Barneys New York and Forever 21 have collaborated on a collection that launched Thursday, according to a release sent to Fashion Dive. The launch comes at the start of New York Fashion Week, which runs from Sept. 7 to 13.
The 32-piece capsule will be available in women’s sizes XS to 4X and unisex sizes S to XXL, and prices range from $29.99 to $129.99, per the release. It will be sold through select Forever 21 stores, its e-commerce site and its mobile app.
Everything in the line comes in monochromatic hues of gray, camel, black, white and teal green, and the range includes knit joggers, puffer coats, structured suiting and denim. The overall result is an effort to blend what the release calls “Forever 21’s connection to the West Coast with Barney's embodiment of New York City,” with nods to the current quiet luxury trend, albeit at modest price points. Advertising for the collaboration features model Taylor Hill, who is most recognized as a Victoria’s Secret runway staple.
Both companies are owned by Authentic Brands Group, which purchased the Barneys intellectual property for $270 million in 2019, and bought Forever 21 along with mall developers Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners in 2020 for $81 million. Brookfield exited that deal in 2021.
“Barneys is one of the most iconic names in luxury and fashion,” Joseph N. Zarro, Authentic’s executive vice president of luxe and classic brands, said in the release. “The Forever 21 collaboration was designed to intentionally bring high fashion to a new generation of consumers.”
In August, Forever 21’s operator Sparc Group, a joint venture between Forever 21 parent companies Authentic and Simon Property Group, made a deal with fast-fashion rival Shein to allow the companies to distribute each other’s products.
Meanwhile, Barneys New York, the once-storied high fashion department store, now lends its name to licensed cosmetics goods sold through former rival Saks Fifth Avenue and its former flagship space at 660 Madison Avenue in New York City now hosts pop-up art events for brands such as Louis Vuitton.
