While the fashion tastemakers of the world gear up for the August MAGIC Convention, held in Las Vegas August 30th through September 2nd, the Fall lines that were presented at February’s MAGIC show are beginning to hit stores. In each month, or ‘delivery’ in fashion-speak, clothing companies work hard to capture your attention in department stores with new colors, designs, and marketing strategies.
While some independent clothing lines like the very popular Hip Hop lifestyle brand Mixwell (mixwellusa.com) and the artistic empowerment-inspired Wheat Bread (wheatbreadlife.com) focus on a more loyal grass-roots customer base, some of the larger companies go all-out to expand and multiply their opportunities. A couple of the urban fashion industry’s most sought after designers and innovators took some time to go over their Fall 2004 lines with AllHipHop.com.
CEO and entrepreneur Eminem launched his signature Shady Wear clothing for Fall 2004. Paul Rosenberg, Em’s manager and VP of Shady Records, gave us some insight about what to expect from the new line.
AllHipHop.com: How have things been coming along in the development of Shady Wear?
Paul Rosenberg: Early last Summer [2003] we did a soft launch with just t-shirts and hats. We’ve expanded, and it’s pretty much a full line now. We’ve got jackets, we’ve got a full denim line, we’ve got polo shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts – everything.
AllHipHop.com: Is Eminem involved in the design process at all?
Paul Rosenberg: He doesn’t have time to go through every single piece of clothing that we do, but the guys in the company are really in tune with what the artists want and prefer, so we have a pretty good idea of what he will and won’t approve.
While label owners, emcees, and superstar designers are creating new ways to market their ideas, other independent companies are coming up with ways to keep the high rollers looking good in unique ways. Official Apparel is a company that created an officially licensed line for Cadillac aficionados. Whether you’re flossing in the bright white Escalade or just flowing with some spinners on your Toyota, co-creators Geoff Heath and Eran Rothchild are confident that something in the line will suit you nicely. Many of the tees and hats come in basic colors and feature the numbers 24 and 26 to represent the different rim sizes. They have polo shirts with wrap-around embroidery, and the plush velour jogging suits that stand out from other designs.
AllHipHop.com: Your velour suits come in some striking colors – black, white, gold, and that silvery platinum. Explain the concept behind that.
Eran Rothchild: It’s specialized metallic velour to match the Escalade that you’re riding in.
AllHipHop.com: How do all the pieces in your line work together?
Eran Rothchild: We take our cue from the car really – you know how you get a car and it’s stock, then you start flossing it out and accessorizing it – after market grills and Giovanni spinners – it’s the same thing with our line. You can accessorize our pieces in the same way the car becomes a fly ride, it’s the same with each piece, you can build it up.
AllHipHop.com: What do you most want people to know about Official Apparel?
Eran Rothchild: You don’t really have to have a Cadillac to wear it.
The August MAGIC show is just around the corner, and AllHipHop.com will be there to check out the next wave of exciting fashions. Stay tuned!
For more information on MAGIC, go to www.magiconline.com
