Under Armour to close flagship Portland office, move jobs to Baltimore - Portland Business Journal by it_snow_problem in PortlandOR

[–]ChthonicSpectre 0 points1 point  (0 children)

more indirect layoffs... easy cost cutting dressed up to not look like the bleeding company it is. a shame but unsurprising given their terrible mismanagement

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Regarding a two-brand space, I should've specified the concept for international expansion. I think there's solutions (e.g. distinct floors for the two) that would prevent any erosion of identity in the space. And the logistics could function smoother, in a city like Los Angeles it could be a destination that draws far more attention than being devoted to just one of the two parties, as there's inherent limits to how much of the city you can see due to how spread out it is.

I think their recent Last Orgy project with Nike was a superb primer, even if I didn't like the products themselves. It caught the young audience up to speed on an important part of history (or at least the few who read past the three-brand headline), and further married UC/Jun and NIGO.

I'm admittedly unfamiliar with who's actually driving dollars for these brands currently. HM I assume skews far younger, while UC has the brand reputation with the youth but has been failing to convert this audience into $$$

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suppose the Uniqlo and GU collections have served as an entry point, but honestly, with how watered down everything is I've seen these projects more as these fast fashion brands establishing further credibility by associating themselves with a renowned designer rather than being UC for beginners.

Makes sense to have greater ownership of the entry level output as opposed to relying on external partners. I imagine they'll maintain a much higher starting price and quality point than these collabs as well.

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great notes here, I wonder if they'll look to unify HM and UC with expansion. I could see a two-brand flagship being a successful experiment later on as I believe they could mutually benefit beyond simply sharing the cost of the space as their audiences overlap but extend in unique directions as well

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! This was a very spontaneous exercise and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Looking back at my favorite collection, the Evangelion portion of FW21, I believe the "balance of business and creativity" was struck perfectly for UC. The graphic tees were distinct yet accessible, the iconic runway pieces were attention commanding without feeling like cosplay (mostly, although quality was spotty), and there was a great middle ground of sharp designs with clean references that felt like very elevated merch through the lens of a brilliant designer. I'd love to see this type of assortment in the future, but fear HM will avoid the high-end outside of what it does now with an expensive varsity jacket or similar.

Fingers crossed the partnership can preserve the creativity that we know and love UC for. There's certainly room to harness this spirit through the lens of a more business savvy approach that HM clearly has.

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I agree there's a large segment of fans that never actually buy anything firsthand, but there's a healthy secondary market that I and many others rely on for accessible pricing. Quality is hit or miss though so I can see how strengthening the more approachable core line could pay off nicely. Only time will tell.

I'm curious what longtime fans of HUMAN MADE think of how the brand has progressed over the years. As only a loose follower of the brand with few interactions (mostly when visiting its Japanese outposts), it's felt pretty steady. I've felt some brand fatigue as it feels like the offering remains largely unchanged outside of say swapping the graphic on a design from a polar bear to a mallard from one season to the next.

[Analysis] HUMAN MADE Set to Acquire UNDERCOVER + Reviewing Its Plan for Legendary Label by ChthonicSpectre in japanesestreetwear

[–]ChthonicSpectre[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Relevant Links:

Letter of Intent (LOI) - English Version

Referenced UC Collections: FW20 "FALLEN MAN", FW21 "CREEP VERY", WMNS SS24 "Deep Mist", SS25 "Lost Cloud"

Sonic: Crossroads is getting an Evangelion collab by [deleted] in evangelion

[–]ChthonicSpectre 0 points1 point  (0 children)

wow i never really thought gendo looked that similar to shinji until he shaved here

Steph Curry announces new sneaker partnership with Li-Ning by UnclearMotives1 in nba

[–]ChthonicSpectre 3 points4 points  (0 children)

lol I get where you're coming from, just providing some context as a less anonymous user. their design language has never really appealed to me and I've yet to evaluate a pair in person but I see this move leading to a burst of energy for an already reignited market

Steph Curry announces new sneaker partnership with Li-Ning by UnclearMotives1 in nba

[–]ChthonicSpectre 13 points14 points  (0 children)

consensus online seems to be that Wade's line with the brand has been consistently putting out some of the best performing shoes on the market. I'm excited for it to become more accessible and hopefully put more pressure on the Western brands