We can’t seem to get enough of unique fashion collaborations. In the past we’ve seen luxury fashion brands partner up with the world of gaming, anime and pop culture, bringing together a meeting of the minds to capture the attention of fans. No stranger to unique collaborations, like the one it had with Supreme, Burberry has announced a partnership with award-winning manga series, ‘Blue Period’.
Like the Burberry x Roblox partnership prior in which the brand introduced its signature Lola bag to the gaming world via five limited-edition virtual designs and emotes, the iconic bag is once again the focus of the new partnership.
Burberry’s collaboration with ‘Blue Period’ is rooted in creativity and self-expression. The award-winning manga series written and illustrated by Tsubasa Yamaguchi provides an exciting avenue for the brand to explore. For this exciting partnership the author created a limited-edition Burberry- inspired issue which features a bespoke storyline and includes a character named after the brand’s signature quilted bag, Lola.
Channelling the attitude of the Lola bag, Yamaguchi’s one-off tale continues to be shaped by the values of the series and depicts an emotional journey in which Yatora and Ryuji meet with a new character, Lola.
Inspired by her bold behaviour, inner strength, purity and the freedom of her self-expression – traits that are embodied by the Lola bag – Yatora begins to admire Lola and how she has curated a life that he wants, a life free from both external and internal restraints.
Merging Fashion And Manga
On creating the story, ‘Blue Period’ author Tsubasa Yamaguchi revealed that he watched Burberry being featured on TV since he was a child. “It is one of those brands that I not only feel familiar with but also admire. That’s why I was really surprised to be offered this opportunity to collaborate, and to be honest, I feared that the project may be unachievable.”
Yamaguchi adds that when the discussion progressed and the collaboration was decided, he also reflected deeply about why ‘Blue Period; was selected. “I came to think about the things that only manga can do and those are the things that I must do. Since Burberry is a brand that I admire, I was careful not to treat it with excessive respect and tried to work in the same way as usual. I felt that doing so is the best way to show my respect towards Burberry and I hope this feeling gets conveyed to Burberry fans.”
Reflecting a shared belief in creativity opening spaces and enriching people’s lives, the special issue is designed to celebrate the journey that comes with creativity and the positive impact of pushing boundaries. Additionally, Burberry has also partnered with Arts Initiative Tokyo – a non-profit organisation that provides young people from underprivileged backgrounds with an open approach to learning through art and expression – and its dear Me project.
dear Me organises workshops, lectures and events where participants can learn together about art as well as about the social issues and systems they are confronted with.
As far as the limited-edition issue goes, Burberry will be making it available for visitors to take free of charge within all Burberry boutiques across Japan from Saturday 20 August 2022. For those unable to access a store, the issue will also be available to view online. There will also be exclusive mobile phone wallpapers drawn by Tsubasa Yamaguchi available for download on Burberry’s LINE account.
To encourage community participation in the arts and celebrate the story behind this special issue, Burberry will also be staging a takeover of their Omotesando store. The interior of the store will be adorned with enlarged manga illustrations of Yatora, Ryuji and Lola. There will also be an immersive exhibition of the story across the store’s third floor, presented in an immersive museum-style format.
(Images: Burberry)
