In sneaker culture, collaborations reign supreme. Just look at Gucci and Adidas. In Launchmetrics’ inaugural report on Sportswear Insights, released Wednesday, the collaboration generated $96.5 million in Media Impact Value in 2022.
At Launchmetrics, Media Impact Value is a proprietary algorithm to measure and benchmark the impact of all media placements and mentions across different voices in the fashion, lifestyle, and beauty industries.
For Gucci and Adidas, the collaboration made instant waves when it debuted on the runway at Gucci in February 2022 at Milan Fashion Week. And when the drop came, it was an immediate hit.
Full of vintage sporting nods — from the Trefoil logo to its iconic three stripes and a salute to the Gazelle sneaker — the collection included ready-to-wear that gives new meaning to the term “athleisure,” but it was the accessories that turned heads, interweaving Adidas details with Gucci’s one-of-a-kind prints, monograms and green-and-red stripes.
At the time, Gucci generated $749,000 in MIV, per Launchmetrics, with its announcement post on their own Instagram account. The sneakers, including the Gucci x Adidas Gazelle and the Gucci x Adidas ZX8000, generated $6,500 and $5,200 in MIV, respectively in 2022.
Combining high-end aesthetics with athletic footwear has proven to be successful with The Nike x Tiffany & Co. collaboration also generating significant interest on both the consumer and industry side.
This collab, known as “A Legendary Pair,” garnered widespread attention on social media platforms, accounting for 76% of the total MIV. Instagram specifically played a pivotal role in driving engagement, contributing $5.3 million in MIV. From the start of the year to May 24, the Nike x Tiffany & Co. sneakers have generated $16.7 million Total MIV.
And according to Market.us figures seen in the Launchmetrics report, the rise of athleisure is only going to continue to grow, with the global sportswear’s total market value reaching $185.9 billion in 2022 and is set to grow at $356 billion by 2032.
