DESIGNER PROFILE
Project Social T: Season for Trends, Quick Turnarounds and Customization
For Los Angeles tops manufacturer Project Social T, 2014 is the year of customization.
When he first started business in 2011, Project Social T founder Mike Chodler won the business of high-marquee retailers such as Urban Outfitters and Topshop by being quick and stylish. Project Social T produced tops that were on trend, and it turned around orders quickly, in four weeks, because the line is produced in Los Angeles.
Now, Chodler and his staff of 14 people get business by being speedy and on-trend and by offering something different and unique for each client. It is a feat of creativity and diplomacy, said Claire Wheeldon, creative director of Project Social T.
“You have to offer them products that are unique,” Wheeldon said. “It should not compete with what their own design team is doing.”
Intelligence about companies helps, too. Project Social T executives and designers sit in at high-level meetings with their clients and are informed of what retailers are seeking. Project Social T’s veteran designers also gain a lot of traction through market intelligence and trend forecasting, said Susan Melkonyan, head designer of Project Social T.
“We scour the city, shopping vintage, and watch trends carefully to create a line each month. We then tailor our line to fit our retailers’ needs,” Melkonyan said.
The market intelligence and the work of Project Social T designers have resulted in some Spring/Summer 2014 looks such as a crescent moon with Moroccan patterns, dreamcatchers and Chinese banners. They also have tops with different dye treatments or fabrications.
In the first quarter of 2014, retailers chose from materials such as tissue-weight fabrics, burnout fabrics, and cloth with uneven dyes and mineral washes. Retailers also are looking at Project Social T silhouettes such as deep V tops with drop-arm sides, lightweight sweatshirts, sleeveless hoodies and oversized bodies. Wholesale price points typically range from $8 to $15 for the label’s tops. For more information, contact mikechodler@projectsocialt.com.
