Despite all the so called ambiguity around Drake post rap beef and all that jazz, his brand seems to still moving forward. Specifically, Drizzy’s clothing brand, October’s Very Own (OVO), just dropped a collaboration with Yale University for a limited-edition merchandise collection. Where can you find it? Well, it’s out now and available both in-store at the Yale Bookstore and online at the OVO website.
Get this, the collection includes four items, with the “Campus Varsity Jacket” being the priciest at $678, while the “Campus T-shirt” and “Campus Sportcap” are priced at $68 each.
Not too bad. Just depends on your tastes when it comes to these type of capsule collections.
Here’s what Deron Michael, general merchandising manager at the Yale Bookstore, said about the collection, breaking down how it caters to a youthful, urban aesthetic: “Drake is all about hip-hop, and the kids love hip-hop, so it’s really catering to the aesthetic that the kids are looking for: oversized, urban flare, eye-catchy.” The collaboration was made possible through Barnes and Noble College, which operates the Yale Bookstore.
Now despite the high price tag, although we doubt most Yale students are worried about that part, Michael noted the collection’s growing popularity since its launch on September 20, stating, “Like any other expensive brands we have as well, nothing goes off the shelves, but it’s catching eyes, and the pieces that he created are eye-catching and really nice.” The bookstore has already sold one jacket, several hoodies, and a few shirts.
A key component to making this happen was a green light from Yale’s department of marketing and trademark licensing. They approved the use of the Yale logo for the OVO collection, according to Paul Murawski, director of the department. The collection marks a significant collaboration between the Ivy League school and a popular cultural brand, following Drake’s previous mention of Yale in his 2011 track “Make Me Proud.”
Interestingly, Matt Letourneau, a Yale student and campus manager for Fresh Prints, believes the collection will appeal more to alumni than students, due to its high price point. He noted, “I think that it’s good for Yale’s brand to appeal to pop culture like that. I think it’s a smart step for Yale because it offers a reputable designer that they know people are going to like here at school.”
Oh but wait, Yale isn’t the only higher education to benefit from the collab with OVO. In addition to Yale, OVO has released similar collections for Stanford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Toronto, and the University of Western Ontario. While Barnes and Noble is facilitating the sale of OVO merchandise at Yale, other schools have received apparel from Travis Scott’s “Jack Goes Back to College” collection, which was released earlier this year. However, Scott’s collection, which includes a wider range of items, did not feature any Ivy League schools.
As you can expect, OVO’s “Campus Varsity Jacket” and “Campus Fleece Hoodie” from the University of Western Ontario collection have already sold out online, reflecting strong demand for the brand’s university-themed collaborations.
Looks like it’s business as usual for OVO and feels like they’re winning on this front.
