, and that’s super important”.
Check out the Vetements X Champion collab pieces here.
Herlyn Kaur
Photo Credit: @vetemens_official via Instagram
