JKR

As belts tighten, it was inevitable that a counter trend of conspicuous consumption came through.

With the recent extreme weather we’ve been experiencing it’s good to know you can still look good while trudging through the snow. Noted British boot brand Hunter and chic boutique footwear brand Jimmy Choo have collaborated to create this luxurious pair of mock croc, leopard print lined wellington boots. Finished with gold buckles, identification plate and stamped logos, they are set to become the must-wear boots for fashionistas doing the festivals.

And fashion darling Giles Deacon has just designed a range of haute couture stationery (his words not ours), for British stationery and leather goods manufacturer Smythson. The designs consist of Deacon’s fashion sketches die stamped into correspondence cards with colourful tissue lined envelopes.

Both are wonderful examples of completely unnecessary frippery – but who is doing whom the favour? Presumably Hunter and Smythson believe the tie ins keep them relevant to the all important style leaders, and the fashion brands gain a bit of associated heritage from the co-branding. But such ‘fashion meets tradition’ collaborations are occurring so regularly that they have stopped being quite so amusing (and surely these products are more about generating PR than sales?). Hunter have already marketed a bright orange “Veuve Cliquot” boot. At what point do they stop feeling like a definitive brand and more like one desperate for attention?