SOUNDS (AND LOOKS) GOOD: MSGM and Heineken Italia have teamed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Dutch beer brand with the creation of a limited-edition capsule collection.
The tie-up leverages the brands’ shared penchant for conviviality and social gatherings as well as their youthful spirit and tone of voice.
The key piece in the collection is a long-sleeved polo shirt winking to the world of soccer, which makes for a fitting reference considering Heineken’s sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, for one. Available in just 150 pieces, the item comes with a serial number and spotlights a different take on the beer maker’s logo.
To be sure, the name of the brand has been misspelled as “Ainechen” to ironically evoke the way Italian consumers pronounce it. This is in sync with a larger campaign the beer brand recently launched as part of its jubilee under the claim, “150 years of good times. Whatever you call us.”
“We are truly proud to have made our creativity — and the traditional savoir faire of Italian-made goods — available to such an important celebration,” said Massimo Giorgetti, MSGM founder and creative director. He underscored the polo designed for the occasion “reflects our DNA: it has a contemporary vision, positivity and lightness.”
The MSGM x Heineken collaboration.
Courtesy of MSGM
“Young Italians, especially Generation Z, have a contagious passion for clothes, style and the latest trends, turning fashion into an authentic artistic expression. That is why we have decided to come together to create a collectable, limited edition T-shirt that celebrates this important milestone and our consumers,” said Jan Bosselears, marketing director at Heineken Italia.
A selection of items in the MSGM x Heineken collection — which also includes co-branded tank tops and boxers — will be gifted to consumers via a contest to be launched on Heineken’s Instagram account on July 17. While details are still under wraps and will be teased in the coming days, on Thursday the two brands will celebrate their partnership with a party that will be staged in Milan’s central Teatro Alcione venue and featuring a DJ set by Seth Troxler.
A dedicated campaign including six images and a short video have also been developed with the involvement of fashion photographer Brett Lloyd. A young cast is portrayed on the rooftop of a building wearing pieces of the collection while having a beer.
MSGM is not new to collaborations, having forged ties with the likes of Fila, Eastpak, Diadora, Polaroid, Moon Boot and Toilet Paper through the years. For the last holiday season, the label tied up with Milanese pastry shop Cucchi for a co-branded panettone and merchandise.
Giorgetti launched MSGM in 2009 with the support of manufacturing company Manifattura Paoloni. In 2018, Italian private equity fund Style Capital acquired a minority stake in the brand, adding it to its portfolio that also now includes Forte_Forte, Re/Done, Zimmermann and LuisaViaRoma.
As for Heineken, the company is currently the largest beer producer in Italy, where it makes and sells more than 7 million hectoliters of beer a year. The firm has been producing beer in the country for more than 45 years, with four breweries and 2,000 local employees.