Last month, luxury fashion line Kate Spade New York and Heinz, the food processing company best known for its ketchup, announced that they were joining forces to launch a limited-edition, saucy fashion collection. Dubbed “condiment couture,” the new line features tote bags and pouches resembling packets of ketchup, slip-on-shoes adorned with opened ketchup packets, t-shirts emblazoned with Heinz’s iconic typography along with small leather goods, key chains and phone cases.
“Kate Spade New York shares many values with Heinz — from creating products of the highest quality that are expertly crafted by masters and leave no detail untouched, to exhibiting true devotion to our fans,” Megan Lang, the head of global Heinz brand communications and creativity, shared in a statement. “In return, both brands have incredibly loyal fanbases that transcend generations. At Heinz, we love to celebrate the unique and unconventional ways our fans show their love for us, and this collection is the perfect opportunity to do so.”
Although the partnership may seem unlikely, Kate Spade is no stranger when it comes to food-themed fashion. The designer brand boasts a strawberry milk printed crossbody, a coffee break tote, a silk tomato ketchup bandana, a snack pendant and gold-toned ketchup packet, fries and hot dog drop earrings.
“At Kate Spade New York, we believe in exploring the journey of self-expression through style in fun, unexpected ways,” Jennifer Lyu, SVP and head of design at Kate Spade New York, added in the statement. “It’s the thoughtful details that bring this collection with Heinz to life — from the embellishments on the tee and the way our 3D ketchup bag looks just like that classic red and white packet. The playful designs are perfect for all of summer’s special moments, capturing the spirit of the season.”
Kate Spade and Heinz join a growing list of food-fashion collaborations that have gone viral in the past decade. Ben & Jerry’s teamed up with Nike to launch their “Chunky Dunky” sneakers — a reference to “Chunky Monkey,” the ice cream brand’s famed flavor. Forever 21 partnered with Taco Bell to release a line of tops, bodysuits, sweatshirts and anoraks — all adorned with prints of the chain’s Tex-Mex-inspired food. Heineken joined forces with Japanese brand BAPE to create a series of streetwear. And Moschino once debuted a collection inspired by McDonald’s, in which models dressed like McDonald's employees and carried Golden Arches-emblazoned handbags on plastic food trays.
Back in 2022, Balenciaga partnered with Frito-Lay to debut its $1,500 leather clutch that resembled a crumpled, discarded bag of Lay's potato chips. Called the “L.O.L. Clutch,” the bag came in four distinct “flavors”: Classic, Flamin' Hot, Limón, and Salt & Vinegar. Each design mimicked the OG chip packets without explicitly mentioning the individual “flavors” on the bag.
The bag — part of Balenciaga's Spring and Summer 2023 collection — was introduced at the fashion house’s “Mud Show” presentation at Paris Fashion Week before going viral across social media. While most commentators poked fun at the bag’s ludicrous concept and its ridiculous price point, many expressed a craving for chips — albeit ones that didn’t exist.
“It's very upsetting to see a Hot Lay's bag when y'all don't have Hot Lay's in any store or even online,” one commenter wrote on the Lays Instagram account. “Like, we have enough of the other flavors [...] and now we can't find [Hot Lay's.]”
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Despite the disappointed reactions, Balenciaga’s clutch quickly became an online spectacle — both in the worlds of fashion and food. On the fashion front, the bag became a wacky yet unique it-accessory both on and off the runway (several sharp-sighted fashionistas spotted Balenciaga's creative director Demna clutching an empty bag of Lay's Original Wavy Potato Chips at the graduate show of Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts). On the food front, the bag spurred people’s craving for chips, namely Frito-Lay’s brand.
The clutch’s initial launch proved to be so successful that Balenciaga released a new line of potato chip-inspired handbags. The bags come in three shades — yellow (cheese and onion), blue (salt and vinegar) and red (spicy chili) — all adorned with “Balenciaga” and their respective flavors in a bold font. Actor Michael Shannon was recently seen posing with the yellow handbag on the 2024 Met Gala red carpet.
“When done right, collaborations between food and fashion brands can expand their identities and consumer bases,” according to a blog post from Vyudu Inc., a digital marketing agency for some of the biggest names in fashion and beauty, including Brinker & Eliza, ASOS and Gucci. “They tap into the retail culture's appetite for exclusivity, offering limited-edition products that resonate with consumers.”
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There’s also the “wow” factor — that secret sauce that makes a simple, everyday product stand out from anything ever seen before. In an age where likes, clicks, views, shares and re-shares reign supreme, it’s what makes a certain product gain traction and be all the more enticing amongst consumers.
Take for example McDonald’s line of custom-designed Crocs, which included a pair of clogs featuring Grimace, the infamous purple mascot behind the berry-flavored Grimace Shake and a macabre TikTok trend. Or the limited edition Oreo x Supreme snack, in which the iconic cookies were colored red and decorated with the Supreme logo on one side. There’s also the limited edition Pop-Tarts Crocs, which took the shoes to a new level with the addition of edible pins. The complete pack included a pair of Crocs Classic Clogs along with a box of Pop-Tarts and edible crocodile-shaped Jibbitz candies.
As for Kate Spade and Heinz, their $398 ketchup packet purse has already been declared an “accessory of summer” by Eater. The collaboration also taps into a sense of nostalgia, which can’t be said for other major brands, like Betsey Johnson or LC Lauren Conrad, that also came out with food-shaped purses of their own.
“For people around the world, HEINZ + Kate Spade New York are everyday staples that elevate life’s moments — whether on your plate or in your wardrobe,” said Alexandra Lieberman, the brand PR manager at Kraft Heinz. “The partnership is inspired by the generations of fans that grew up alongside both brands and unites Kate Spade New York’s colorful, playful, and expertly crafted style with HEINZ’s iconic and unmistakable iconography and red color.”
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