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RevolutionStreetwearThe

FROM THE CITY TO THE SUBURBS, FROM PARACHUTE PANTS TO SKINNY JEANS

ot long ago, urban, hip-hop-inspired clothing was anything but mainstream. Introduced as part of a cultural movement in the ’70s, hip- hop fashion was defi ned by emcees and breakdancers sporting comfortable, stylish clothing to fi t their lifestyles. The look originated in New York’s Bronx neighborhood and migrated to the clubs of Manhattan.

It wasn’t long before major fashion and sportswear brands linked up with the hip-hop scene, quickly ex-tending the style’s reach. Brightly colored track suits, parachute pants and heavy gold jewelry became sig-nature hip-hop styles, bolstered by musicians like M.C. Hammer and the group Run-D.M.C. Throughout the ’80s these fashions were worn in urban locales across the country.

In the 1990s, urban consumers continued to differ-entiate themselves through their clothing, and urban fashion soon began its transformation from a distinct, confi ned look to an all-encompassing streetwear cat-egory. It has been growing ever since.

“Five years ago this was only a half-billion-dollar [segment of the] industry,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD. “It only hit the $1 billion mark four years ago, and since then it has basically tripled.”

The category also continues to broaden, according to experts like Tim Bess, men’s fashion/trend analyst for The Doneger Group. The bottom line: This once de-lineated segment of the fashion industry is no longer one-dimensional.

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04 The Revolution of Streetwear

“The streetwear kid is not the same as he was 10 years ago,” said Bess. “Today, young men are blurring the lines and getting inspiration from all over the place.”

In fact, a strong case could be made that the lines have simply vanished, with styles being infl u-enced by everything from hip-hop and rock to surf, ski and skate to fi ne art and electronics.

“The [contemporary] looks that you see at the Project Show are now showing up in streetwear,” said Ricky Singh, owner of the brand Brooklyn Xpress. “I don’t think there is a major difference anymore.”

“The word urban — versus even two years ago — has undergone a major transformation. Once defi ned as ‘the hood’ or inner-city, it is simply not that way any-more,” said David Strumeier, senior vice president of marketing, licensing and new business development at Wicked Fashions, Inc.

Indeed, urban has gone mainstream, confi rm indus-try experts. Many, like Izzy Ezrailson, president and owner of specialty retail chain Up Against The Wall, no longer consider it a category at all. Instead, he said, what you have are “urban-empathetic” consumers in search of the most stylish trends. And those trends are no longer defi ned by race, ethnicity, location or age.

“Last year I was watching the Transworld

Skate Awards, and I was blown away by the fact that some of the top hip-hopartists in the country were in-fusing their music with this tradi-tionally Caucasian-American sport of skate,” said Strumeier. “No one ever would have thought there would be an opportunity to integrate skate and rap music. It shows you that cultures, people and history not only evolve, but recycle themselves.”

Current politics are further proof of this evolution, added Cohen of NPD, echoing Strumeier’s sentiments. “All of a sudden we are breaking gender and racial barriers,” he said. “The industry can’t ignore what is going on in our culture. While there has

traditionally been a cultural, ethnic focus in this market, it no longer exists.”

Also nonexistent are the stylistic boundaries that once separated the West Coast from the East Coast and the U.S. from Europe and Asia. Technol-ogy has accelerated the fashion cycle, according to Abhishek Sharma, creative director for Ambition, a new brand under the Ultra Pink umbrella. This has made streetwear a “global game” where the kid in Middle America can keep abreast of the styles in Metropolitan London.

“You can’t really separate it by region anymore — different areas are unit-ing,” said Sharma. “It is almost like a ‘Golden Age’ all over again,

but people are failing to see it that way — they see it as a struggle. But now you don’t have to worry that a certain color plaid that’s popular on the West Coast of the U.S. won’t work on the East Coast. It will, and this should actually make our jobs easier.”

Although the streetwear industry is international in scope, the U.S. remains the leader in this category, said Bess. “Everybody comes here to see what’s hap-pening in streetwear.”

So what is happening in streetwear? Industry players agree that the cur-rent buzzword in this market is “clean” – but don’t confuse that with dull.

Simply put, manu-facturers are confi -dent that cleaning up their styles will lead them to clean up at retail. That means sleeker looks, slimmer fi ts that are truer to size, smaller prints and minimal detailing.

