Designer collaborations are where fashion is at this month, with the Balmain x H&M collection almost selling out overnight.
On the 1st November, Marc Jacobs released an 80-piece capsule collection in collaboration with Disney. The well-known 1951 Disney interpretation of the Lewis Carrol novel, Alice in Wonderland was the key inspiration for the collection, with characters such as The Flowers and the Cheshire Cat making an appearance on several of the pieces. The collection was released in advance of the upcoming May 2016 film Alice through the Looking Glass, the sequel to the Tim Burton adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.
"The products would be much more suitable for a trip to the cinema or a chilled night in (even if the price tag suggests otherwise)"
The sweet and sassy ‘Golden Afternoon’ flowers feature on a range of products such as handbags, t-shirts, jumpers and iPhone cases. The prints make colourful and enchanting designs for the pieces, whilst also being recognisable for any avid Disney fan.
The famous goofy Cheshire Cat smile is worn as a chest emblem on plain black and white t-shirts, as well as appearing on an iPhone case. Although purchasing one of the iPhone cases seems like an affordable way of owning a piece of the collection, they can cost up to $98 (probably slightly out of our student budgets).
It’s not only the charming characters of the Alice in Wonderland adaptation which appear on the products of the collection. The familiar “this way, that way” quote is engraved on a few of the jewellery pieces such as bracelets and earrings, which creates a simple but statement jewellery item which can be worn for any occasion.
The Disney collaboration once again shows the versatility of Marc Jacobs’ designs, different to the usual pieces you would expect from him. It has a much more casual feel to it, with clothing items consisting of pieces such as a plain t-shirt or patterned bomber jacket. The products would be much more suitable for a trip to the cinema or a chilled night in (even if the price tag suggests otherwise), rather than to a glitzy A-list affair.
One of Marc Jacobs’ previous collections, a collaboration with the designer of leather accessories Lana Bayne, was released in advance of this year’s Valentine’s Day. Bayne, who had previously designed harnesses for the Victoria’s Secret lingerie line, worked with Marc to produce a range of sexy S&M-esque accessories. The line included products such as leather studded cuffs, mini whip key chains and a heart-shaped leather mask. A racy alternative to the sweet and innocent Alice and Wonderland theme seen in the Disney collab.
With the release date so close to the holiday season, the Alice in Wonderland Collection could make the perfect Christmas gift. Each item exudes individuality and charm, especially as the collection is not expected to be in shops for long. It is also said to be the final collection of the Marc by Marc Jacobs range before it merges with the main line of the designer. This makes the collaboration that bit more special, both for Marc and any of those who are lucky enough to purchase pieces from the quirky and original collection.