How Levi's Splits Its Collaborations
A target-expansion approach aimed at both fandom and the high-fashion market.
In September, Levi's unveiled two very different collaborations. One is its first capsule collection with global ambassador Rosé, and the other is the third season of its collaboration with Sacai. Both start from the same Levi's heritage, but one targets Asia's Gen Z and fandom, while the other targets fashion consumers and select shops. It's a case of designing the same brand's products, prices, and customer touchpoints differently depending on the collaboration partner.
Levi's and Rosé: From Ambassador to Collection
Rosé's collaboration with Levi's began before her official appointment as ambassador. After showcasing a custom Levi's look at BLACKPINK's Tokyo Dome concert in January 2026, she was named a global ambassador in March and also appeared in a Super Bowl commercial.
On September 15, her first capsule collection, "The Original Girl," was unveiled. Based on silhouettes Rosé has actually worn, it features a slim zip-up trucker jacket and loose boot jeans, adding personal touches such as a handwritten signature back patch and the number 11.
The "Keep It Loose" FW26 campaign, unveiled alongside it, connected Rosé's style with Levi's denim heritage through '90s-inspired loose silhouettes and layering.
A "Rosé Experience" That Goes Beyond Product
What's notable about this collaboration isn't just the product. The "For Every Original" pop-up, held in Shibuya from September 15 to 20, brought together Levi's women's denim heritage, the Rosé capsule, and a Super Bowl campaign space into a single experience.
The pop-up offered customization services, denim spray, and limited-edition items, and later traveled to Seoul and Beijing. It's an approach that sells products while extending the relationship between Rosé and Levi's into an offline experience.
Another distinctive feature is that the release regions were built around Asia-Pacific. The collection rolled out across channels including Levi.com, as well as in China, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and Australia.
Levi's × Sacai: Reinterpreting the Archive
The collaboration with Sacai continues to reinterpret Levi's archive through Sacai's design language. The first season combined Type I, II, and III trucker jackets, and the second season expanded into leather hybrids and tailoring.
The third season, FW26, is made up of 12 pieces centered on denim, priced from $395 to $795. Based on Rigid Indigo and Washed Indigo, it rolls out across pieces such as the Sherpa Jacket, Blouson Jacket, and Belted Wide Pants.
In particular, by combining materials such as selvedge denim, leather, and sherpa, and designing jackets and pants so their washes can be matched, it showcased both Sacai's signature hybrid design and Levi's denim heritage.
Hong Kong Moved Ahead of the Global Release
The Sacai collaboration also differs in how it was released. After debuting first at a pop-up at Landmark in Hong Kong on September 29, it launched globally on September 30 through Levi.com, the Levi's App, Sacai stores, and select retailers. In Japan, it was sold via raffle through Sacai.jp from October 1.
Applying a raffle system in Japan, separate from the global release, can be seen as a case of designing demand and sales methods differently by market. It shows that even for a single global collection, release order and purchasing methods can vary according to regional customer characteristics.
💡 EDITORIAL SMALL TALK
Levi's latest collaborations can be seen as a case of translating the same denim heritage into the languages of different customers.
With Rosé, it built touchpoints through fandom and customization; with Sacai, through the archive and premium fashion.
When looking at brand collaborations, examining which customers and markets a partner connects to, rather than just its recognition, makes it possible to read the business structure of a collaboration more concretely.