“Things that weren’t considered part of the urban look years ago are now

in the forefront and there is a lot of crossover,” said Singh of Brooklyn Xpress. “You have the surf look, along with denim with vintage washes and an outdoorsy look.”

With bottoms getting tighter and logos smaller, many brands are using color to remain exciting at a time

MAINSTREAM APPEAL

KEEPING IT CLEAN

“Five years ago this was only a half-billion-dollar [segment of the] industry. It only hit the $1 billion mark four years ago, and since then it has basically tripled.”

– Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD

Ambition

Pelle Pelle

5ive Jungle

Lot29



The Revolution of Streetwear 05

“The streetwear kid is not the same as he was 10 years ago. Today, young men are blurring the lines and getting inspira-tion from all over the place.”

– Tim Bess, men’s fashion/trend analyst, The Doneger Group

“The word urban — versus even two years ago — has undergone a major transformation. Once defi ned as ‘the hood’ or inner-city, it is simply not that way anymore.”

– David Strumeier, senior vice president of marketing, licensing and new business development, Wicked Fashions, Inc.

Ambition

5ive Jungle

ALL GROWN UP

THE ART OF DISTRIBUTION

when the look is more important than the label and even the most well-established brands need to rein-vent themselves.

“The retail fl oors looked really dark last year,” said Bess, and things are looking brighter. “Consumers aren’t really wearing the big logos anymore, so at the end of the day, if you don’t have a logo, your brand has to stand on its own.”

For manufacturers, that means fi nding unique ways to present the more classic looks that are in demand. But there is a fi ne line between cleaning up your product and boring your customer.

“We have a lot of fashionable, clean product that ap-plies to the cleaner customer but has a Pelle Pelle statement in its subtle fashion applications,” said Tom Ormandy, vice president of sales at Pelle Pelle.

Judging from recent sales, Pelle certainly has enough going on to keep consumers interested. Last year, noted Ormandy, was one of the brand’s best years on record. For Fall 2008, Pelle will introduce new leath-er items including a “hipster” jacket and a slimmer, straight jacket with an all-leather bottom.

Good news for streetwear vendors, added Strumeier, is the fact that “unlike the true urban market of yes-teryear where kids had to wear the same brand head-to-toe, they are now cross integrating the apparel on their body. They will pair a top from one manufac-turer with a bottom from another.”

In other words, kids may be migrating to denim brands like Levi’s, but they still want to pair them with a top from a company like Southpole.

According to industry experts like Cohen of NPD, streetwear vendors need to broaden their assortment to survive and thrive, catering to young professionals with wear-to-work and social after-hours collections.

“Sean John was the true leader in trying to change the dress mindset within this industry,” said Cohen. And then there was Russell Simmons, added Bess, who pioneered the “argyle culture.” Now, others are following suit.

“Think about it,” said Bess. “Thirty- and 40-some-things have grown up with hip hop. More designers are catering to a ‘hip-hop kid’ who wants to lead a professional life. A lot of true urban or streetwear lines are trying to show at least a capsule for that guy.”

Take the recently launched Ambition brand, for ex-ample. Ambition apparel takes its cues from the Eu-ropean and high-end markets, offering fi ne quality and styling for the 17- to -35-year-old man.

“Streetwear has always been a lifestyle — you dress it, act it, sing it. But Ambition’s customer is growing up and doesn’t want to be subject to a particular protocol or stereotype,” said Abhishek Sharma, creative director.

Ambition is showcasing a look that is both preppy

and sporty for 2008, complete with rugby and polo styles, ‘pop’ colors, grained twills and luxury fabrica-tions. Retail price points range from $35 for tees to $220 for jackets.

Further down the road, Ambition will expand into accessories — a category that Bess of Doneger is bullish about.

“I am all about accessories,” said Bess, noting scarves in particular. “When you clean up, accessories be-come all the more important.”

Wallets, luggage, headwear and skin care are in the plans for Ambition. Meanwhile Brooklyn Xpress is being aggressive when it comes to entering new product categories. “We have several licensing deals on the table,” shared Singh.

Of course, footwear is an obvious product for streetwear vendors to capitalize on.

“I believe that young men dress from the sneakers up,” said Bess.

5ive Jungle has seen success with its line of foot-wear, produced by Geoffrey Allen Inc., and Pelle Pelle is now eyeing the shoe business as well.

“This is a natural evolution for us since we are so dominant in the leather business,” said Ormandy.

