Johnny Schillereff talked to me a little about Element’s junior line at ASR, and I loved the funky look of the room they created to show Element Eden clothes to buyers. The clothes also had a different twist, so I headed to Element’s headquarters in Irvine last week to find out more.
Marketing Manager Jardine Hammond gave me an update. She said the spring line got a lot of attention from buyers at the trade shows, and the team is building on that for fall ’08.
Here’s are some other highlights and initiatives.
The Element Eden vibe
The two designers working on Eden are fresh out of school and are given a lot of freedom to design clothes that they would wear. A lot of artwork and detailing are included. Eden is “more fashion driven” and “not just pigeonholed in fleece and hoodies,” Jardine said. The line is aimed at girls in their late teens and early 20’s.
Marketing strategy
Artist Brooke Reidt
Element Eden’s main marketing focus is its advocate program. The brand supports different young women who are artists, musicians, poets – even a seamstress and painter who makes interesting creatures – imaginary friends that make her smile. Element will sponsor their art shows, help with a CD release – basically support their creative efforts. In turn, the women wear Element Eden clothes and appear in advertising campaigns. Currently, Element Eden advertises in Teen Vogue, Nylon, and Damsel.
Distribution
A feminine Element Eden dress. Pretty
impressive for a
company that started
out making skateboards.
The biggest accounts in sheer numbers are Macy’s West, Zumiez, Active and The Buckle. The line is also carried at Jack’s, HSS, Killer Dana, K5, Villains and other specialty retailers.
Scope of line
For spring, Element Eden has 40 printable styles and 80 sportswear styles. Dresses are a big focus for summer, and the offering expanded from eight to twelve styles. The brand is also boosting its accessory offering.
Fall ’08
Jardine believes all the efforts behind Element Eden are really jelling for fall. The brand awareness has grown, the fall line is exciting, a new advertising campaign will debut, and new advocates will be announced. “Everything we’ve learned is coming together for fall,” she said.
