Image via Complex Original
Remember when you used to wake up early on Saturday mornings to catch your favorite cartoons, or race home after school to catch an hour or two before what was on TV transitioned into boring things like the news? Now, you're more likely to wake up early to try and catch a highly-coveted drop, but the love of your favorite childhood cartoons is still there.
Lucky for us, the designers behind some of the best brands feel the same way. Every season, we get at least a few of the biggest names in streetwear and menswear coming together with cartoons we grew up watching, and maybe even continue to watch today. The dopest ones play on both our love of style and a strong nostalgia factor to the days when sugary cereal and cartoons meant hours of awesomeness. In that spirit, take a break from real life and check out The Best Cartoon and Clothing Collaborations in Recent History.
"The Simpsons" x Bathing Ape
Year: 2014
A Bathing Ape is already known for its use of cartoonish figurines. It was only right that they included "The Simpsons" in one of its latest collabs. Who knew Bart Simpson could be a hypebeast?
"Beavis and Butthead" x Stussy
Year: 2011
We don't have the data, but it's safe to assume that there's an sizable population of people who love both "Beavis and Butthead" and Stussy. In fact, if Beavis and Butthead were real, they would probably wear Stussy, so put this one down in the thin collection of collaborations that make perfect sense.
"Life in Hell" x Comme des Garçons Play
Year: 2011
Like most things Comme des Garçons does, this collab required a deeper appreciation for what's out there. Before "The Simpsons," Matt Groening had a comic strip called "Life in Hell" that continued until 2012. The niche cartoon paired up with CDG Play for a set of T-shirts and long-sleeve tees that immediately showcased your appreciation for fine clothing and the aspects of culture that one has to dig a little deeper for.
"Babar" x Soulland
Year: 2013
Babar the Elephant first emerged in the early '30s, and became a timeless story that has stuck around through the years. The Danish-brand Soulland gave Babar his first shine in streetwear with a dope collaboration last year that immediately brought stylish dudes back to their childhoods.
"Peanuts" x A Bathing Ape
Year: 2014
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang have a long-standing presence in streetwear, and recently resurfaced thanks to BAPE. Charlie Brown in signature A Bathing Ape camo? Collab gold.
"Adventure Time" x Rook
Year: 2014
This year, everyone's two favorite heroes got a streetwear treatment by Rook. The collection continued with "Adventure Time's" trippy motif, all followers of Finn and Jake's wild antics did everything they could to get the bucket hats, graphic tees, and crewnecks from this collab.
Marvel x Stussy
Year: 2011
When news dropped about Stussy working with Marvel, everyone knew this was a must-cop. The Wolverine T-shirt might just be one of the greatest streetwear pieces of all-time, especially if you grew up watching mutants do battle.
"Popeye" x Supreme
Year: 2010
It's only right that one of the strongest brands in the game work with a name like Popeye. Supreme's goods always go quick, but the spinach-green jacket with the muscle-bound sailor was a particularly sought-after garment in 2010.
"Brutus" x 10.Deep
Year: 2013
Seeing that Supreme did a collab with Popeye, 10.Deep went ahead and got together with Popeye's arch-nemesis, Brutus. Choosing between this partnership and Supreme's depended on whether you enjoy rooting for the bad guy.
Marvel x A Bathing Ape
Year: 2012
A Bathing Ape took the Marvel universe and made it into its own, resulting in a series of T-shirts that will definitely have collectors of future years scouring the globe for these pieces. We don't use the adjective "adorable" that often, but did you see the Baby Milo version of The Incredible Hulk? Adorable as fuck.
Disney x Vans
Year: 2013
Everyone loves Disney, and everyone loves Vans, so when this collaboration dropped, the only question was whether you were going to cop a few different characters or every single pair.
"Richie Rich" x Joyrich
Year: 2014
Its only right that Joyrich collaborated with its cartoon counterpart “Richie Rich.” If you were about snapping necks and getting money, this collab was right up your alley.
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" x Sprayground
Year: 2014
Sprayground and the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" teamed up to create one shell of a bag. If your mom sold all your TMNT toys and gear while you were away one weekend, this was your chance to re-up on the pizza-scarfing crime-fighters you grew up with. Yeah, you might get clowned on a little with this, but the nostalgia outweighs that risk.
"Batman" x Lazy Oaf
Year: 2012
While Bruce Wayne might not wear this print-heavy collab to one of Gotham's fanciest charity balls, he'd still be proud of Lazy Oaf and DC Comics working together to come up with a dope cut and sew collection. The only thing that's missing is a utility belt.
Disney x Neff
Year: 2013
Who knew Mickey's mug could be so conducive to a dope streetwear collab? Combined with florals and a heavy text pattern, Neff gave the Disney mainstay a 21st century update.
"Family Guy" x Rook
Year: 2014
"Family Guy" and Rook came together to fill an obvious void: that place where hip-hop and hilarious cartoons meet. The upcoming collab fuses Rhode Island's finest with rapper icons for a project that will definitely move.
"Itchy and Scratchy" x Drop Dead
Year: 2014
This collab got all "Inception" with it and featured a cartoon within a cartoon. Props for originality, and for creating a few pieces that are wearable while showcasing the most gratuitously violent and NSFW cartoon on network television.
Disney x The Hundreds
Year: 2013
The Hundreds and Disney put out a serious collection that focused on the Lost Boys, the resident swag lords of Never Land. Arguably one of the dopest crews you could ever hope to a member of, the Lost Boys look like they're about to drop the hottest mixtape of the year in this project.
"Looney Tunes" x Lazy Oaf
Year: 2013
Remember back in the '90s when hip-hop and cartoons were continuously blending with one another on oversized T-shirts? Lazy Oaf and "Looney Tunes" brought it back with this killer collab.
"Mickey Mouse" x Opening Ceremony
Year: 2013
Opening Ceremony is all about fun, so of course the retailer/brand paired up with the original Disney character to put together a Mickey-centric collection. Mickey Mouse may be one of the first cartoons ever created, but dude still makes heavy moves.
"The Simpsons" x Joyrich
Year: 2014
To celebrate 25 years of "The Simpsons," the cartoon collaborated with a ton of brands in 2014. The Joyrich project was definitely a standout among the group, and if you love Bart Simpson, you automatically love this collab.
"SpongeBob SquarePants" x Ice Cream
Year: 2013
If you didn't think Pharrell was a SpongeBob fan, then you don't know P. Ice Cream and "SpongeBob SquarePants" both share an affinity for bright colors and the only question this partnership had people asking was, "What took so long?"
"The Simpsons" x Uniqlo
Year: 2014
Uniqlo got on board with the bonanza of brands collaborating with "The Simpsons" to celebrate the cartoon's 25th anniversary, and put together a few T-shirts with its UT Uniqlo branch. The tees are simple, but let any lifelong addict of "The Simpsons" showcase their love of the past quarter century.
"Garfield" x The Hundreds
Year: 2010
If you ever woke up early on a Saturday morning to check out some "Garfield," then you knew you had to get your hands on this partnership. The Hundreds and the people behind Garfield came together to create this awesome cut and sew collection that features the OG grumpy cat.