It may not have made its debut at a fashion week, but the Greggs x Primark collaboration is grabbing the attention of pastry lovers across the UK. In the collection, the two staples of the British high street join forces to create an 11-piece collection including everything from full matching tracksuits to Greggs logo sliders. While the partnership has blown up on social media, it's proven to be more than a marketing stunt – items from the collections have sold out so fast that they’re being listed on eBay with massively inflated prices. The brands had previously teased the collab by placing pastries in the pockets and purses of Primark mannequins, and gave away limited-capacity boutique tickets for those wanting an exclusive first look.

People are seeking out ways to engage with everyday and ubiquitous brands like Greggs and playfully lean into their cultural cachet. Unexpected collaborations between food and fashion brands are becoming an increasingly common way for clothing brands to colour themselves with humour and playfulness: Havaianas and Oreo united to bring novelty flip-flops resembling the profile of the cookies, and Crocs x KFC even went as far at creating a ‘bucket clog’ that debuted at New York Fashion Week 2020. There’s an opportunity for more everyday brands to recognise their cult status, and leverage their most iconic products to create viral subversions of other industries, such as Barbie x Balmain have done – especially at periods when that industry is in the spotlight, such as during Fashion Weeks.