Muscle-Car Firm Tries On Fashion
Before West Coast Choppers gained a national reputation for its custom motorcycles, the Long Beach, Calif., company made a splash with its ubiquitous fashion campaign, where retailers such as Hot Topic sold its T-shirts and jackets.
Other manufacturers took note of the unconventional fashion success of companies such as West Coast Choppers and the iconic motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson.
Now, Irvine, Calif.–based musclecar maker Saleen Inc. has made a move to expand its cult fame. On July 28, it opened a lifestyle store at the Irvine Spectrum shopping center in Irvine, Calif., dedicating about one-fourth of the space to the car company’s fashion line.
“The inspiration was speed, nothing but speed,” said founder Steve Saleen, who wore a black suit to the debut.
The label was designed in-house, he said. The main demographic for these cars are guys, so two-thirds of the fashions are T-shirts, jackets, hats and polo shirts for men. The rest of the line is for women. Retail price points range from $20 for a Tshirt to $385 for a leather jacket. The clothes bear the company logo and images of Saleen’s popular cars, such as the Saleen S7, which can reach speeds of more than 200 mph. Saleen said he would consider wholesaling the fashion line if the store’s retail sales are successful.
Branding and marketing expert Rick Barrera said fashion has historically proved to be a successful way to introduce a product to new markets. If consumers can’t afford your car, for example, most likely they can buy your $20 T-shirt. “The holy grail is word-of-mouth and buzz,” said Barrera, chief executive of Overpromise Inc., based in San Marcos, Calif. “The fashion side of it gives you a lot more word-of-mouth.”
Plus, Barrera said, the apparel launch poses little risk to Saleen’s main business. “If they bomb in fashion, it’s not going to hurt the core Saleen brand,” he said. “People are just going to say that they should have stuck to cars.” —Andrew Asch
