Key Takeaways:
– French luxury brand Lacoste is set to collaborate with the iconic manga One Piece by Eiichiro Oda.
– One Piece has had an immense cultural impact and amassed immense popularity, paving the way for several merchandise collaborations.
– A collaboration between Lacoste and One Piece was hinted at in the manga itself, and has been confirmed to launch on August 2, 2024.
– The collaboration capsule collection will feature various pieces of clothing with manga illustrations, available on both Lacoste's website and retail stores.
Collaboration of a Cultural Phenomenon
In what can be described as a unique combination of pop culture, the world of luxury fashion and popular manga, French luxury brand Lacoste is gearing up to collaborate with ‘One Piece', one of the most beloved manga series written by Eiichiro Oda. This comes at a time when the anime merchandise industry is experiencing rapid global growth, backed by the escalating popularity of anime.
The Legacy and Impact of One Piece
One Piece, a creation of Eiichiro Oda, has distinguished itself as an iconic manga. Its accolades and awards testify to this, boasting awards like the Guinness World Record for the most-published manga, the Japan Cartoonists Association Award, and the Best Continuing Series at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024.
The enduring popularity of the manga marked its creator into the elite club of successful manga-ka. It pushed the boundaries by being adapted into a live-action series that dropped in 2024. A real-life replica of the ship from the series, the Thousand Sunny, at Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park in Nagasaki, and a series-themed cafe in Las Vegas underscore its cultural imprint.
Lacoste and One Piece: A Collaboration Foreseen
While collaborations with various luxury brands follow the wave of One Piece's popularity, this combination with Lacoste was subtly foretold in the manga. Chapter 1106 showcased a crocodile character, strikingly similar to Lacoste's crocodile mascot, hinting at what was in store.
Indeed, the creative collaboration between Lacoste and One Piece was confirmed on August 2, 2024 by the One Piece Staff on Instagram. Their vast capsule collection, likely to enthrall manga customers, will consist of detailed illustrations and will be available on the Lacoste website as well as their retail stores. AnimeTV gave fans a preview of a shirt from Lacoste x One Piece collection on their Twitter feed.
Merging Luxury and Anime
This collaboration not only suggests Lacoste's interest in the profitable anime merchandise market, but also mirrors the expanding relationship between luxury brands and anime. One Piece's 25th-anniversary celebration with Uniqlo also falls into this line, where t-shirts featured major arcs from the anime.
Given the central position One Piece holds within the manga and anime circles, and its massive fan following, many more collaborations with luxury brands may well be on the horizon. For fans and followers, this combining the two worlds of luxury and manga brings excitement in abundance.
Fans can continue to follow the One Piece journey, as it is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. Looking forward, the excitement surrounding this partnership indicates a promising potential for further associations between luxury brands and anime.
