Have you ever wished that you could wear your love for your favourite food brand (literally) on your sleeve? Well, thanks to these fabulous food-meets-fashion crossovers, you can. We’ve scoped out 15 of the tastiest collaborations the fashion world has ever seen, from Primark’s Greggs bucket hats to Moschino’s high-fashion take on fast food. Whether you want to eat comfort food in your branded comfort wear or dine at a restaurant where everyone wears Gucci, there’s something to suit all tastes.
Delicious crispy chicken, wok-tossed in a sweet and spicy orange sauce... Is there any more satisfying take-out treat than Panda Express’ famous Orange Chicken? The Chinese restaurant’s signature dish is so beloved throughout the United States that in 2020 LA streetwear brand Anti Social Social Club (ASSC) brought out a range of graphic T-shirts, hoodies and caps emblazoned with its image.
The co-branded collection of T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts featured the usual distorted Anti Social Social Club logo alongside a cartoon illustration of the fan-favourite snack being picked up by chopsticks from a classic Panda Express takeout box. The headgear was a little more subtly decorated with a circular Panda Express logo and ASSC motif, but was nonetheless perfect for fashion lovers who wanted to give a "nod" to the popular American-Chinese chain.
Crusty bread may not be considered haute cuisine by many, but in 2019 the humble loaf enjoyed a brief period of "haute couture" status as part of French fashion label Jacquemus’s fall campaign. Alhough it wasn’t a food-influenced collection per se, the show was titled "Le Meunier", or "The Miller", and, in keeping with the floury theme, loaves of bread were sent out to major fashion movers and shakers to invite them along.
A celebration of the French working man, the show, which took place at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo art museum, was far from your typical catwalk affair. Instead, the stylishly-clad male models meandered around a wooden table loaded with buttered toast, jams and croissants before finally taking a seat and tucking in. Never has a continental breakfast been so effortlessly chic.
In 2020, Coca-Cola teamed up with Japanese fashion brand A Bathing Ape to bring snappy dressers a statement-making summer capsule wardrobe. Working off Coke’s signature red, black and white colour palette, the eye-catching collection consisted of T-shirts, hoodies, trucker hats, bucket hats, trainers, headbands, swimming trunks, and even kimonos. All of the fashion-forward items featured Coca-Cola and A Bathing Ape logos, with brand names written in both Japanese and English.
But that’s not all. In addition to the wearable Coca-Cola x A Bathing Ape (BAPE) swag, the collection also comprised a few more affordable trinkets, from Japanese uchiwa fans to pins, towels, bottle cap keychains and drinking glasses. In another refreshing move, a special BAPE-branded Coca-Cola beverage can was also created so fans of the collaboration could sip their soda in style.
McDonald's may be famous for its fast food, but if Moschino’s McDonald’s-inspired 2014 capsule collection is anything to go by, it certainly has nothing to do with fast fashion. The high-end designer brand’s Fall offering included handbags, T-shirts, dresses, French fry carton-shaped iPhone cases, and jumpers embellished with giant ‘M’s, which looked suspiciously like the Golden Arches. Prices ranged from $78 (£64) to a whopping $1,265 (£1,033).
And McDonald’s wasn’t the only foodie juggernaut given the Moschino treatment that year. Other ready-to-wear wonders in the Fall 2014 collection included Hershey’s-inspired chocolate-coloured gowns, bow-wrapped Kellogg’s Fruit Loops frocks, and a range of jumpers, tees and dresses paying homage to everyone’s favourite puffed corn snack: Cheetos. Many of the items proved immensely popular, selling out in a matter of weeks.
South Korean artist MLMA’s motto is “Nothing’s good or bad. It’s all art". We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether this unique collaboration between Kentucky Fried Chicken and Crocs – for which MLMA was the poster girl – is any, all, or none of the above. Launched in February 2020, the unusual footwear was inspired by the iconic KFC bucket, with red-and-white striped platforms, a snazzy fried chicken print, and eerily realistic drumstick-shaped "Jibbitz" charms.
Not only did the limited-edition KFC charms resemble fried chicken pieces, but they’re said to have been infused with the scent of the Colonel’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices too. To prevent wearers of the Kentucky Fried footwear from getting too inquisitive though, the Crocs website did go as far as mentioning that they were "not for human consumption". That’s cleared that up, then.
World-famous for its freshly baked bagels, seriously good coffee and unrivalled selection of deli delights, Zabar’s bakery is something of a New York institution. But in the fashion world, two New York institutions are often better than one, which is why the store joined forces with another New York brand, Coach, to create a handful of fun food-themed clothing items in March 2022.
Perfect for bread addicts and fashion-lovers alike, the Zabar’s x Coach collection featured a Mohair jumper decorated (or should we say schmeared?) with a loud, proud seeded bagel design with a hint of cream cheese filling. For those who believe less is more, the T-shirt and instant sell-out bag sported the image of a classic plain bagel alongside the iconic orange Zabar’s logo. Talk about looking good enough to eat…
Fruit and vegetables may not seem like typical fashionista fodder, but in 2022 our leafy friends enjoyed a moment in the sun when they became the muse for Levi’s "Fresh" Spring/Summer campaign. And not for the first time, either: Levi’s relationship with grocery items goes way back to the 1970s, when the brand launched its original "Fresh Produce" range.
