asos(dot)com Enlists Experts To Create Limited Edition Products For Sale
Released on: October 1, 2008, 6:18 am
Press Release Author: press@asos.com
Industry: Consumer Services
Press Release Summary: Rare or hard-to-find denim, vinyl, trainers and sunglasses to form part of asos.com’s innovative ‘Untitled’ initiative.
Press Release Body: London: ‘Untitled’ is the innovative new menswear project initiated by online retailer asos.com. Developed from the idea that limited edition products captivate men, ‘Untitled’ invites experts in denim, vinyl, trainers, sunglasses and new designers, to collate, and then offer to asos.com, a series of rare, hard-to-find or limited edition products for sale. The project propels menswear forward on asos.com and highlights some of the current creativity in men’s fashion and lifestyle products.
Denim expert Neil Christopher was eager to offer his services to asos.com. As a denim addict, Christopher has traveled America sourcing denim for hip stores in New York and Japan. Having worked for denim giants Boxfresh, Carhartt, North Sails and Levi’s, he now develops garments for radical denim brand Kato. For ‘Untitled’, Christopher has hand-selected exclusive KATO pieces especially for the collection and all are offered numbered and in small quantities.
Limited edition sunglasses always cause limited edition envy, so asos.com invited expert Fraser Laing to offer his vision for the project. Archiv, Laing’s company was set up in 1997 to sell exclusive vintage eyewear. As Laing explains, “Since then there have been two main rules in pursuit of that goal. One; always keep eyewear which is emblematic of Arckiv’s style, and two; never sell anything which isn’t well designed or well made.” For the ‘Untitled’ project, Laing has selected contemporary limited edition styles along with vintage frames such as the 5317, which was worn by iconic jazz musician Herbie Hancock in1986.
Rare vinyl has become something of a style status symbol and vinyl authority Jim Henderson threw his support behind the ‘Untitled’ idea. Owner of the world’s largest independent record store Amoeba, Henderson offers music lovers every kind of music from the top 40, to the best in underground rock, hip-hop, soul, electronic, new and classic jazz, from his stores in San Francisco and Hollywood. “As with our amoeba stores and amoeba.com,” explains Jim Henderson, “asos represents a local and global culture with style, drawing from, but not flaunting, its expertise. This particular project is introducing its users to new concepts and ideas, bringing an awareness of others who strive for expertise in their fields.” Amoeba’s leading vinyl-buying expert, Rick Frystak, selected the records for the project, choosing rare vinyl albums from multiple eras, genres and styles.
London-based fashion writer and author of ‘Modern Menswear’, Hywel Davies approached new international menswear designers, and commissioned them to design limited edition garments especially for the 'Untitled' project. Swedish Patrik Soderstam, a graduate from Central Saint Martins, who describes himself as a clothes maker and multi-talent, has designed 5 different limited edition graphic t-shirts which are both bold and dynamic. Berlin-based Carola Euler offers a grey pleat front sweatshirt combining her utilitarian design approach for this project. Another Berlin designer, Frank Leder has handmade wool scarves and combined his obsession with historical Germany but applying vintage enamel badges. London-based Jean-Pierre Braganza contrasts with expertly cut patterns that emphasise the human figure and offer unexpected detailing – he offers low crotch, slim leg black wool trousers with leather panel detail for this project. Deryck Walker completes the group with his new take on the white shirt, utilising his intricate pattern cutting and attention to detail.
On-line trainer store Crooked Tongues has been selling hard-to-find trainers since 2000, and was enlisted to attract all trainer geeks. Highlights of their selection include the Adidas 35th Superstar, which was the culmination of the celebrations surrounding 35 years of the Shelltoe. As Charlie Morgan from Crooked Tongue explains, “It's an iconic design that's timeless and needs little introduction, but as the final release of 35, only a tiny run was released to friends of Adidas. The materials and packaging are incredible, and while few pieces maintain their original appeal, these are still something of a benchmark in how you present a premium, rare release.”
asos.com is going to radical measures to offer directional and exclusive products for their customers. The project confirms asos.com menswear as a trend-setting and opinion-forming brand, offering exciting and cool products to their style-savvy shoppers. The Untitled collections launch on 16th October, but act quickly, as product is, of course, strictly limited edition.
About asos.com asos.com is the UK’s largest online fashion and beauty store, attracting over one million visitors a week. With over 9,000 products available and 500 new lines added each week, asos.com is the online shopping destination. Since launching in June 2000, asos.com has won numerous awards including ‘Retail Week Online Retailer of the Year’ 2007 & 2008, ‘Cosmopolitan Retailer of the Year 2008’ and ‘In Style Best Online Shop 2008’.
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