Moving up one collab at a time

Singapore’s luxury brand—to some, anyway—Charles and Keith has collaborated with the dark lord French label Blvck. Charles and Keith has called the partnership “unprecedented”. And perhaps due to that, generated a rather small output, with just four products: two bags, a pair of boots, and a teddy bear charm. The bags come in a half-moon crossbody and a tote. The sole footwear is a pair of knee-high boots with chunky rubber soles, said to project a “cool-girl” image. It is also touted as unisex. All items are, as expected, in black, and sport Blvck’s just-as-ebony rose motif, except the bear, which is the only item with slivers of white on it in the form of branding. Designed with a carabineer atop its head, the bear is likely a charm companion to the bags, but for some consumers, is unlikely a substitute for the now-raging Labubu.

Blvck was created in 2017 by designer Julian O’hayon and co-founder Thomas Johnston as a luxury streetwear brand. It sells clothing, accessories, as well as leather good that are primarily in shades of black. They consistently achieve sellout collections that, no doubt, is due to the TikTok support they have received. Both men are essentially web designers, while Mr O’hayon can include “piano prodigy” in his resume. The brand began just seven years and was met with encouraging success although they sold everything in one non-colour. At the beginning, both men worked apart, Mr O’hayon, who’s French, in Belgium, while Mr Johnston, who is Australian, operated Down Under. Just two years after Blvck was launched, Forbes reported that the brand generated US$1 million in annual revenue. Unsurprising that 28-year-old Charles & Keith, geriatric in fashion years, wanted to a vestige of Blvck’s darksome edge.

The Charles & Keith X Black capsule is available to buy online only, but products can be examined at the Charles & Keith MBS store. Photos: Charles & Keith/Blvck. Collage: Just So