Inspired by the colour palette of healthy veggies and fruits, this year’s selection of summery garments came in a range of naturally sourced pastel hues, from lavender and pink to peach and yellow. If you look closely, you’ll see that each piece also featured a black tab with a quirky fruit or vegetable design (a new spin on the seventies' original carrot-adorned tabs).
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In February 2022, Primark and Greggs, a British bakery chain that's famed for its good, honest and hearty food, teamed up to create a viral pastry-themed collection that had eager fans queueing from early in the morning. It all started when Primark mannequins were spotted with fan-favourite steak bakes and sausage rolls hidden in their pockets, hinting at the upcoming crossover.
Shoppers were beyond keen to get their hands on pieces from the collaboration, which featured socks emblazoned with the Greggs logo alongside reusable branded coffee cups. Not only was the collection available in Primark stores, but a pop-up was also opened for two days in London’s Soho, serving shoppers on an appointment-only basis.
Greggs's first foray into the fashion world with Primark was such a success that it decided to go for round two. After all, Brits love their reasonably priced baked goods; and what better way to declare this undying love than by having the Greggs logo splashed all over their clothing? The second collaboration between the bakery and fashion retailer featured the same motifs as the initial collection, but was more summer-focused.
Announced in July 2022, the second collaboration between Greggs and Primark was advertised as its ‘Festival Collection’, featuring garments fit for British summertime and festival season. The 21-piece collection included croc-style shoes and bucket hats in Greggs' signature blue and yellow.
London-based fashion designer Anya Hindmarch celebrated her love for British food and drink brands with a collection dedicated to her ultimate favourites. While Heinz Baked Beans and Kikkoman Soy Sauce don’t necessarily scream glamour, Hindmarch put her own twist on the branding, resulting in a range of stunning sequin-clad totes. Sporting your favourite brand in bag form won’t come cheap though, as the viral totes go for £895 ($1,395) each.
A collaboration between Nike trainers and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream resulted in the Chunky Dunky Sneaker, a limited-edition take on the classic Nike Dunk Low with mismatched and clashing prints. With cow print trim, tie-dye inners and the rolling hills that feature on Ben & Jerry’s packaging printed on the side panels, the Chunky Dunky trainers were not for the faint of heart. The official Ben & Jerry’s announcement stated: “If it’s not fun, why do it?”
The Chunky Dunky design was bold and unique, and it was overwhelmingly popular. Collectors and resellers bought up the entire limited-edition drop, which can now be found on many reselling websites with prices starting from £1,000 ($1,200).
In 2019, Moschino announced its 15-item collaborative capsule collection with Budweiser. The Italian fashion house is known for its bold prints and designs, and its Budweiser collaboration was no exception. The range ccelebrated Budweiser’s release of two limited-edition bottles for Pulse lager, and the bottles and clothing went hand-in-hand, with playful, bold aesthetics.
The limited-edition collection was designed by Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott and revolved around Budweiser’s classic branding. Bold red, white and silver colours were used, with "Moschino" printed in Budweiser’s logo font. The collection included T-shirts, dresses, sports bags and swimsuits, all emblazoned with the iconic branding.
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The original Baguette Bag was introduced by Fendi in the late 1990s, and became a noughties fashion staple. Why was it named after a French bakery product? According to Vogue, it “nestles under the arm as easily as the long, crusty French loaf from which it borrows its name". In April 2022, KFC released its own take on the iconic "it" bag: "The Wrapuette", supposedly designed to carry KFC’s Twister wraps. It was even insulated to keep your wraps nice and warm.
The Wrapuette was handmade from bright red Italian leather, with a classic Colonel Sanders motif on the front and some cool KFC bag charms. Noughties fashion has been making a comeback in a big way lately, so it made sense for KFC to hop on the trend.
In 2018, luxury fashion house Gucci opened the Gucci Osteria in Florence. The restaurant was set in one of its boutique stores' side rooms, and served up fresh Italian-inspired cuisine from chef Massimo Bottura (whose own restaurant, Osteria Francescana, was named the best in the world by Restaurant magazine in 2016). Gucci Osteria sits at the intersection between fine dining and high fashion, with food served on Gucci tableware by waiters clad in Gucci clothing.
If there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s that KFC loves to dip its toes into the fashion world from time to time. KFC Malaysia collaborated with street and skatewear brand Pestle & Mortar to bring fans of the fried chicken chain a selection of KFC-themed threads. Pestle & Mortar, like many other streetwear brands, keep its designs graphic-heavy, and its KFC collaboration was no exception.
Featuring 11 items (after KFC’s 11 herbs and spices), the collaboration included bucket hats and T-shirts featuring an image of Colonel Sanders, as well as graphic illustrations of Malaysia’s first KFC outlet. Pestle & Mortar’s creative director stated that “each garment tells a story of what KFC means to each and every Malaysian".