O’Brien: If you think about Concepts and what we have done for the past 25 things, a few things are consistent. We know a lot of great brands that maintain their identity and who they are for hundreds of years, and that’s how we see our brand. If you can maintain that authenticity, the sky is your limit. You never want to sell out, and to do that you have to invest in your roots and where you come from. You maintain that in years to come, and you’ll remain successful. Hassan: I look at brands that I respect and they remain authentic. Where do you see Concepts heading in the next decade? We don’t have a lot of time or energy to think and look back, we’re always thinking about the next one. We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved with our partners, but some collaborations are timeless, like the Concepts x Nike SB Dunk “Lobster.” These moments where a product becomes a household name, and is less affiliated to Concepts or Nike, but rather something that tells a story on its own and stands the test of time, are priceless. We’re always trying to push the boundary, to build, to tell a bigger story, to go out of our comfortable zone even more. We literally live through every project that we do. Point: To us, every collaboration is very meaningful. We sweat the details, and that’s an important piece.ĭo a few favorite collaborations instantly come to mind, or is that too much like being asked to pick a favorite child? O’Brien: Inspiration and creativity is super important for everything we do, but the how is what’s special about Concepts, and what we really bring to the table. If we own the storytelling, everything else can be easy for us. Products can come and go, but the story behind it will always remain. It’s never just been about products and materials, there is always a story behind it. Hassan: Everything starts with inspiration. Tell us about why storytelling is so important in your co-created product, and how you find inspiration for these stories. Right now, we’re focused on doing this through the lens of health and safety, but nonetheless we wanted our consumers to be able to come to the new store and really have the brick and mortar experience. Maybe I’m old fashioned in that way, but you can’t replace the feeling of the staff, and the music, and being able to walk out of the store with the product you waited in line for. It’s a different feeling when you’re watching 1,000 people waiting in line to buy a shoe. Hassan: Watching people interact in the store is priceless for me. It’s the brick and mortar locations that keep customers coming back again. I truly believe our customers have trust in us and honestly, online shopping doesn’t buy loyalty. Concepts is a family - people continue to shop in-store with us because of that. Even though our e-comm is growing, the people who shop at Concepts are such a core part of who the brand is. Even though we’ve adapted to online, I think there’s something to be said about the fact that we’ve always carried the torch for brick and mortar. The brand starts with people, and for us it’s so important to have people in the store touching and feeling the product. How have you managed to keep customers coming back instead of shopping from the comfort of their home?ĭeon Point, Concepts creative director: Concepts is rooted in retail, and that’s where we excel. In today’s world of e-commerce where any product is available with a few clicks, Concepts has still managed to successfully make brick and mortar retail a priority. Our intention with VRSNL is to inverse that thinking, by taking a luxury women’s platform with a strong presence in the designer fashion world, and provide a space for streetwear to exist, all while serving our fastest growing customer, women. Hassan: Concepts was the result of introducing sneakers and skate culture, to the world of fashion. How does the new VRSNL experience fit into the Concepts DNA? The commitment to who we are is still there, this is just the notion of an evolution and a strategic journey. This is really a moment in our journey overall and the evolution of what we’ve become. It’s a lifestyle, and we aren’t pigeonholed to streetwear or footwear.ĭarin O’Brien, Concepts president: After almost 25 years, Concepts has made a commitment to the local community and the culture of storytelling. The vision has always been there, but the time is now and this is the chance to express who we are, what the brand is about. Concepts is not just about streetwear or footwear - it’s a lot deeper and more meaningful. From the beginning, we’ve been a lifestyle brand. This flagship store represents who we are as a brand, and also where we’re going as a brand. Tarek Hassan, Concepts CEO and founder: The location, size of the store and the ability to express storytelling the way we’ve always imagined. HYPEBEAST: What’s your favorite thing about the new flagship store?
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