Many streetwear brands have built their business off specialty chains and mom-and-pop stores that target a niche customer. But that is changing.

“The real growth came when urban migrated to what I called the ‘sub-urban’ lifestyle,” explained Cohen. “Then the department stores jumped in and made it universal young men’s apparel. So over the past decade it went from being specialty store in pure urban markets with four core brands — Sean John, Fubu, Rocawear and Phat Farm — doing less than a quarter-billion dollars combined, to a nearly $4.2 billion industry encompassing a lifestyle of products and retailers.”

This is both good and bad, depending on whom you ask.

“So many brands are cannibalizing themselves,” said Ormandy. “This customer doesn’t want to see himself over and over on the streets.” Pelle Pelle focuses on the specialty market, he said, making its retail partners “feel special” by not giving them any competition.

Although 5ive Jungle has considered selling to de-partment stores, it is also keeping its distribution limited for the time being. The brand, which retails at mid-tier price points of $26 to $60, and sells mostly to specialty and mom-and-pop stores, said Juan Bang, marketing director at 5ive Jungle.

Inspired by the need to create “a fashion-forward label at affordable price points,” Brooklyn Xpress is geared toward mid-tier department stores the likes of JCPenney. “These are our biggest customers,” noted Singh.

This will be important for the brand during the economic slowdown.

“The urban consumer, suburban consumer and even the


rural suburban wannabe in this market are the most likely to be price-sensitive,” said Cohen. “You have a large population of younger consumers using their parents’ wallets. Gone are the days of ‘I want these $250 jeans, Mom. Mom is going to say ‘Let’s try a lower-price version.’”

Although with the dollar falling and overseas currency getting stronger, Singh said it will be challenging to stay cost-effi cient. Strong players will come forward as retail-ers struggling to pay their rents become more and more selective in the brands they carry.

“A lot of stores are closing down. This is affecting many manufacturers. It is affecting us somewhat, but we are still doing well. I think it is because we are still new and a lot of the specialty stores are looking for some-thing new and fresh to help grow their sales.”

Due to the price sensitivity in the current market, something has to be really new and special to sell at a higher price point, added Billy Rodnick, gen-eral merchandising manager of the Dr. Jay’s retail chain.

Still, many vendors contend that when it comes to streetwear, if the customer wants an item of clothing, he fi nds a way to afford it.

Said Sharma of Ambition: “The customer we are going after always lived a bit beyond his means. He may eat out less now, but he still has an image to maintain. He knows that other guys can tell when something is bought in an off-price store, and he’s not going to get caught slipping.”

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“We have a lot of fashionable, clean product that applies to the cleaner customer but has a Pelle Pelle statement in its subtle fashion applications.”

– Tom Ormandy, vice president of sales for Pelle Pelle

Not all streetwear manufacturers are focused on tailored looks and cleaner silhouettes. Juan Bang, marketing director at the three-year-old label 5ive Jungle, believes bucking that trend will help his brand to stand out.

“People think it is weird that we are not changing to this new concept that others are following,” said Bang. “At this point, everyone is moving on, but I don’t really see that for us. There are still kids looking for the big graphics and prints.”

5ive Jungle targets an 18- to 25-year-old consumer, and offers a boys’ collection, sizes S-XL, and kids’ sizes 4-7. In the Southeast U.S. — the main region the brand caters to — Bang continues to see robust sales of oversized bottoms and T-shirts with large prints incorporating city themes and logos. “We do have some smaller fi ts, but those are not our main items,” he said. “We are not tailoring to fi t the mainstream.”

Likewise, the Vintage Don brand will “remain loyal to its core customer,” said Abhishek Sharma, creative director, with loose fi tting jeans, embellished tees and detailed denims. Rather than alter the brand’s “rich street tradition” the parent company, Ultra Pink, launched its new Ambition label for Fall 2008. Ambition is a contemporary collection for young men ages 17-35 that offers a clean preppy look with a luxury feel, said Sharma.

5ive Jungle

Pelle Pelle

Brooklyn Xpress

Pelle Pelle


Inspiration here is threefold. Hunting looks feature sherpa, fur and animal prints that create an outdoorsy feel. The rocker style contin-ues to be strong, but gets more colorful and artwork-inspired. Skulls are more stylized, and paint splatters adorn different silhouettes. Colorful fl annels and lumberjackets receive updates in the form of mixed media and different sized patterns.

