Welcome to Drop School, an eight-week journey in which WePresent will teach you how to build hype around your products as a fashion designer. In episode six, Jordy learns about what co-signs and collaborations are, how important they can be to your success and, crucially, how to get them organically.
This Episode
This week Jordy learned about co-signs and collabs. In a co-sign there’s a hierarchy with one party helping someone else out with acknowledgement and validation. With a collaboration, two strong brands come together to make something. People love collaborations that bring expensive brands (Versace) down to high street prices (H&M). In this episode, Jordy dreams about his ideal co-signers and collaborators.
Expert celebrity stylist Leah Abbott happened to have a friend (Jorja Smith) who became famous, and she styled her. Teams and co-signs are often built from people you already know. “The streetwear brands that do the best are that big because their audience trusts them, they seem credible and authentic,” says Abbott. “Nowadays with everyone having so much access to what everyone’s doing all the time, with BTS (behind-the-scenes video) and all this, they can smell it a mile off, especially when someone posts something and it seems like an AI-generated ad.” Authentic collaborations give your brand longevity. The wrong collaboration can actually set you back.
So what shouldn’t you do when seeking out a collab or co-sign? “Where people go wrong is when they try to tap into a world that doesn’t really align with their brand and their identity,” says Abbott. Remember your identity, who you are and what your story is. Just reach out to people and see what happens, Jordy learns. Among the many nos, will be a strong yes.
Tweet thisJordy Kisombe
“There’s no formula to do what we’re doing so you just have to do it for yourself and see how it works.”
The Expert
Leah Abbott is a celebrity stylist who looks to 90s nostalgia as inspiration for her work. She has worked with acclaimed musical artists such as Jorja Smith, Skepta and more.
The Learnings
“The brands that do the best and are that big are because their audience trusts them, they seem credible, and they seem authentic. If something’s not authentic, they can smell it a mile off.”
“The wrong collaboration can cut you quite early.”
“You have to take away that fear of people saying no. Because amongst those no’s will be a yes. It gives you a thicker skin. No’s are good for us.”
