Valentino is teaming up with Gap to create an affordable women’s wear range, the ‘capsule’ collection. Designed by creative directors, Maria Grazia Chiui and Pier Paolo Piccioli, the announcement follows Lanvin’s collaboration with H&M, last week. Here at the MO Down, we understand the mission behind this project: to bring the iconic world of Valentino into touch with Gap’s everyday fashion essentials. It makes luxury accessible to a wider market, by combining luxury with basics.Our concern is that this sort of collaboration may be becoming a little too common, so to speak. When we buy luxury, we pay top dollar because we know that Valentino, for instance, we get what we pay for. The quality and rich history the Valentino name has come to represent, guarantees us the best and finest of design and materials. The Valentino name speaks loudly for the calibre of the product. We wonder if the collaboration of luxury with mass-market brands will have a long-term effect on brand value for the luxury partner?
Surely, these sorts of collaborations will do wonders for the everyday woman’s wardrobe. And for the seasoned fashionista, Gap will never know the true Valentino. But will aspirational markets start to question the sense in paying big bucks, when they can get something designed by Valentino For Gap, for a fraction of the price? We are afraid that these ‘spin-off’ labels, will do more damage than good. Time will tell.
Image credit: glamourwave.com
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