Lines are often blurred between the worlds of fashion and partying. Collection launches are adorned with lavish soirées. Models and designers are notorious for their nightclub-frequenting. Even fashion week is truly all about the after-party. Therefore, the introduction of alcohol into the fashion industry should be anything but a surprise.
Gaining relevancy in the early ’90s through Absolut Vodka’s widespread campaigns, liquor has been fused with fashion for over thirty years. Just about every fancy alcohol brand has taken a swing at a designer collaboration, especially within the luxury market. LVMH, the quintessential upscale fashion corporation, owns a combination of fashion houses and spirits brands, among other categories. Dom Perignon and Moët Chandon both live within LVMH, along with Dior and Celine to name a few.
However, certain fashionable liquor moments are standouts. First, of course, being every infamous Absolut collaboration. Growing from ultimate ’90s cool to grunge 2000s, Absolut supplies fresh limited-edition bottles to simulate what partying with fashion icons might feel like for the average consumer.
Ever wanted to paint the town red with Marc Jacobs? Buy Absolut Jacobs. In the mood for an icy winter function with Versace? Absolut Versace is your new best friend. Beginning with Tom Ford, Absolut has created signature vodkas for Stella McCartney, Gareth Pugh, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Manolo Blahnik as well. Each designer’s vessel is named by a combination of Absolut and their last name.
Almost reaching the stature of Absolut in terms of collaboration quantity, amaretto liquor brand Disaronno has quite a few designer creations archived. Featuring bottles wrapped in colorful prints representing the fashion houses’ aesthetics, Disaronno’s limited-editions are a collector’s dream. Beginning in 2013, seven bottles have been released, each crossover featuring an Italian designer. Etro, Missoni, Moschino, Versace, Diesel, Trussardi, and Roberto Cavalli can all boast a signature liquor.
Champagne problems disappear once Piper-Heidsieck arrives on the scene. Luxurious decadence that trademarks high fashion seeps its way into the beverage industry through alliances with Jean-Paul Gaultier and Christian Louboutin. Gaultier’s vinyl corset bottle from 1999 is iconic to say the least, and Louboutin’s high heel piece (inspired by the Belle Epoque tradition of drinking from a woman’s shoe) accompanying his bottle is historically delicious.
Did you know that Chanel owns several wineries? In 2009, Karl Lagerfeld teamed up with one of them, Chateau Rauzan-Ségla, to design a label in honor of their 350th anniversary. Showcasing a beautiful illustration of the estate, Lagerfeld’s design is the perfect homage to the classic vineyard.
LVMH’s Veuve Clicquot is already ultra stylish considering its ties to luxury fashion, but its champagne bottle with Emilio Pucci definitely took it to the next level. Instead of approaching the typical bottle-wrapping route, Clicquot and Pucci put the champagne in its own clothing. Dressed in a fitted neoprene sleeve with Pucci’s signature print and a matching silk cover, the bottle could walk its way onto a red carpet and nobody would ask questions.
For a Midas touch, Dolce & Gabbana created its own vermouth with Martini & Rossi called “Martini Gold.” A fully metallic vessel meets the D&G logo in a wildly popular collaboration. Italian fashion and alcohol seem to find each other quite often, as do French designers and distilleries. Fashion house Maison Kitsuné released a limited-edition bottle of liquor with Pernod Absinthe.
Even 2020 had its own bottle. In honor of Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection, the brand’s creative director, Andreas Kronthaler, joined forces with luxury vodka label Cîroc to launch a ’70s Westwood-inspired liquor. Decorated with original artwork, the design features a “Let It Rock!” graphic in bright red along with various little doodles against the clear glass.
How could fashion and alcohol not intermix? Limited-editions are staple practices across both industries, so collaborations are bound to sell out upon release. Even the most mundane objects can be turned designer. What’s next, toilet paper?
