Archive for March 26th, 2006

RARE Jeans RARE Clothes and a Confused Message

Sunday, March 26th, 2006

RARE Jeans RARE Clothes and a Confused MessageRARE Jeans continue to persist with their controversial marketing campaign which pitches same gender individuals in overt sexual scenes. Many argue this strategy is no more than reverse-marketing aimed at attracting recognition and attention through controversy and provocation. No doubt, this technique can be very successful. However, the execution needs the skill and precision of an experienced surgeon as even a minor slip will have devastating consequences. RARE Jeans may have severed a main artery with the execution of this campaign.

This is a loose English translation of the RARE Jeans campaign: “The concept that is at the base of the new campaign of communication integrated by Rare, developed in collaboration with the great creative photographer, Oliveriero From Tuscany gets expression from: “Maximum  liberty of behaviors, interpretations and principles of expressions, and that of a homosexual.  Also this and the sense and the spirit of fashion.

In the photographic images flown out of Tuscan Oliveriero two men play with their sexuality. They touch themselves. They joke. They do not take themselves too seriously.  But, they respect themselves. They give life to a shape of obvious ambiguity.”

Translation issues aside, why would RARE, or any fashion brand, believe they can enhance their brand’s popularity amongst heterosexuals by promoting their product through homosexual lifestyle scenes? Surely this alienates both heterosexuals and homosexuals alike. Heterosexuals will not want to be seen in a brand which is advertised with homosexial connotations and homosexuals may feel the campaign is exploitative and misleading. All in all, this campaign looks like a lose/lose effort! Perhaps RARE have inadvertently confused being edgy with being senseless.

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Puma Miharayasuhiro so Puma Miharayasuhiro

Sunday, March 26th, 2006

Puma Miharayasuhiro so Puma MiharayasuhiroTo paraphrase a well known song: Puma Miharayasuhiro so good they named it twice. Perhaps one of the few truly inspirational collaborations, Puma Miharayasuhiro delivers breathtaking footwear with unique styling.

Born in 1972, Yasuhiro Mihara grew up in Fukuoka, in the western part of Japan. Influenced by his mother, an abstract artist, Mihara flourished in an artistic environment.

Yasuhiro Mihara Graduated from the Taina Art University in 1997, where he had a glimpse of shoe craftsmanship, and immediately fell for its intricacies and techniques. He then taught himself the traditional ways of shoe-making.

1n 1998 his first store, SOSU (prime number) Miharasuhiro, was established in Aoyana Tokyo.

The Miharasuhiro Collection consists of apparel, shoes and accessories for men and women. Mihara’s design philosophy is to break through the boundaries that we have set up through the course of fashion history. He designs with the intent of changing our perception and stereotypes. Not interested in churning out mass produced high street numbers, Mihara is interested in reaction of people to his creation; he wants an emotive response.

In 2000, Mihara collaborated with PUMA to create the PUMA Mihara collection. With each season of the collaboration, Mihara’s collection with PUMA has evolved, becoming more authentic and truly original.

“Puma’s an international brand so it was definitely the easiest way to get my name known overseas,” says Yasuhiro Mihara. “Even if people in Europe have an interest in Japan they can’t get information about it. However fast air travel gets, Japan is always going to be the Far East. But working with Puma has been like a pipeline and it’s made it easier to get offers from overseas agents.”

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