From Yeezy and Gap to Supreme and Pat McGrath, it was a year of groundbreaking collaborations between unlikely pairs.

In 2020, the fashion industry found its own key to virality: unlikely yet genius designer pairings. When high fashion houses like Gucci, Prada, and Dior team up with more accessible brands like the North Face or Adidas&mdash;or when Supreme collaborates with Pat McGrath for a&nbsp;lipstick, which nobody could have predicted&mdash;fashion (and sometimes financial) history is made. Here, L&#39;OFFICIEL&nbsp;rounds up&nbsp;the biggest designer collaborations of this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

yzy-yeezy-gap-collaboration-2020.jpg

In June, Kanye West announced on <a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1276495666781528066?s=20" target="_blank">Twitter</a> that his brand, Yeezy, struck a multi-million dollar, 10-year-deal with Gap.&nbsp;Shortly after, the American retailer&#39;s stock <a href="https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/gap-stock-soars-kanye-west-yeezy-deal/" target="_blank">soared</a> by 39 percent, and the announcement brought more than $1.4 billion to Gap&#39;s market cap.&nbsp;The line for men, women, and children is set to debut in 2021, but West offerred a colorful sneak <a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1283934505602969600?s=20" target="_blank">peek</a> in July.&nbsp;

dior-nike-air-jordan-1-lookbook-12.jpg

dior-nike-air-jordan-1-lookbook-04.jpg

Screen Shot 2020-12-21 at 12.03.16 PM.png

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/dior-couture-fall-2020-surrealist-collection" target="_blank">Dior</a> and Nike&#39;s Jordan Brand first debuted their collaborative Air Jordan 1 shoe at <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/dior-men-fall-show-art-basel-2019" target="_blank">Dior Men&#39;s Pre-Fall 2020 show</a>&nbsp;in Miami, which sent hypebeasts and sneakerheads into a frenzy. On the 35th anniversary of the Air Jordan, Creative Director&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/Amoako-Boafo-dior-mens-spring-2021" target="_blank">Kim Jones</a>&nbsp;set a goal to make &quot;the most luxurious Air Jordan 1 ever,&quot; and the shoe&nbsp;became available online for over $2,3000 during a pre-drop in June. The <a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/man/air%20dior%20jordan%202020" target="_blank">Air Dior</a> shoe and an accompanying capsule collection were both scheduled to be carried in Dior&#39;s boutiques, but due to the increase in COVID-19 regulations and fear of crowding because of the incredible response to the collaboration, Dior cancelled a physical release.

telfar-ugg-collaboration-2020.jpg

telfar-ugg-holiday-collab.jpg

telfar-ugg-holiday-collab-2020.jpg

Twenty-twenty was the year of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficiel.at/en/accessories/why-the-telfar-shopping-bag-is-the-new-it-bag-and-it-comes-with-a-message" target="_blank">Telfar Shopping Bag</a> designed by <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/fashion/the-cult-fashion-bag-brands-that-should-be-on-your-radar" target="_blank">Telfar</a> Clemens, who the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/cfda-fashion-awards-2020-noominees" target="_blank">CFDA</a> named&nbsp;accessories designer of the year. In September, shortly after the cancellation of Telfar&#39;s partnership with Gap, the designer announced a collaboration with Ugg. The Telfar x Ugg Shopping Bag took the same shape as the brand&#39;s signature tote, but in Ugg&#39;s classic chestnut color with a white shearling Telfar logo. A presale for the bags took place on Telfar&#39;s website on November 30 for 24 hours only.&nbsp;

supreme-pat-mcgrath-collaboration-2020.jpg

It&#39;s only fair that for Supreme&#39;s first-ever beauty collaboration, they work with a legend: <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/pat-mcgrath-labs-launches-decadence-collection" target="_blank">Pat McGrath</a>, one of the most influential makeup artists in the world. On September 10, the pair released a single red <a href="https://www.supremenewyork.com/previews/fallwinter2020/accessories/supreme-pat-mcgrath-labs-lipstick" target="_blank">lipstick</a>, in the shade Supreme, that retailed for $38 and sold out immediately.&nbsp;

gucci-north-face-collab-2020.jpg

gucci-the-north-face-collaboration.png

gucci-north-face-backpacks-hiking-collaboration.jpg

gucci-north-face-collab.jpg

gucci-the-north-face-collaboration-looks.jpg

gucci-the-north-face-collaboration.jpg

In true 2020 fashion, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gucci-epilogue-collection" target="_blank">Gucci</a> first announced its collaboration with The North Face on <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/how-to-make-tik-tok-trends-high-fashion-corsets-" target="_blank">TikTok</a> and Instagram in a series of short videos. While the collection hasn&#39;t dropped yet, it will mark creative director <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/alessandro-michele-gucci-creative-director-harry-styles-jared-leto" target="_blank">Alessandro Michele</a>&#39;s first collaboration with a brand, and campaign images were released on December 22. The &#39;70s-inspired collection includes everything from puffer jackets and footwear to tents and sleeping bags. The collaboration will debut in China in select stores, and some pieces will also be available exclusively on Gucci&#39;s website.&nbsp;

