Thought process

EARLIER this week, Kate Moss' latest line for Topshop was heralded with the usual headline-grabbing fanfare - model besties Naomi Campbell and Cara Delevingne lent high wattage glam to the London launch, while savvy shoppers sold pieces on Ebay for five times their prices, hours after they went on sale.

Celebrity collabs and high-low fashion tie-ups (how long would you stand in line for the upcoming H&M x Alexander Wang collection?) still rank high on retailers' sales and publicity strategies. But there has been a subtle shift towards tie-ups that keep a fairly low profile, with a highbrow twist.

Rather than a celeb with legions of Instagram followers and coveted luxury designers, the most sought-after collaborator of the moment is Nendo - a 12-year-old Japanese design studio that has in the past designed a lamp for Louis Vuitton's first-ever furniture collection, a window installation for Hermes, and stores for Issey Miyake, Theory and Camper.