Tiffany & Co. taps into hypebeast culture with Supreme collab

Style
News
Posted 8 November, 2021

Credit: Tiffany & Co. x Supreme

By Jessica Byrne

London, UK

5 energy + Add Energy

0 comments

The luxury jewellery and homeware brand is looking to expand its consumer market beyond Upper East Side dwellers and soon-to-be-engaged Millennials this fall.

When you think of Tiffany & Co., you’re likely to think of the dainty, classic, minimal aesthetic of the 1960s, emulated most famously by Audrey Hepburn.

The brand has been a long-time seller of luxury goods and coveted diamonds worth millions, the stuff of dreams for women and girls around the world.

Tiffany & Co.’s most recent campaign featured Jay-Z and Beyonce, with Bey sporting a rather controversial blood diamond Tiffany necklace only worn previously by two celebrity icons – Ms. Hepburn and Lady Gaga.

So it’s slightly unsurprising that following this million-dollar PR boost from the music industry’s biggest power couple, a collaboration with hypebeast brand Supreme would be next on the agenda.

Tiffany and Co. is unsubtly looking to capture the Gen-Z market with their latest tagline ‘This Is Not Your Mother’s Tiffany’. The collaboration’s initial response on social media?

‘Genius.’

Tiffany & Co.’s partnership with Supreme suggests a divergence from its typically established and sophisticated clientele to a younger, progressive, and rebellious generation.

Alexandre Arnault, the brand’s new executive vice president is cited as responsible for igniting this spark within the company. He was previously the CEO of Rimowa, a luxury luggage line, and piloted suitcase collaborations with high-end brands like Dior, Moncler, and Supreme itself.

To attract and embody the vibe of a younger customer group, the Tiffany x Supreme’s initial promo adapts a gender fluid feel, with the brand’s iconic ‘Return To Tiffany’ heart pendant on a freshwater pearl necklace – worn by American skateboarder Sean Pablo.

Pablo is well-known for his tattooed, grungy aesthetics, as well as his previous high-profile collaborations with Converse streetwear brand PARADISE.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Supreme (@supremenewyork)

The choice to use men for the collaborations initial launch opens the jewellery brand to men in a way it has rarely done before.

Each of the items include the Heritage 925 engraving, aside from a t-shirt which trades the traditional red Supreme logo for the famous turquoise blue of Tiffany’s jewellery boxes.

Other known items included are a luxury key/pocketknife, heart tag keyring, star-shaped bracelet, heart-shaped earrings, and an army tag chain – with more estimated to be released.

This may have been an unexpected or even seemingly off brand business decision for Tiffany & Co. just a few years ago, but with the rise of hypebeast culture and Gen-Z’s inclination to mix vintage and modern styles together, it totally works.

As Supreme drops are usually highly exclusive, so is the Tiffany x Supreme collection.

The items go on sale from November 11^th, with Supreme encouraging shoppers in Berlin to sign up for the release event in the official store so that they don’t miss out.

Experts are suggesting luxury brands must focus on Gen-Z if they want to stay afloat in the future, and it looks like Tiffany has hit the nail on the head.

Tiffany & Co. has mixed their timeless, sterling silver styles with one of the most hyped luxury brands of our generation – and if you know anything about Supreme, you’ll know it’s bound to be a hit.

Jessica Byrne

Senior Writer & Media Coordinator London, UK

I’m Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Master’s degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

More from thred.

Why are toxic chemicals still in our make-up and cosmetic products?

Credit: Thred

Face

Why are toxic chemicals still in our make-up and cosmetic products?

Along with ‘forever chemicals’ that will never break down in our natural environment, many beauty products still contain ingredients that disrupt our hormones and cause harm to our bodies over time. Which chemicals should we steer clear of and what is being done to make them disappear for good? You’d think that companies making products designed to be lathered, sprayed, and smeared on our bodies would make sure that their...

By Jessica Byrne London, UK

Fashion reseller Vestiaire Collective is dumping fast fashion

Credit: Thred

Industry

Fashion reseller Vestiaire Collective is dumping fast fashion

The luxury second-hand site has launched a striking campaign to announce they’re banning fast fashion giants Zara, Uniqlo, and H&M. Vestiaire Collective has been a solid advocate for the green-fashion market since its inception in 2009. At the time, it was one of the first online retailers that specialised solely in second-hand luxury brands, and today remains one of the biggest. Last week it announced it would be banning fast fashion giants...

By Flo Bellinger Brighton, UK

Textile waste zombies visit fast fashion shops in the UK

Credit: Thred

News

Textile waste zombies visit fast fashion shops in the UK

The Or Foundation has teamed up with artist Jeremy Hutchinson to create fast fashion zombies that haunt high-street clothing stores in the UK. The aim is to raise awareness about the environmental cost of the industry while demanding greater transparency from retailers. By now, most of us are well aware of the terrible environmental and social costs of fast fashion. The industry is one of the primary polluters of our planet’s...

By Jessica Byrne London, UK

The major environmental impact of faux leather

Credit: Unsplash

Industry

The major environmental impact of faux leather

As the popularity of ethical fashion grows and consumers continue to seek out vegan clothing alternatives, it’s time we asked ourselves if these products are truly as sustainable as they seem. It’s common knowledge that fast-fashion has long-dominated the style landscape, for the affordable and straightforward way in which it enables consumers to keep up with continually fluctuating trends. However, unlike the rapid nature of these fads – which come and...