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.

Credit: Creative Commons

Industry

Angeline Jolie is launching a purpose-driven fashion brand

The actress and UN ambassador’s new venture will utilise deadstock and tap into the abilities of ‘refugees and other talented, under-appreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill.’ In the past few years, it’s become commonplace for celebrities to broaden their creative output. From seemingly endless forays into fashion, to the copious beauty brands that A-listers have founded, these days it’s almost unusual for our favourite actors,...

By Sofia Phillips London, UK

Credit: Thred

Industry

TikTok sparks conversations about disability in the beauty industry

Rare Beauty has received praise from disabled customers for their easy-to-use packaging, sparking critical conversations about the beauty industry’s lack of inclusivity. Since launching in 2020, Selena Gomez’ beauty brand ‘Rare Beauty’ has enjoyed staggering success. With sleek branding, shade variety, and trend-worthy products, the makeup line made $60 million in its first year. The brand has built itself around a mantra of inclusivity, both in its inclusive shade range and...

By Flo Bellinger Brighton, UK

Fashion experiments with AI in a bid to improve inclusivity

Credit: Thred

Industry

Fashion experiments with AI in a bid to improve inclusivity

Triggering a mixed response from both consumers and industry insiders, brands are having custom computer-generated models created to represent people from marginalised groups in digital form. It goes without saying that fashion has a diversity problem. And regardless of recent progress – largely attributable to the tireless efforts of the body positivity movement – things actually appear to be heading in the wrong direction. From barriers that still...

By Sofia Phillips London, UK

New report suggests the beauty industry is ignoring net zero

Credit: Pexels

Face

New report suggests the beauty industry is ignoring net zero

Titled ‘greenhouse gloss,’ Carbon Trust’s inquiry into the sector’s commitment to tackling climate change has uncovered that some major brands’ sustainability efforts are falling short. Although the beauty industry’s impact on the environment pales in comparison to fashion’s (which itself accounts for ten per cent of humanity’s total emissions), the sector’s practices are very much taking their toll. From unsustainable resource consumption and the

By Sofia Phillips London, UK