How much is too much? For Valentino, the more the merrier
These days, when two brands come together to collaborate, pronounced branding is a must. The design qualities of the two collaborators, however ever distinctive, are not enough, their respective labels or logos must somehow crowd the face of the product. This is definitely the case with this handbag from the Valentino X Porter collaboration. It is not clear if what one sees first is the bag or the logos. The sum of labels is the antithesis of Sacai's collaboration with Porter: a blank tab. On paper, the V+P pairing is appealing. Valentino has a certain aesthetic that is widely loved and Japan's Porter makes bags that are appealing and highly usable. To be sure, this bag, based on the Italian brand's 'Locò', is not unattractive. Far from it. There is an allure to its simplicity and its handy size. And in that recognisable, hardy, bonded nylon that is synonymous with Porter.
When it comes to visual identities, however, there seems to be a kiasu (fear of losing out) approach to how the individual brand's logos are slapped on the bag. We expected more—er, less—from Valentino, no matter what luxury branding trends suggest. Porter has traditionally (although not always) placed their oblong label on the right side of their bags. In that sense, we rather expected it. Valentino's 'Locò' has, since its introduction in their resort 2022 season, sported that unmissable V-logo clip used to define the fastening. So, we, too, are not surprised by that (after all, what's a 'Locò' without a logo?). But it seems that distinctively framed V isn't quite enough. Valentino needed their label in similar size and shape, and colour to Porter's to sit right between, forming a trio of brand tags that are, at best, rudimentary or, worse, tacky.
Photo: Valentino/Porter
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