colette Founder Sarah Andelman on the Importance of Collaboration
“You cannot do collaborations and always ask for the same things.”
Famed Parisian boutique colette is heading into its final month of existence. With 20 years of experience behind it, founder Sarah Andelman took the time to explain one element that’s been a cornerstone of the boutique — collaborations.
Andelman traces colette’s collaborative roots to the late ’90s, when the store would stock classic sneaker models from the likes of adidas and Nike — at the time, those shoe companies were mostly trading in cutting-edge tech, as opposed to retro styles. After turning down brands for exclusives, colette tapped Claude Closky to design its first adidas collaboration. Following that, the retailer began pushing for more innovative designs, soliciting collaborative designs from Longchamp, UNDERCOVER and Kangol for its joint undertakings with COMME des GARÇONS and Gap.
As the years went on, colette worked with icons like Hiroshi Fujiwara, sacai, Futura, and Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, curating in-store events for the likes of Pharrell and Sony. Andelman highlights the importance of innovative collaborations, with progressive designs that enact a true meeting-of-the-minds, as opposed to stale retreads. After all, colette left its mark on everything from phone cases to fidget spinners to vehicles.
Read the entire piece and take an on-feet look at what may be colette’s most hyped collaboration ever — the Pharrell x Chanel x adidas Originals Hu NMD.
