Although a large portion of the population never really needs it for it’s intended use, outerwear is a fashion lover fan-favorite and wardrobe staple. The outdoor world is also not safe from hype culture – whether it’s Supreme’s annual capsule with The North Face, Salehe Bembury’s parternship with Moncler, or every brand’s attempt at using GORE-TEX somehow. But it’s been a while since a new player has really caused a splash and made any headway in this extra niche space – enter Canada Goose.
Canada Goose is obviously not a new brand, and they’ve had their share of crossovers into streetwear by way of collaborations with CNCPTS, OVO, and a handful of others – but the brand is going from ‘dipping their toes in‘ to ‘cannon ball‘ real quick.
Coming off of an incredible collaboration with Bape in 2023, the brand moved their first chess piece by signing the starting point guard for first team all league fits, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as their Global Brand Ambassador. This partnership checks all the boxes; Canadian ambassador for a Canadian Brand, one of the biggest names in the NBA at the moment, and one of the most influential figures in fashion in the entire league. It’s clear with this signing that Canada Goose is going after a very fashion-forward audience in the near future.
Why can Canada Goose pull this off? For one, their name and brand have stood the test of time and are likely one of the first (if not the first) names you think of when you think winter jacket. The other one is probably The North Face, but as one of the only players in this niche hype-jacket space, consumers are likely itching for someone else to come in and introduce something fresh to the market. They’re not exactly starting from scratch here.
Secondly, they’ve been in the space for a while, it was just an accident. Canada Goose’s in-line products were always a great way to stay warm but also indulge in some luxury at the same time. It’s hard not to spot a Canada Goose badge when walking through a trendy neighbourhood in the winter. The brand going to where their consumers are and not making the customer come to them – much like how Stanley (the traditionally rugged outdoor brand) has done a complete 180 and begun making tumblers in pastel pink. If the cool kids in Soho are already buying from you, give them an excuse to buy more by collaborating with other brands they’re already wearing.
Third, they’re working their way into a subset of the culture who is 1) okay with spending good money on things they perceive to be of high quality and 2) are accustomed to purchasing more than one of something that they don’t necessarily need. How many shoes does a typical person own vs. even a “casual” sneakerhead? How many fitted caps does a baseball fan own compared to a hat collector? Canada Goose likely has very few “repeat” customers because their products last for so long, and how many people need more than one $1200 winter coat? Collectors do. Drop a Bape collaboration and an OVO collaboration in back-to-back months and you bet there’ll be customers in line for both.
Finally, Canada Goose has been letting their collaborative partners own their pieces. The role of a “host” for a collaboration should be simply to act as the canvas for a creative partner to come in and make something fresh. There should be no doubt in the consumer’s mind who you’re collaborating with; and Canada Goose has done a wonderful job ensuring each individual collaborator’s personality is allowed to shine through.
After collaborating with Salehe Bembury in 2022 UNION LA in 2023, Canada Goose is set to release their third consecutive NBA All-Star collection in collaboration with KidSuper – filled with the bright colors and playful graphics that the Brooklyn-based brand has become known for. This collaboration also comes at a very convenient time for Canada Goose, as KidSuper owned one of the biggest non-NBA tunnel walk moments of the year in 2023 care of one of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s first public appearances together. It’s also incredibly well-timed alongside their aforementioned signing of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – as he was one of the faces of this campaign and was just selected as a starter in the NBA All-Star game for the first time (there were definitely some high-fives exchanged at Canada Goose HQ after that).
The Canada Goose x KidSuper for NBA All-Star collection is available now on Canada Goose’s web store.
