Brands of whiskey are long-time and still growing participants in the world of fashion. The collaborative collections of apparel and lifestyle goods typically incorporate design elements tied to the properties’ brand heritage and the distilling process. The marketing messages supporting the initiatives often call out the quality and craftsmanship of the jointly developed pieces, reflecting the reputations of the partners.
A handful of examples announced in the last six months or so demonstrate this trend in practice:
- Earlier this month, the Sazerac-owned Buffalo Trace bourbon brand paired with Wrangler for a limited-edition apparel collection consisting of two jackets, the denim and corduroy Barrel House Jacket and the canvas Distiller’s Jacket (which incorporated flask pockets inside), as well as graphic tees, work shirts, pullovers, and aprons. Buffalo Trace has also paired with Wolverine several times for special-edition 1000 Mile boots. These have included multiple initiatives with menswear e-commerce site Huckberry.com and an October 2022 partnership featuring Buffalo Trace’s Pappy Van Winkle brand of rare and premium bourbon, in which part of the heel was made from whiskey barrels used to age Pappy Van Winkle’s 10-year-old Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon.
- In October 2023, The Macallan, the single malt Scotch whisky brand, launched an 11-piece home goods collection with fashion designer Stella McCartney and her sister, photographer Mary McCartney, in conjunction with the release of its Harmony Collection whisky. The initiative, marking the first time the two sisters have collaborated with each other, was inspired by their love of Scotland, where they spent time in childhood and where The Macallan is based. The pieces included handmade glassware, a ceramic flask, brass and ceramic ice stamps, and brass-framed prints of photos taken by Mary McCartney at The Macallan Estate. The assortment was designed using greens and other hues of nature, along with ambers reminiscent of the color of whisky.
- Jameson Irish Whiskey, owned by Pernod Ricard, partnered in September with London-based label Percival for a limited-edition, retro soccer/football-style capsule encompassing three football shirts and two embroidered t-shirts. The brand also paired with Dickies for a limited collection called Crafted Together, released in June 2023. The workwear-inspired streetwear array included overalls, beanies, caps, t-shirts, and the Eisenhower Jacket (a Dickies flagship style), as well as a limited-edition bottle. Some pieces featured a new graphic paying homage to Jameson’s original Barrelman icon.
- Chivas Regal, a Pernod Ricard brand of blended Scotch whisky, paired with London streetwear label Jehucal for a second womenswear capsule in August 2023. The collections have included two black corduroy pieces—a cropped jacket and mini skirt—as well as a varsity jacket, hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, a shoulder bag, and a beanie. Each piece includes logos of both partners.
These and other brands of bourbon and rye; Irish whiskey; Scotch, Japanese, and Canadian whisky; and related spirits have also created fashion and lifestyle collections, or individual items, in conjunction with promotions focused on skaters, soccer/football players and teams, musicians, and other properties that serve as frequent endorsers and tie-in partners for the brands.
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