With the holidays behind us, there are just a few more things to take care of before we can close out 2021. The year was filled with some of the biggest and most exciting collaborations we’ve seen; from Yeezy x GAP and UGG x Telfar, to Jordan x Union and Supreme x Tiffany & Co. We’ve taken stock of some of the most exciting partnerships to come to fruition in 2021 so if you feel like you may have missed out on the biggest collaboration of the year, we’ve got you covered.
A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 3 Retro
The collaborative Air Jordan 3 Retro with A Ma Maniére was one of the biggest partnerships of the year. Delivered in women’s sizing in April of 2021, the sneaker was released in honor of the important role women play in the Black community. Despite the sneaker being made available exclusively in women’s sizing, this shoe immediately piqued the interest of all sneakerheads. For that reason, larger sizes, particularly those that men can fit into, have skyrocketed in price on the resale market. As far as the design goes, the Jordan 3 Retro A Ma Maniére is primarily dominated by white tumbled leather and medium grey suede. The sneaker gives off a distinctly vintage look, with yellowed sole, eyelets, and heel tab details. Perhaps most notable is the interior quilted satin lining, which elevated the sneaker to a near-luxury level. If you’re looking to get your hands on one of 2021’s best collaborative sneakers, you can’t go wrong with the Jordan 3 Retro A Ma Maniére.
Supreme x Tiffany & Co. Box Logo T-Shirt
Yeezy x GAP was supposed to be the best collaboration of 2021 in the apparel space and while that debut was a big deal, there was no streetwear collaboration more important than Supreme x Tiffany & Co. The collaboration joined two of New York’s most well-known and storied brands for the delivery of a small jewelry collection accompanied by a new Tiffany Blue Supreme Box Logo T-shirt. The small collection featured just seven pieces including keychains, bracelets, and a pearl necklace. The Supreme Tiffany & Co. Box Logo T-shirt has become one of the best-selling apparel items on StockX since its release in November and will probably end up being one of the best-selling Supreme items of 2021. If you can’t stand the thought of closing out 2021 without owning the year’s biggest apparel collaboration, grab a Supreme x Tiffany & Co. Box Logo T-shirt on StockX now.
Jordan 4 Retro SP 30th Anniversary Union
After releasing two colorways of a Jordan 4 last year, Union returned to the silhouette for their 30th Anniversary. Founded in 1991, Union celebrated 30 years with several collaborative partnerships spread throughout the year. The collaboration with Jordan Brand was titled “Tent and Trail” and took place in June, including two colorways of a Jordan 4 based on outdoor gear. This particular Jordan 4 features Desert Moss-colored suede overlays with hits of purple and turquoise. A white sole grounds the sneaker, delivering a contrasted yet easily wearable desert-inspired Jordan 4.
Yeezy x GAP Hoodie
Kanye West’s Yeezy x GAP partnership was originally announced during the summer of 2020. Just under a year later, in June of 2021, Mr. West and his GAP associates made their first piece, the Round Jacket, available for pre-sale. Over the course of the summer, the Yeezy x GAP partnership made three colors of the jacket available to shop, with shipping dates scheduled for this winter. But it was the sudden release of the Yeezy x GAP Hoodie in late September that demonstrated the partnership’s true prowess. The pair released six hoodies as a part of their first release, with colors ranging from blue to brown and even including a purple version. The hoodies quickly became one of the best-selling apparel items on StockX and it’s no stretch to say that the Yeezy x GAP Hoodie is the sweatshirt of the season. Made from a double-layered, 100% cotton material, the hoodies are exceptionally thick and heavy, making them a perfect layering piece for those living in colder climates.
sacai x KAWS x Nike Blazer Low
KAWS had a huge year in 2021. Brian Donnelly, the artist known as KAWS, celebrated 25 years of creating under the name this year and he didn’t hold anything back in celebration. Collaborative partnerships for KAWS in 2021 came with the biggest names in the industry from sacai and Nike to Supreme and Uniqlo. KAWS’ three-way sacai and Nike collaboration was originally announced in the spring of 2021, and its official release came just two seasons later in the fall. The collaboration was set on sacai’s popular collaborative Nike Blazer Low, for which KAWS has now delivered four of his own double-laced colorways. The designs draw their color schemes from some of KAWS’ most popular artwork and feature a small debossed XX logo on the outside lateral sole. If you’re a KAWS fan and want something special to celebrate 25 years of your favorite artist, you can’t go wrong with the sacai x KAWS x Nike Blazer Lows.
Microsoft Xbox x Gucci Series X Special Edition
2021 was a year full of anniversaries. Union celebrated 30 years, KAWS celebrated his 25 year anniversary, and Microsoft’s Xbox celebrated its 20th anniversary. In honor of the Xbox’s 20-year run, Italian luxury brand, Gucci, joined Microsoft for an extremely limited release. The collaboration officially dropped in November of this year, just in time for the holiday shopping season, and just 100 units of this model were made available. The Microsoft Xbox x Gucci Xbox Series X features an all-over embossed GG Monogram print on the console itself and comes with two branded controllers. Because the Gucci Xbox deserves to be shown off, the console was released with a co-branded trunk, which features neon Xbox branding and a GG Monogram print. As potentially the most exclusive console ever, the Gucci Xbox was released at a retail price of $10,000 and has been resold on StockX for almost $25,000, making it one of the most expensive and best collaborations of 2021.
Telfar x UGG Shopping Bag
Telfar’s collaborative relationship with UGG began last year and continued into 2021, releasing on a relatively regular basis. While the collection has featured everything from apparel to footwear, the bags from the collection have certainly been the most popular pieces. The Telfar x UGG Shopping Bag is the collaboration’s unquestionable favorite, and while it was released at the end of last year, it’s still the biggest Telfar x UGG piece on StockX this year. The bag features cream shearling details set against chestnut nubuck and will match perfectly with your recently copped UGG Classic Mini II Boot.
Nike x Drake NOCTA Golf Crewneck Top
Drake has had quite the year. Coming off the December 2020 debut of his long-term collaborative Nike sub-label NOCTA, Drake started the year off in a good place and it only got better from there. Since the start of this year, Drake has released his full-length album, Certified Lover Boy, and collaborated with Chrome Hearts and Nike on album merchandise. Drake and Nike also advanced the narrative of their NOCTA sub-label, delivering three more apparel releases and a number of restocks. The pair’s most exciting release of the year took place in September, just a few weeks after Drake’s new album was released. For the first time in its short history, Drake and Nike’s NOCTA partnership delivered a sport-focused collaborative apparel collection centered on golf. The collaborative apparel was playful, stylish, and even functional, making it a favorite for Nike-aligned pro-athletes during the fall season. The standout piece by far was the green crewneck, which features prominent NOCTA branding and is made with a mesh interior and lightweight material for breathability.
Gucci x The North Face Padded Jacket
Gucci and The North Face kicked 2021 off with a bang. Their first collection, which included more than 70 never-before-seen collaborative apparel items was announced last year and officially released just days into the 2021 calendar year. The collection included everything from co-branded t-shirts and hoodies, to Gucci GG Monogram covered jackets and sold out nearly instantly on the Gucci website. After a 9 month quiet period, the partnership returned for part two in November, delivering a restock of some of the collaboration’s more popular pieces and introducing a host of new apparel and outerwear options. This particular jacket was released as a part of the second collaboration and capitalized on everything that could have made Gucci x The North Face a hit. It features The North Face’s outerwear expertise while being unapologetic about its collaborative nature, showing off both brands prominently on the left chest of the jacket and boasting an all-over Gucci GG Monogram print.
