This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply. Robert Cordero, writing for the Business of Fashion, on how concert tour merchandise is becoming not just a way for artists to make money, but also a player in the fashion world: “Obviously, the sales [of concert ‘merch’] are big and significant,” says Jerry Lorenzo, the Los Angeles-based founder and designer of Fear of God, who worked closely with Welch to create some of Justin’s Bieber’s looks for his current tour. “But they’re just as important as a branding asset to an artist,” he continues. “It’s the new CD. It’s as important as the sound, a part of the vision.” Expand - View Original
It's also interesting that its creating a secondary market for merch. Example: The "I feel like Pablo" shirts, are Gildan brand, and have a common font on them. Kanye sells them for $45 (t-shirt) and $65 (long sleeve t-shirt) Go on Etsy, eBay, or Amazon and get an EXACT replica, shipped to you for under $20. I know there's always been knockoffs... but now the internet is doing a really good job of replicating the originals, to a T.
This is getting kind of meta but there was a kid in NY who went to the TLOP pop-up shop, bought a few items, bootlegged them, then sold them back to people waiting in line the next day. Article here: How a 17-year-old got his fake Yeezy merch Kanye-approved