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At 93-years-young, Popeye the Sailor Man is stylin this fall. In the year First published in 1929 (by Britannica), the King Features icon is now a leading figure in international men’s fashion. Maybe it’s an average cup, or maybe an all-spinach diet will make you live forever…
Now at the forefront of the pop culture scene, it’s no longer the old sailor who promotes international high fashion houses. King Features and six international textile designers have teamed up to reimagine Popeye with styles that meet and speak to generations to come. This collaboration spans decades and oceans, from Seattle across the Atlantic to the UK and the Middle East to India. While the sailor is riding the waves ahead, this isn’t the first time he’s sailed the seas of fashion.
How Popeye the sailor became a fashion icon
“Popeye has long been a high-performing brand as clothing has evolved from a popular character in print and film to a fashion icon,” Carla Silva, King Features vice president and head of global licensing, said in an email.
Silva has been regularly endorsing Popeye and friends like Olive Oil for over 20 years with collections from luxury Italian brand Moschino. More recently, King has found success collaborating with brands such as Super, Bathing Monkey and New Age. An animation producer and distributor aimed at high-end fashion collaborations.
“Pope’s relationship with the world’s top fashion is not new, but awareness of his status as a fashion icon is growing at a mainstream level,” Silva said. “We’re building some incredible momentum today – most recently the Iceberg x Popeye collaboration at Milan Fashion Week was highlighted by the media in several countries. And this year’s collaboration has caused a stir in the fashion industry.
In other words, King’s features won’t settle for any brand slapping their character on a shirt.
“When considering market-specific opportunities, finding collaboration partners that focus on quality materials and design is more important than the partner’s location,” Silva said. “Consumer engagement is also top of mind, so securing influential fashion partners with significant brand awareness and social following will help Popeye reach new audiences.”
Popeye, for example, is apt to adorn a selection of clothing and merchandise from Philson. A prominent Pacific Northwest retailer and outfitter has invested in the Seattle Maritime Community and King Features Syndicate. This capsule includes custom Popeye graphics on Filson tees, hoodies and other merchandise available at Filson.com and Filson stores.
“We love the personality and character of everyone’s favorite spinach-loving sailor, and this collaboration was a natural fit for both brands, which are well-respected on the docks,” Philson’s chief creative officer Alex Carlton said in a statement. Following the success of our first collection with Popeye in 2019, we are delighted to present a new design to fans of these American classics.
Popeye the sailor man thinks about sustainable fashion
Allies also relate to Popeye’s charm and advocacy. Iceberg’s men’s collection, for example, takes the lifestyle brand’s rugged and bold look with popeye-inspired, nautical-themed designs. The strong values of the spinach-eating sailor embody the spirit of the collection and are an integral part of the clothing concepts.
“The message is powerful: strength, perseverance, self-confidence and the freedom to be yourself are crucial to Popeye’s identity,” Popeye’s Italian agent Grazia Bussandri said in a statement.
Speaking of the sea, 21st Century Popeye is an advocate for clean oceans, partnering with the charity SeaCleaners to bring positive change to the textile space. This means collaborating with designers and brands committed to eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices.
“Over the past few years, Popeye has inspired eco-fashion collections around the world with United Colors of Benetton, Brava Fabrics, Noah, Mey, A-dam and Á La Garçonne,” said Silva. “I’m thrilled to announce that this October, Popeye’s will be launching an original and sustainable high fashion collection with a portion of the proceeds supporting SeaCleaners ocean cleanup efforts.”
Although Popeye prefers salt water, he does not discriminate against ground fats, especially athletes and children. As part of his new collaborations, Virat Kohli, the biggest name in Indian cricket, has teamed up for the new Popeye x Wrogn menswear line which is now available in India. Wrogn is an Indian youth fashion and apparel brand created by international sports sensation Kohli at 28 T-shirts featuring the iconic pose of a sailor eating spinach paired with the graphic Wrogn logo.
“Popeye has an incredibly engaged fan base in India and this partnership with Wrogn will bring those fans new unique and trendy merchandise that celebrates his ‘tough to the end’ lifestyle.” Silva said.
Popeye has recently even made an adjustment in the comic pages. After legendary cartoonist Hay Isman drew the character for 28 years, Isman retired this summer, passing the torch to Randy Milholland, who is lending his unique style to bring Popeye into modern times.
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