There aren’t many collaborations between luxury fashion labels and major sports brand. The introduction of athleisure or a collaboration between Ralph Lauren and Wimbledon probably come closest to it. First, the functional and comfort aspect of sports clothes is different from that of high-end designer labels. Second, there are only few sports events associated with luxury (Wimbledon or Monaco GP being some) so the target group is very different. Gucci is now trying to create a bridge by partnering with the MLB.
The collaboration was announced via Instagram on April 14th. It will be available in Gucci’s Vault starting September 22nd. Items will include caps, jackets, bags and many more. Logos from various teams will be visible on all fashion items. It is not the first time Gucci ventured into the world of sports. Last year, the company released an $850 indoor soccer shoe. So far, we haven’t seen many professional indoor soccer player or other sports stars wearing the shoe. Therefore, it remains to be seen how successful the new MLB collaboration will be. After all, you typically associate baseball with beer, hot dogs and having a good time with friend and family.
Some of the baseball caps in the collection look very similar to the standard NY Yankees cap that has become famous worldwide. Other caps have a team logo printed over the Gucci monogram. Some other items like jackets, blazers and shoes give you the feeling that someone printed a NY or LA logo on a typical Gucci item. But we are sure that hardcore MLB fans can’t wait to get their hands on their favorite Gucci item and simultaneously show which team they support.
Images courtesy of Gucci
