Bringing FUBU Back The Classic Way
The iconic streetwear brand, FUBU was the first to fuse hip hop into a mainstream fashion brand in the ’90s, is now making a fierce comeback. One that no one saw coming. The newest exclusive collaboration with Century 21 in NYC launched the brand’s recent capsule collection, “Can’t Resist A Classic.” Michael Wolkoff, CMO of Century 21 states, “Century 21 is so excited to be part of this next chapter in the FUBU brand story. It is our passion to bring our loyal shoppers access to the iconic brands they love and this capsule definitely fits the bill. We can’t wait for the original fans of the brand to line up as well as the next generation of shoppers to discover it in our stores.”
On March 1st the 10-piece Capsule collection was unveiled to the public for the first time. The goal of this collaborative launch was to revitalize the brand, reaching a new and younger demographic. FUBU transformed its classic collection by creating pieces that really captured the hearts of the younger generation. FUBU, known as For Us, By Us, was founded by four brilliant and highly respected entrepreneurs, Daymond John, J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin, and Carl Brown, who all had the audacious vision to bring something into the marketplace that was never before seen. Founded in 1992, the story of FUBU started with four friends, from a shoestring budget of $40 to a now whopping $6 billion fashion empire. Vice President of FUBU, Keith Perrin states, “We were in over 5,000 doors globally in the ’90s and today we are taking the E-commerce business model route and collaborating with strategic partners is a natural fit. When the idea came up about reemerging our brand, we felt Century 21’s downtown location was the best fit- if you’re developing a relationship with a brick-and-mortar store you couldn’t ask for a better partner to reach diverse consumers. Century 21 has always been the place to find premium clothes at a good price. Century 21 is just a great overall retail partner.”
The goal of this collaborative launch is to revitalize the brand, reaching a new and younger demographic. FUBU, known as For Us, By Us, was founded by four highly respected entrepreneurs and friends, Daymond John, J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin, and Carl Brown, who all had the audacious vision to bring something into the marketplace that was never before seen.
What’s great about the brand is that it is continuously spearheading initiatives that shake the way we view streetwear and championing the voice of the community. One of FUBU’s newest projects includes a partnership with a bulletproof backpack for children. In America, the increase in school shootings has pushed many in the community to find solutions to save our children. Daymond John who’s not only known for his role on Shark Tank but also as one of the founders of FUBU recently stated, “ If the government isn’t going to find ways to save our kids then I’m going to have to buy a book bag for my children to be a little more protected then what’s out there. We always have tried to be the voice of the kids and the voice of the community.”
If you’re wondering what’s the next big thing we can expect to see from FUBU? Daymond hinted at the possibility of more collaborations, eyewear, watches, suits and more. While co-founder J. Alexander Martin says, “because we do things from the heart and from the soul; from the point of the culture. We feel the need and the breadth of how the culture moves and what it wants. We’re giving back to the culture giving them what they want. Going forward we’ll have new products coming in. We have a number of licensing deals, loungewear ... we also have radio, hotels, and more. FUBU is a lifestyle synonymous with the culture of hip hop.
Brands are paying attention and really following through on their promises to consumers. Like FUBU other brands are also implementing serious social listening to make sure that they are fully aligned with consumers. As Daymond reiterated, “ We need to get data back from everybody to see what they like, don’t like and what they’re looking for.” At the end of the day who can resist a classic? Especially one that’s been THE brand responsible for giving birth to so many fashion brands that fuse hip hop and fashion while still giving consumers a share in the voice.
