The offline, word-of-mouth marketing facilitated by these collaborations is a rare coup for emerging designers. For unisex clothing brand Sunchasers founder Carola Bernard, this is fundamental for brand awareness across demographics.
“Collaborating with hospitality brands allows businesses to reach customers differently,” she says. “When they are on holiday [and less inhibited], the brand is able to connect more deeply with their heart and soul.”
Then, inextricably tied to travel, there’s also food. The Prada Caffé, a pop-up in London’s tourist hotspot Harrods, will serve Italian treats until the end of 2023. In December 2022, Louis Vuitton opened a cafe in Osaka, on the heels of Japan’s borders fully reopening and travellers returning after pandemic lockdowns. New York brand La Ligne partnered with restaurateur Mario Carbone on his menswear brand, Our Lady of Rocco, to get in front of his wide fanbase. It debuted in 2021 during Art Basel to ensure maximum attention.
“Following Covid, consumers are craving more unique and immersive experiences,” says La Ligne CEO and co-founder Molly Howard. “By blending fashion and hospitality elements through unexpected collaboration, it brings a level of engagement that is hard to capture through a traditional retail environment.”
“[Despite our different industries], I’ve always found tremendous symbiosis between the two companies,” adds Carbone. “When we’re all together great things happen.”
Fashionphile’s Davis agrees these collabs can help bring something special to the consumer experience. “One way to differentiate is by making an occasion a branded one,” she says. “Fine dining takes on a whole new meaning when it’s at Louis Vuitton’s restaurant. For some people, the Louis Vuitton name means more than a Michelin star.”
For fashion brands, consumers and the hotels or restaurants, these crossovers have proven to be a promotional win. “The most magical thing about travel is that it organically and genuinely touches many different categories: art, design, culinary arts and of course, fashion,” says W’s Van Sickle. “I don’t anticipate the fashion-hospitality trend to slow down, in fact, I think we will see even more intersection for years to come.”
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