What happens when you cross La Ligne’s obsession with striped clothing and Away’s signature hard-shell suitcase?
The world finds out today, as the two direct-to-consumer brands launch a collaboration just in time for summer travel. Together, they’re releasing suitcases, travel accessories, sweaters, and pajamas, all of which feature the recurring motif of stripes in two colors: a vibrant orange and a navy blue. They’ve reimagined Away’s suitcase with a single vertical stripe on the left side that looks striking amidst the rest of the brand’s monochromatic cases.
The partnership provides insight into how brands are thinking about collaborations in the current moment, after decades of non-stop collaborations have led to some fatigue among consumers. The founders of both Away and La Ligne say that collaborations still have a place in their business strategies, but they’re no longer about exposing the brand to new audiences. “They’re much more about delighting our existing customers,” says Jen Rubio, Away’s cofounder and CEO.
La Ligne and Away have very similar stories. Both brands were born in 2015, when the direct-to-consumer movement was taking off, and produced a wave of fast-growing startups like Casper, Allbirds, Everlane, and Warby Parker. As women in a largely male-dominated startup world, the founders often chatted to work through business challenges.
They also traveled together. “We would both be using our Away suitcases, and be dressed head to toe in La Ligne,” says Molly Howard, La Ligne’s co-founder. “But then we saw other people at the airport doing the same. We figured that our customers loved each others’ brands.” They’ve often discussed collaborating. This year, travel is expected to be at an all time high, so it seemed like a good time to join forces.
Reimagining the collab
Over the years, both startups have used collaborations as a way to grow their brands. La Ligne, for instance, partnered with Target in 2022, on a collection of striped garments at a much lower price point than their typical clothes, which start at $195 for a sweater. Meanwhile, in its early days, Away partnered with everyone from the NBA to Serena Williams to the Minions film franchise. In many cases, the goal was to put the brands in front of new audiences.
Almost a decade into their businesses, Rubio says that her goal as a founder to both to reach new customers, but also to keep existing customers happy. For instance, Away recently launched a wholesale partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods to sell its products at the retailer’s enormous footprint of brick-and-mortar stores. But with this collaboration, the goal is to give existing Away fans something new to get excited about.
Howard also says that collaborations provide an important opportunity for a brand to learn how to make products outside of its area of expertise, partly to determine whether they might want to expand its product range in the future. La Ligne got an opportunity to see exactly what it takes to make a suitcase and other travel accessories. Meanwhile, Away got direct insight into La Ligne’s supply chain. “These collaborations are an opportunity to test out how our customers respond to clothing,” says Rubio. “Clothing is something we’ve been thinking about creating for a long time.”