CLASSIC/////////

THE FORECAST CALLS FOR BRIGHT COLORS AND PATTERNS, RUGGED OUTDOORSY LOOKS, AND STYLES STRAIGHT FROM THE SLOPES For Fall/Winter 2008, said Bess of The Doneger Group, there will be a continuation of the whole “urban goes suburban” theme we’ve seen in the last couple of years — but it goes way beyond that.

“What is really interesting is the fact that not one company can pinpoint one specifi c trend that is capturing American fashion right now because American fashion has become so diversifi ed and so multi-cultural,” noted Strumeier of Wicked Fashions, Inc. “A perfect example of that is the fact that a basic white T-shirt can be fashion, and a medieval-theme, foil-print T-shirt can be fashion, and a button-

down woven plaid shirt can be fashion and a varsity jacket can be fashion. There is no specifi c dominant item in the marketplace.”

There are defi nitely trend categories, however, that are certain to hit retail fl oors later this year, said Bess. Others agree that prevailing themes will include Classic, Old School, ’90s, Utility and Snow/Ski looks.

Military looks will take center stage, according to experts like Rod-nick of Dr. Jay’s. Meanwhile, Ambition is bullish on the rugby/polo trend and classic styles.


‘90s///

TRENDWATCH///

A menswear-inspired twist on the preppy look. Think classic items like button-down collar shirts, menswear vests, cardigans, argyle sweaters and varsity jackets.



When it comes to retro, the ‘80s are still huge. Colorblocking continues to be extremely important on hoodies and track jackets. Look for all different types of prints and patterns including “old school” stripes, plaids and checks.

Non-denim pants will surface in materials like twills, canvas and ripstop. Utility also comes through in a major way in outer-wear showcasing the blouson jacket.

Moving into Holiday 2008, expect to see more sweaters, cut & sewn knits, ski jackets, puffers and parkas. Vests lend them-selves to layering. Nordic prints and the “wet nylon” look prevail.

OLD SCHOOL/////////////////

SNOW/SKI///

OU

TIN

The fast-paced urban market, “changes on a dime,” said Ricky Singh, owner of Brooklyn Xpress. “You have to be alert and stay on top of where the trends are going.” For those not on top of it, this partial list should bring you up to speed.

Saggy bottoms

In-your-face logos

Colorful all-over print hoodies

Oversized anything

Extreme back pocket details

Hook-ups

Reversible hoodies

Varsity jackets

Colored denim

Button-down collars

Cardigans

Flannel shirts

Toggle coats

UTILITY///

Moving into Holiday 2008, expect to see more sweaters, cut & sewn knits, ski jackets, puffers and parkas. Vests lend them-

prints and the “wet nylon”


Source: Tim Bess, men’s fashion/trend analyst, The Doneger Group


It seems more and more museums are paying tribute to the evolution of hip-hop culture and fashion and its impact in the U.S. over the past few decades. Last year the Museum of the City of New York fea-tured its “Black Style Now” exhibit, chronicling the black fashion revolution, including what became known as “urban style.” The installation featured items like the Adi-das sneakers that rap group Run-D.M.C. popularized in the ’80s, apparel from pioneer urban brands of the 1990s and garments worn by black style-setters such as Beyoncé, Sean “Diddy” Combs, LL Cool J and Tina Turner.

In 2006 the Smithsonian National Museum of Ameri-can History launched a collecting initiative, “Hip-Hop

Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life.” The museum plans to build an unprecedented perma-nent collection displaying the infl uential reach of the hip-hop culture.

“Hip-hop has reached well beyond its roots to diverse national dimensions and has been an integral part of American culture for almost 30 years,” said Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History. “The Museum is committed to telling the story of the American experience, and with signifi cant contribu-tions from the hip-hop community, we will be able to place hip-hop in the continuum of American history and present a comprehensive exhibition.”

The museum has so far collected clothing and other items (see photos) from Russell Simmons, Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Flash and a handful of other major names in hip-hop. It is the second Smithsonian museum to examine the infl uence of hip-hop music and style on American culture. The National Portrait Gallery opened its “Recognize! Hip-Hop and Contemporary Portraiture” exhibit last year, showcasing contemporary photos and paintings of some of the faces of hip-hop.

DISPLAYONCULTUREHIP-HOP


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Brooklyn Xpress Brooklyn Xpress is the brainchild of presi-dent and owner Ricky Singh, who began his retail career as a young boy watching his parents run their New York City stores. The 14-year-old brand was inspired by the need for cutting-edge, urban fashion at an affordable price.

