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Make Fashion
interview by Yvette Coleman
An
interview with one of the pioneers and founders of “urban” fashion, Phil Pabon, General
Manager of Marketing & Advertising / LOT29 & SOUTHPOLE
Pioneers have a perspective on things that is immeasurable.
While FashionLedge.com had an initial goal to explore the what,
why, where and when that led Phil Pabon to his current state
in life as a pioneer in this market, we quickly learned that
to be a pioneer is really to be a foreseer of sorts. Enter Phil
Pabon…
How did you get started in the fashion industry?
I started in the music business managing several groups in 1992-93.
I had forged some relationships with several brands thru my
artist relations and my management company by outfitting and
styling my own artist. I also began hanging out with a really
good friend of mine, Tony Shellman. He and our partners came
up with a concept called Mecca USA Clothing. We all felt real
strongly about the concept and the direction of the brand.
So we all volunteered our time in the beginning. And we turned
something that we created into a multi-million dollar business
within 18 months.
You went from Enyce to FUBU to Mecca USA and now SOUTHPOLE.
We’ve noticed within the past few years that marketing
directors move around a lot. In 2003-2004 alone we've seen new
marketing teams for Meeca, Azzure, Davoucci and Ecko. Just recently
we've seen Rocawear and Sean John’s infamous marketing
teams leave the companies they help build. One marketing director
said this is because when things don't go right with a brand,
marketing is the first to blame. Why do you feel that marketing
teams change so often?
A lot of companies don’t understand this culture enough
to quantify the results of people’s efforts. I have that
problem every time I go out and take a position and do a consult
for anyone. People understand that they need marketing but they
don’t understand how they need marketing and how they need
marketing to work for them. A lack of understanding and education
and also ignorance is a contributing factor. These type of brands
we work with are lifestyle brands. And if you are not attached,
involved or have experienced this lifestyle couture in depth,
you may not fit with the mold of a particular company.
What specifically do you do at SOUTHPOLE as general manager
of marketing and advertising??
In the beginning, I was just happy to be there. Now, 10 years
later, it’s about covering all the bases. Marketing is
something that happens over time thru relationships and having
strong relationships and experience within the business. So the
marketing aspect is what you do day in and day out. The other
thing that comes about within marketing that people ask to do
as well to bring value to the company is strategic partnership.
Helping to build that business from every aspect. I’m not
just involved in the direction of the advertising. I play roles
as the creative director in terms of our advertising; we do all
buying for the media. In addition, I also sit in on design meeting
and line reviews. I also sit in with retailers with my sales
reps and talk to our buyers to get a pulse of what’s going
on in their store. So, I’m involved in the business from
every aspect of the business.
Do you think celebrities are necessary to push a brand?
It depends on the brand. Companies such as Mecca USA and Enyce,
we definetly had very strong relationships with artists who
supported us. Celebrities are trendsetters. A celebrity can
be an athlete, an entertainer or an actor/actress. Celebrities
come in many different forms and I think celebrities are absolutely
necessary when you’re looking to gain public appeal and
boost persona of your brand.
Were you responsible for SOUTHPOLE’s use of 3LW, Keyshia
Cole, Marques Houston, and Mobb Deep? Were they your choice?
Absolutely!
Why did you feel so strongly about these particular artists?
Well, SOUTHPOLE had B2K prior to me. Marques was just another
extension of what they had started here with that. Knowing
what Marques Houston and Chris Stokes were up to after meeting
with them, I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of
that team. They have some very aggressive plans for Marques
as you’ve noticed. He’s rolled out very nicely.
[At press time, Marques Houston’s album is currently
in Billboard’s Top 30. It is well approaching platinum
status. His current single, “Naked,” has been featured
on BET’s 106 and Park since mid-August]. Once again,
he has stepped his caliber of celebrity up. Where as once before
he might’ve been looked at as a B level artist, he is
an A Level artist now.
My background in the music and entertainment side helps me spot
and understand that certain things have great potential that
I want to tap into early in the game and help become part of
that start up. It’s the same thing we did with Mecca USA.
We took an unknown company, with just a good idea and potential,
and created a 50-60 million dollar company in a very short time.
It’s the same with an artist. Artists are brands themselves.
If they really understand what this business is about, they will
position themselves accordingly. Mobb Deep has been in the business
for over 10 years. I’ve known Prodigy since he was a kid.