prada-adidas-superstar-collaboration-2020.jpg

prada-adidas-collaboration.jpg

prada-adidas-superstar-collab-2020.jpg

prada-adidas-superstar-collab.jpg

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/happy-birthday-miuccia-prada" target="_blank">Miuccia Prada</a> collaborated with Adidas for a simple yet luxe take on the brand&#39;s classic Superstar sneaker, which Adidas originally created in 1969. The leather shoes debuted in three different colorways on September 8 at Prada and Adidas stores. This is the second phase of Prada&#39;s collaboration with Adidas after the two brands released an all-white Superstar in late 2019.&nbsp;

Billie Eilish and Takashi Murakami&nbsp;x Uniqlo

billie-eilish-takashi-murakami-uniqlo-collaboration.jpg

billie-eilish-takashi-murakimi-collab.jpg

billie-eilish-takashi-murakimi.jpg

uniqlo-ut-billie-eilish-takashi-murakami-collab-07.jpg

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/billie-eilish-documentary-trailer-the-worlds-a-little-blurry-apple-tv" target="_blank">Billie Eilish</a> teamed up with Japanese artist <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/art/murakami-article" target="_blank">Takashi Murakami</a> to design&nbsp;a line of colorful T-shirts for Uniqlo&#39;s UT collection. The world loves Eilish for her style as much as they do for her music, and the pieces reach a unique union of Eilish&#39;s signature slouchy look and Murakami&#39;s iconic playfulness.&nbsp;

Aim&eacute; Leon Dore x New Balance&nbsp;

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 827 

Bella Hadid wears the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 827 shoe. 

new-balance-aime-leon-dore-sneaker.jpg

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance P550

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance P550 via founder Teddy Santis's Instagram.

In another drop heard &#39;round the hypebeast world, fashion and lifestyle brand&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aimeleondore.com/" target="_blank">Aim&eacute; Leon Dore</a> collaborated with New Balance on a line of shoes and apparel in March. While this wasn&#39;t the brand&#39;s first time collaborating with New Balance, the&nbsp;Aim&eacute; Leon Dore x New Balance 827 shoe went viral for its colorful and lego-like appearance. The shoes launched on March 13 in cream, red, and yellow.&nbsp;

Later in 2020, the pair collaborated again with an equally buzzed-about sneaker. The&nbsp;Aim&eacute; Leon Dore x New Balance P550 released in four colorways on October 9.&nbsp;

uniqlo-jil-sander-+j-fall-2020.jpg

uniqlo-jil-sander-fall-2020-collaboration.jpg

uniqlo-jil-sander-fall-winter-2020-collaboration.jpg

jil-sander-uniqlo-collab.jpg

German designer <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/jil-sander-uniqlo-interview-plus-j-fashion" target="_blank">Jil Sander</a> teamed up with Uniqlo in 2009 for a collaborative label called +J. One of the first partnerships of its kind, +J consisted of simple urban quality pieces and lasted for two years before discontinuing. In November, the partnership relaunched +J with a Fall/Winter 2020 <a href="https://www.uniqlo.com/plusj/20fw/us/en/" target="_blank">collection</a> that debuted online and in Uniqlo stores.&nbsp;

The 9 Most Viral Fashion Collaborations of 2020

Tags

Related Articles

Fashion

The 12 Biggest Fashion Moments of 2020

Fashion

Fashion's Biggest Designer Comebacks in 2020

Fashion

2020 Fall Shoe Trends that Ruled the Runway

Recommended posts for you

Beauty

Rhode's Cinnamon Roll Lip Tint Is Finally Here

Fashion

These Timeless Luxury Accessories Were Made to Cherish for a Lifetime

Beauty

The Evolution of Rocker Hair

Fashion

Louis Vuitton Re-Opens in NYC With Five-Floor Extravaganza

Music

Tate McRae Announces 2025 Tour, Drops New Single

Fashion

Dior's Lady Art Project Returns With Stunning Artist-Made Bags

Pop culture

20 Rare Photos of Young King Charles III: A Look at His Earlier Life

Fashion

Skims Teams Up With Dolce & Gabbana for a Luxurious Collaboration