“We aspire to be meaningful to our custom-er by giving them more bang for the buck, plus national brand recognition,” said Singh.

A reference to one of the birthplaces of hip-hop, Brooklyn Xpress is a fi tting name

for this successful company. “Urban wear originates from the fi ve boroughs which include Brooklyn,” said Singh. “Since there’s such a great mix of styles and cultures in Brooklyn, we get a lot of our inspiration there.”

Brooklyn Xpress prides itself on its ability to keep pace with trends that “change on a dime,” said Singh, and on its personal connection to its con-sumers —eight- to 30-year-olds evoking the “true urban lifestyle.”

Retail price points for the collection range from $40 to $60 for bottoms, $28 to $50 for T-shirts and polo shirts, and $42 to $60 for fl eece. Brooklyn Xpress is available at mid-tier department stores like JCPenney.

Expect a fresh look and image for this brand in the months ahead. With the company’s recent upgrade to a 10,000-square-foot showroom and plans to license product in several new and exciting categories, Brooklyn Xpress is truly on the move.

Pelle Pelle Since being founded as a leather outerwear company in 1978 by owner and chairman Marc Buchanan, Pelle Pelle has developed into one of the 21st century’s leading young men’s lifestyle brands. Pelle Pelle celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, with plans for continued growth and success.

“Everyone has been talking about how the urban market is not the area of growth that it has been in the past,” said Tom Ormandy, vice president of sales, “but in 2007, one of the hardest years at retail, Pelle Pelle had one of its best years.”

Ormandy attributes that to the “cre-ative genius” of Buchanan, as well as the brand’s innovative, fashion-forward products, state-of-the-art graphics and high-end collectible jackets.

Pelle Pelle is a wardrobe favorite among major musicians and celebrities. The label was recently honored by some of hip-hop’s founders when it was asked

to design a studded leather jacket for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and will be featured in the 2009 motion picture “Notorious,” chronicling the life of rap artist Biggie Smalls.

“Our product is seen in so many venues,” said John Green, director of marketing. “The kids know that when a high-profi le star is wearing a particular brand, it is something the star wants to be seen in. That is happening to us on a regular basis.”

Pelle Pelle has also ventured into new product categories, licensing a kids’ line last year that has been a “phenomenal success,” said Green. Footwear could be next, he hinted.

For now, the global brand continues to update its current product while build-ing on its well-established base of specialty retailers.

5ive Jungle If New York City is the “Urban Jungle,” then 5ive Jungle is the perfect name for a brand inspired by the Big Apple’s fi ve boroughs.

Founded by Jean Choi, former design director for urban brand Southpole, this three-year-old label fuses the energy of the city with that of the wild.

“We have been very successful at taking a com-plex city look and mixing it with jungle themes,” said Juan Bang, marketing director. “One of our main images is the lion, and we try to build in skyline themes and urban graffi ti.”

5ive Jungle targets a diverse, 18- to 25-year-old consumer attracted to products with an aspira-

tional attitude. The brand also offers a line of footwear produced by Geoffrey Allen Inc., a boys’ collection, sizes S-XL, and kids’ sizes 4-7.

While other streetwear manufacturers lean toward simplicity, 5ive Jungle is staying true to the baggy styles and large graphics that have made the brand a hit.Oversize denim, T-shirts, woven shirts and fl eeces are among the label’s top-selling items.

“There is a lot of the same product out there, with brands moving on to a new, cleaner concept,” said Bang. “I don’t really see us doing that. There are still kids that are looking for those big prints. This helps us to stand out.”

5ive Jungle retail price points range from $26 for a T-shirt to $60 for a fl eece jacket. The young brand sells in more than 200 independent specialty stores nationwide, offering something new and fresh for the mid- to upper-tier market.

Contact:Pelle PelleCorporate Headquarters2903 Technology DriveRochester Hills, MI 48309Tel: (248) 829-3500Pete Gawel, President

NYC Showroom1385 Broadway Suite 1004New York, NY 10018Tel: (212) 840-3232Tom Ormandy, Vice President of Sales


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Contact: Brooklyn Xpress530 7th AvenueNew York, NY 10018Tel: (212) 398-5410Jay Schwartz, VP

Contact: 5ive JungleJuan Bang201-935-3332 [email protected]

BRAND SNAPSHOTS


Ambition Ambition, a new brand under the Ultra Pink umbrella, takes it cues from the high-end and European markets. The contemporary col-lection, designed for the 17- to 35-year-old man, had a soft launch last spring and will hit retail fol-lowing the Project Show this fall.

