Meme-ingful Connections by Tinder, US
Paris – The boundaries between fashion and technology continue to blur in unexpected ways as the luxury brand unveils a fully functioning speaker handbag. Arriving as a collaboration with high-end consumer electronics company Bang & Olufsen, the bag fuses high sound quality with the sculptural design of Balenciaga’s signature handbags.
Revealed for the first time at Balenciaga’s 51st couture show in Paris, the speaker bags played music to the audience as they were carried by models on the runway. The creation is designed to reflect the attention both brands play to craft, delivering a hybrid product that delivers on both aesthetics and function. ‘Couture is custom, exclusive, culture creating and the art of making by extremely skilled craftsmen,’ says Miklu Silvanto, Bang & Olufsen's chief design officer. ‘This bag is a testament to what happens when two very special companies with an unparalleled heritage of craftsmanship join forces.’
The launch is part of ongoing efforts by Balenciaga to foster interest in couture for a new generation of luxury shoppers. We recently explored how the brand’s latest store acts as a gateway to couture.
Europe – In a bid to amplify women in sports, the sportswear giant is partnering with storytelling platform Rebel Girls to produce a limited-edition book in celebration of the UEFA European Women’s Championship. The book, Rebel Girls: Game-Changing Footballers, presents 12 stories of women athletes, coaches and community leaders. To inspire young women and girls, Nike will distribute 20,000 free copies of the book to children at Nike stores, as well as in various schools across the UK.
As part of the initiative, the two brands will also promote original stories and illustrations within their digital eco-systems. Here, Nike and Rebel Girls showcase the ways in which. the Women’s Football Revolution is evolving in line with Generation Alpha. ‘As we celebrate 12 women footballers from 10 countries with Nike in Rebel Girls: Game-Changing Footballers, we empower girls to see themselves as champions as we amplify the barrier-breaking achievements of women athletes around the world,’ said Jes Wolfe, CEO at Rebel Girls.
Elsewhere, we previously covered a video campaign and nostalgic sticker book that similarly flips the script on the rigid gender associations that are still common in football.
Rebel Girls and Nike, Europe
