Jameson Collab With KidSuper Targets A Younger, Style‑Driven Audience

Four teaser apparel items from the Jameson collection, here a tracksuit, were on the KidSuper catwalk in Paris.

Kevin Rozario

Jameson is expanding its fashion partnerships as part of a deliberate strategy to widen its demographic reach and deepen cultural relevance among style‑driven consumers. The approach reached a high point at Paris Fashion Week, where a teaser for a new apparel range was unveiled as part of the KidSuper catwalk at Pavillon Cambon.

Four apparel items from a retro‑inspired 10-strong Jameson capsule collection, made their debut at the packed show at the end of January, giving the Irish triple-distilled whiskey some street cred with a whole new audience. Other recent collabs have been with Dickies, a heritage US workwear brand, and Awake NY, the streetwear label founded by Angelo Baque, former brand director at Supreme.

KidSuper was founded in 2010 by Colm Dillane, an American with Irish heritage. The New York label is heavily influenced by street culture, graffiti, skateboarding, and hip-hop. Dillane made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2017, and he continues to inspire a KidSuper aesthetic that emphasizes individuality and self-expression, something that resonates well with younger generations.

Collaborations have also become a component of the brand’s business model, including global icons like Puma and Coca-Cola and a one-season stint when Dillane guest designed Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2023 Menswear collection. Last season, Dillane worked with Mercedes-Benz creating a 13-piece capsule collection that was released in September 2025.

For KidSuper’s latest Fall/Winter 2026–2027 show, alongside Jameson-branded college jackets, loose-fit tracksuits, and jerseys, Havaianas was also a partner, with models wearing flip-flops in a cinematic show marked by whimsy, faux furs, and an abundance of vibrant color.

Staying relevant in an evolving environment

French multinational Pernod Ricard, which owns Jameson, wants to keep the world’s best‑selling Irish whiskey front‑of‑mind among younger consumers in a global alcoholic drinks market that is currently losing volume sales. In its first-half 2026 results revealed on February 19, the drinks giant saw net sales decline by 6%. Larger rival U.K.-based Diageo, fared slightly better, down 2.8% over the same reporting period, but a dividend cut did not impress investors.

Early last year, Emily Neill, COO for research and operations at drinks analyst IWSR described the spirits industry as “facing a subdued but opportunity-rich environment in 2025.” The KidSuper collab is perhaps an example of making the most of that opportunity. It marks Jameson’s most ambitious move yet, signaling a shift from occasional creative tie‑ins to a more structured, globally activated partnership model—with a step up in scale and intent.

The collaboration began taking shape in late 2024, driven by some common themes across both brands. Stuart Moffett, Jameson’s marketing manager, partnerships and trade marketing told me: “Colm is a great partner because of his whole ethos about community. His studio in New York hosts fashion designers and artists and is opened up for cultural events. This resonated strongly with Jameson’s own viewpoint.”

May marks the kick-off

Community, connection, and craft are the values that Jameson is emphasizing through the Jameson x KidSuper collab whose campaign will begin rolling out within weeks. Florian Sallaberry, Jameson’s brand communications, content, and partnerships director, explained: “The big bang will happen in May when we launch a major social campaign.”

While KidSuper has a global footprint, it is weighted heavily to the United States which, not by coincidence, is Jameson’s largest market, accounting for 40% of global revenue, and where it has been outperforming its competitors in the past six months. The tie-up should therefore open the U.S. door even wider.

Jameson matters enormously to Pernod Ricard. The brand is its second biggest in the portfolio by volume after Absolut, whose recent partnerships have successfully taken the pop-art route. Sallaberry said: “We think U.S. first, meaning any collaboration has to work in the U.S., but we will be going global.”

Jameson x KidSuper will roll out across 18 markets, from the U.S. and European countries to South Korea, Nigeria, Mexico, and Brazil, according to Moffett. “In the U.S., the activation will be huge, while in other markets it might be more of a cultural play, supported by influencers and media partners,” said Sallaberry.

In India, where a preference for whiskies has propelled it to Jameson’s second‑largest market, the KidSuper collection will also be present. Sallaberry commented: “Jameson resonates there with younger audiences who look to the U.S. for cues.” This makes fashion‑driven collaborations especially potent.

The 10-piece capsule collection will be sold through KidSuper’s website, Jameson’s own distribution into specific markets and available online, and some select retail spots including the brand’s distillery shop in Midleton, Ireland.

The commercial impact of such collaborations is difficult to isolate, but looking for immediate sales uplifts is not the aim—it is the strategic value that counts. “It’s much more about enhancing brand equity: talking to a new audience, being fresh and culturally relevant. We are storytellers at Jameson, being an Irish brand, so the payoff is in terms of awareness, and consideration of the brand by new target consumers,” said Sallaberry.