Abishek Sharma, Ambition’s cre-ative director, categorizes the la-bel as “urban prep” with a luxury feel. “Ambition features clean concepts with unusual graphic designs and key elements that make the line really stand out,” he said. Among Ambition’s top sellers to date are screened and embroidered T-shirts and jackets. Also important are silhouettes

revolutionizing traditional menswear concepts.

The brand caters to the mid- to high-tier market, targeting specialty retailers such as YRB, Michael K, Pulse, Planet Funk and Metropark, said Sharon Young Leary, account executive. Retail price points average $40 for tees to $90 for bottoms and $150 for jackets. Several other categories are also in the works, Sharma added, including young men’s accesories and skincare.

Ambition’s parent company, Ultra Pink, is the maker of Vintage Don, an authen-tic urban brand that offers cutting-edge fashion at affordable prices. Vintage Don stays true to the traditional urban concept and fi t.

Contact:AmbitionNYC Showroom1410 Broadway Suite 1804New York, NY 10018Tel: (212) 869-3150Sharon Young Leary, Account Executive www.ushouldhaveit.com

Wicked Fashions, Inc.The parent company of Southpole and Lot29, Wicked Fashions, Inc. was founded in 1991 to provide stylish, affordable apparel to the urban consumer. Seventeen years later, Wicked stands by its proven ability to offer fashion at accessible prices.

With the launch of two new young men’s brands in 2008, the company contin-ues to demonstrate its apparel expertise. The Wckd label, available for Back to School 2008 at national retailers Kmart, Against All Odds and Mervyns, offers

smart fashion basics for street-savvy teens. The line’s signature is a “fresh approach to cool basics.”

Wicked’s second new label, Whitetag, caters to the mid-tier market with an inventive approach to premium, trend-focused denim styles at value prices. The collection pairs the latest looks with qual-ity workmanship and is available at JCPenney and Against All Odds.

In addition, the company recently debuted Southpole Collection, a dressy, club-oriented juniors’ label sold at Mervyns and Sears.

These new brands are the perfect complement to the company’s established labels. Southpole, a force in the apparel industry for more than 17 years, brings exciting fashion merchandise to market and appeals to the diversity of Amer-ica. The brand is a value-driven moderate urban/suburban crossover fashion collection, distributed in a unique mix of moderate and upscale retailers includ-ing JCPenney, Mervyns, Dr. Jay’s, Epic, Belk, East Bay and Against All Odds. Southpole is also sold internationally in Europe and Japan and has branched into other product areas such as headwear, shoes and bags.

“Southpole does a fabulous job of eliminating risk by delivering demand-right fashion versus trendsetting fashion,” said David Strumeier, senior vice president of marketing, licensing and new business development for Wicked Fashions. “We pride ourselves on identifying the trends that are successful and bringing them to the mid-tier so they are relatively risk-free and worthy of the retailers who are purchasing them.”

The same holds true for Wicked’s 7-year-old streetwear brand, Lot29, which comprises affordable luxury and stylish designs. Featuring eye-catching graph-ic styles, the brand offers customers options for a complete wardrobe while providing retailers with a variety of merchandise to display on selling fl oors.

Lot29 incorporates airbrush techniques and fun art, appealing to consumers who express their individuality through apparel. Lot29, in contrast to Southpole, is a limited-distribution model, with average retail price points ranging from $58 to $68 for fl eece products. Against All Odds, Dr. Jay’s, Macy’s (for juniors), Man Alive, and Epic are some of the leading retailers where Lot29 can be found.

In the future, Wicked Fashions will continue to cater to various tiers of distribu-tion and to a “multicultural, integrated consumer,” said Strumeier, “with the understanding that the Southpole business model of fashion and quality at a value is paramount to anything else.”

Contact: Wicked Fashions, Inc. Corporate Headquarters222 Bridge Plaza SouthFort Lee, NJ 07024Tel: (201) 242-5900 Tel: (201) 242-8466

NYC Showroom525 Seventh AvenueSuite #1707New York, NY 10018Tel: (212) 840-9881Fax: (212) 840-9882

www.southpole-usa.com | www.lot29.com | www.mywckd.com


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BRAND SNAPSHOTS


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