By Chinazam Ikechi-Uko.
One of everything is cute, but two, though… Even better, it is two creatives you love. Both in fiction and non-fiction, crossovers have been revered by the masses, and a few of our favourite brands have taken notes. The vacation months of 2024 saw our favourite Afrobeats stars drop albums and serenade global stages. The list of stars includes the femme iconoclasts Tems and Ayra Starr. Both have managed to keep their fans occupied with tour dates, listening parties, and festival appearances; Starr topped it up a notch with a documentary and a doll. However, one thing their fans were excited about was merchandise and that called for a partnership with a fashion brand.
From creating unique merchandise lines to capsule collections with liquor companies; our very own homegrown talents made big deals. The world of fashion and music collide in a collaborative effort, these partnerships add a new dimension to the creative landscape. Here are the hottest brand collaborations that the summer ushered in:
LATTO X MEJI MEJI:
In 2023, Meji Meji created tees with a rendition of the Redeem Church Logo. But instead of a dove at its centre, it was the words Meji Meji; and instead of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God written in the red circles, it was Support Our Ministry. It was on brand with Meji Meji’s love of using trolling as a tool when designing. However, one person did take them up on that challenge and supported their ministry. This was American rapper, Latto who collaborated with the brand’s designer, Tolu Oye, for the merchandise line of her album, Sugar Honey Ice Tea. The collection is available on Latto’s website.
TEMS X PATTA:
“We’re excited to announce that the special collaboration between Patta and Tems, celebrating the release of Tems’ new album, “Born in the Wild” is now available online at patta.nl.” Patta Amsterdam expressed on its Instagram that for her tour stop in Amsterdam, Tems, the Afrobeats singer, had collaborated with the brand for her merchandise line. Patta is a Surinamese Heritage brand with four branches; Patta Amsterdam, Patta Lagos, Patta London, and Patta Milan. The capsule collection is currently sold out and Patta does not plan on restocking. “Don’t miss out on owning a piece of music and fashion history, this is a limited run, and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good!” On the bright side, they recounted the Tems experience at the pop-up on their blog.
SEUN KUTI X PATTA:
So maybe you missed the Tems collaboration with Patta. But this is not a snooze-you-loose case because Patta has introduced another fashion weapon from its arsenal, a collaboration with Seun Kuti. The Nigerian musician Seun Kuti has had an explosive 2020s, walking Italian runways like Casablanca and performing on global stages. Now, he is gearing up for an album drop on the 4th of October with a world tour to promote it. But between his busy schedule, he found time to create a merchandise line with Patta. The collection is available online and in every Patta outlet.
AYRA STARR X ASOS:
Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline. Well, the Maybelline brand ambassador, Ayra Starr is constantly proving she was born with it and now, everyone has taken notice. One fan of the Sabi girl turns out to be fashion retailing giant, ASOS. The brand collaborated with Ayra Starr to offer her fans a unique blend of fashion and music in celebration of her album, The Year I Turned 21. For the event, ASOS created a custom piece for Starr which included a white T-shirt with the words Pretty Girls ❤️ Ayra Starr.
JOHNNIE WALKER X THIS IS US:
From collaborations with streetwear brands like PITH to contemporary womenswear labels such as IAMISIGO, This Is Us has garnered a reputation for being one of the most flexible brands. Community is a vital part of the brand as it empowers several artisans around the nation with its Funtua project. This time, This Is Us and Johnnie Walker, the Scotch Whiskey brand, have collaborated to create a limited-edition clothing collection called “Walk With Us.” The collection features indigo-dyed pieces with hand-stitched inspirational messages. This partnership celebrates Nigerian visionaries and encourages them to pursue their dreams. Shop the collection on its site.