I’ve seen them grow up in this business. And they are not
going anywhere. They are one of the most slept on groups of all
times. [For all readers sleeping under a rock, Mobb Deep has
recently signed with G-Unit Records along with M.O.P]. Now that
they are being recognized, who better to be a part of it? We
signed Keyshia Cole and Ciara before they even had [album] release
dates. Currently, we have Keyshia Cole and Brooke Valentine now
with SOUTHPOLE. On the Lot29 side, we have Juelz Santana. All
three are about to become mega stars. So you see, we have an
eye for talent, we understand what’s going on in the business,
and we know what our consumer relates to.
SOUTHPOLE didn’t always set out to be an urban company.
But early in the game, because of their strategy, it was appealing
to that community. That community brought us to where we are
today. And we don’t forget that. No matter how many millions
of dollars worth of clothing SOUTHPOLE has sold, they still understand
the roots. Now what we’ve done is we’ve taken it
and we’re taking that original position and taking it to
the next level and made it more relevant again. Because 2, 3,
4 years ago, if you said SOUTHPOLE, you didn’t get much
of a reaction. Now it’s a different story. It’s just
a matter of understanding who your consumer is, what relation
we have as a brand to that consumer, and how we can relate and
engage that consumer to our lifestyle.
You know certain individuals are known for certain brands. You
have Sabai at akademiks, Myor at Phat Farm, Tony at Enyce, and
you with Mecca. How has the move to SOUTHPOLE worked for you
as far as buyers and industry reps?
When we were involved with Mecca USA, that was when is was at
its greatest success. Now the brand is somewhat defunct. It’s
not as appealing as it once was, and it’s not as widely
distributed as it once was. And it’s not in demand as it
once was. SOUTHPOLE is a beast. It’s one of the very few
companies that I’ve been involved with that understands
this business and understands how to maneuver within it and navigate
for longevity. Our owner is a visionary. He doesn’t look
at today or tomorrow or next year. He only talks in terms of
3-5 years ahead. Our goal is to become a half a billion dollar
brand within the next two years and we’ve very close to
it already. There aren’t too many brands out there within
our category or within our arena that even compete with SOUTHPOLE.
What is the difference between SOUTHPOLE and lot29?
SOUTHPOLE is our anchor brand. Modern classics. It’s more
of a fabric brand. Lot29 is a licensing agreement with Warner
Bros. Looney tunes. 60% of that product right now is character
driven and other 40% is more lifestyle. I would say that Lot29
is our higher priced point brand that appeals to a better lifestyle
consumer: someone who is into trends, characters and better fabrics.
Now let’s discuss the term “urban.” I know
that you are not a strong supporter of the word “urban.” Do
you feel it can pigeonhole a brand? Or do you prefer the term “street
wear” to urban?
It’s not street wear because everyone walks the streets.
It’s not either one. But if you notice the only choices
in labels that we receive are ones that pigeon hole us. We make
fashion; contemporary young men’s. The young men’s
fashion business is a growing industry. We were just the nucleus
within the overall eye that broke out and became the dominating
market shareholder. We all make pants with two legs on them.
Nothings different. What label do you have for Tommy Hilfiger?
You call it fashion. What do you call POLO Ralph Lauren? Fashion
collections. We do the same thing. People don’t know how
to label things based on their ignorance. I think “urban” was
something that was good to introduce the world to where the inspiration
came from. But if that’s the case you can call all fashion
urban because Burberry isn’t popular today because of a
200-year-old company. It’s popular again today because
of women like Foxy Brown gave them their props on a record that
was a platinum success.
SOUTHPOLE competes aggressively. We position ourselves at all
angles. People always ask who do I think our competition is.
And most people name the other “urban” companies
that are around. They are not really our competition. SOUTHPOLE
competition is Old Navy, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle,
and sometimes POLO, and sometimes Phat Farm and sometimes Tommy
Hilfiger. We have such a large diverse collection, that our products
appeal to a wide mass of people. When I walk down the street
I see young kids wearing it, and I see older people wearing it.
I see grandmothers wearing it, and I see fathers wearing it.
I see all diverse walks of life wearing SOUTHPOLE. And it’s
the most diversely dispersed distributed product out of any of
the brands.
What's next for SOUTHPOLE and Phil Pabon?
We are soon to be launching a new brand for men. Right now, SOUTHPOLE
is a young men’s collection. We are introducing a more
mature product collection to compete with the Banana Republics
of the world, the Tommy Hilfigers of the world, and the POLOs
of the world.
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