DaVinci Partners With Fender Guitar for New Line
Los Angeles-based DaVinci Clothing Co., a 50-year-old casual clothing company, has partnered with the Fender Musical Instruments Corp., a leading maker of electric guitars and amplifiers, to create the Spirit of Rock ’N’ Roll, a co-branded line of clothing for young men and juniors. Both the young men’s and juniors collections will be launched at MAGIC International in Las Vegas Aug. 26–29.
DaVinci, which has a pre-existing affiliation with music, has been worn by such rock icons as Sugar Ray, Los Lobos and Jimmie Ray Vaughn and will use the names and likenesses of such legendary and iconic Fender instruments as the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass for the new line’s designs. Chris Wicks, owner of DaVinci, said that the new partnership was a natural mix.
“The fashion and music businesses have always been aligned, from the early days of the Beatles suits, to the likes of Lenny Kravitz, who caused a one-man ’60s and ’70s fashion revival,” said Wicks. “Today, sex and rock ’n’ roll rule the direction of fashion in both the men’s and women’s markets.”
The first juniors collection will consist of 15 to 20 denim jean styles using leather trim and torn cord details to give it a rock ’n’ roll vibe. Washes will vary and there will also be 10 to 15 highly styled denim jackets featuring embroidery and the same leather and torn cord. Tops include cap-sleeve screen-printed tees, muscle tees and V-neck baby dolls. The young men’s collection will feature bottoms of denim, canvas and corduroy, matching jackets and tops in cotton blends, poly blends and 100 percent cotton. Both collections will feature music motifs and rock ’n’ roll–inspired logos.
Since 1952, DaVinci has designed casual sportswear for such celebrities as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and other members of the famous “Rat Pack.” During that same time period, the name Fender became synonymous with all things rock ’n’ roll, including many of the art form’s legendary guitarists, among them Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Kurt Cobain.
The Spirit of Rock ’N’ Roll will be available for distribution throughout DaVinci’s worldwide network of upscale retailers and Fender retailers across the United States and Canada, as well as via the Internet on www.davinciclothing.com and www.fender.com. Fender will be showing at MAGIC in booth #ST31345. For more information, call (213) 430-0200. —Darryl James
