Lifetime Collective had one of the largest and most impressive booths at Know?Show in Vancouver.
Reid Stewart and Trevor Fleming founded the Canadian brand, with roots in snowboarding, skateboarding, art and music, nine years ago.
The look of the line is fashionable and upscale, and the brand specializes in jackets and sweaters. Lifetime develops its own fabrics and patterns, and creates fabrics that can be used inside out. The collection includes 220 pieces each, including accessories, for men and women.
Prices for jackets range between CAD $190 and $300, with most priced between CAD $200 to $250. For the upcoming fall line, Lifetime shot the catalog in Iceland.
I met Trevor at Know?Show, and he shared some details about how the brand has developed.
Trevor and Reid started by making T-shirts for skate shops in Trevor’s grandmother’s basement. They were friends with professional snowboarders and musicians, and the collective element of the brand grew from those relationships.
Trevor said Lifetime became known as an art driven brand influenced by skate, snow and self-expression. Lifetime now has 35 people that are part of the collective, including photographers, filmmakers, skaters, snowboarders and musicians.
The brand is sold in North America, Sweden, Japan and Germany. In the U.S., Lifetime is carried in about 50 boutiques and 20 skate boutiques, including American Rag, Bloomingdale’s, Sun Diego, and Lamb and Flag.
Lifetime also makes a custom program for PacSun called Uniform Standard by Lifetime.
American Rag is installing buildouts at two locations and Lifetime had a special event with American Rag last month at HVW8 Gallery.
Women’s Collection
Two seasons ago, Lifetime joined forces with Judith Feller, creator of the brand Lily + Jae. Judith began designing the women’s line for Lifetime, which is aimed at the younger boutique crowd.
Prior to Judith coming on board, the women’s line was trend right but not a collection. Now its on trend and all the pieces work together, Trevor said.
I asked Trevor how Lifetime survived the difficult economy. He said the brand focused on giving great service to its major customers, on connecting with kids on the sales floor, and on quality.
Lifetime also has a general manager who is a partner, Nick Brown, and the brand has a group of investors that help on the financial side.
The fall collection, which Lifetime was showing at Know?Show, is its best yet, Trevor said.
“I always want to be able to say that, and I believe it is true again this season,” he said.
See photos of the fall line above in our slide show.
