chel4mdavali
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Oh christ here comes another one...
Chester Bennington, Linkin Park's frontman, is part of a wave of musicians working with local clothing companies.
By HANG NGUYEN
The Orange County Register
Linkin Park's frontman Chester Bennington is as passionate about his clothes as he is about his music.
He – not his wife – has the big closet in the master bedroom at their Newport Beach home, where they have quietly lived for almost two years. The father of four often spends an hour carefully selecting his outfit. He sifts through his hundreds of T-shirts, shoes and belts.
"My belt needs to match my shoes. My socks need to match my underwear. Everything has got to go together. It's an event, for real." His wife likens the event to a fashion show.
So it comes as no surprise that in August Bennington will launch a high-end, rock 'n' roll clothing line named Ve'cel. He describes the pieces as clothing he would want to wear. For the apparel brand, Bennington is teaming up with the owner of an Irvine tee screen printer for action-sports brands.
Musicians are playing an increasingly big role in O.C. surf and skate companies. Mike Shinoda, another singer for Linkin Park, and Travis Barker, former drummer for Blink-182, helped design DC Shoes, which is owned by Quiksilver of Huntington Beach. And Billabong USA of Irvine teamed up with Red Hot Chili Peppers to make boardshorts.
And in addition to his apparel line, Bennington spent two years working with Lake Forest-based Etnies to design some sneakers that will go on sale in June.
Experts say there's a strong connection between music and action-sports brands – they often speak to the same audience.
Last week, Bennington, 31, skinny and dressed in all black, spoke exclusively to the Register about his upcoming clothing label. He gave a glimpse into his life where the worlds of art, music and fashion all merge.
"My life is fashion. My life is music. My life is art."
'DUDE, I'M A ROCKSTAR'
With his obsession for fashion, and his connections in that industry, Bennington helps direct the look of Ve'cel clothing. And as the lead singer/screamer for Linkin Park, which will soon release its third studio album, he's also a powerful promoter for the clothing brand.
When Grammy-winning Linkin Park kicks off its worldwide tour later this month, Bennington will wear Ve'cel shirts on stage.
He has access to a lot of free publicity. Last month, during one week alone, Bennington promoted Linkin Park's upcoming "Minutes to Midnight," due out on May 15, in 70 interviews. Among the press was Rolling Stone, which in 2002 splashed Linkin Park on its cover. He plans to bring up Ve'cel in future interviews about his band.
Bennington's invited to fashion shows. He's good friends with designers Jade Howe, Jason Bleick of Ever clothing, and Jeffrey Sebelia, creator of Cosa Nostra and winner of the reality show Project Runway, Season 3.
These designers and others are always sending the Linkin Park frontman their latest styles. Touring with the band, he sees what people around the world wear.
Bennington himself has an expensive, eclectic and edgy eye for fashion. In his closet hang 50 jackets from his favorite labels, such as Armani, Cosa Nostra and Abercrombie & Fitch.
For a photo shoot, he wore Nudie black skinny jeans, DVS black belt and Ve'cel black T-shirt that reads "Aeternum Vale," Latin for Farewell Forever. On his feet were the shoes he helped Etnies design: Club Tattoo sneakers with traditional tattoo artwork of a dragon and koi. He finished his look with a titanium bracelet and a pair of black earrings.
Fashion is a big deal to Bennington because, as he puts it, "Dude, I'm a rock star. It's a reflection of who you are. Typically, whatever style of music you're primarily into is kind of reflected in how you dress and how you live your life. It's interesting how they work together. It's always been that way."
HIS OTHER PASSION: ART
In 1995, Bennington, who is now heavily tattooed, helped Sean Dowdell, 33, found Club Tattoo, a tattoo studio. In the '90s, Bennington and Dowdell played in the same band, Grey Daze. Dowdell's wife, Thora, 35, later became a partner in what has become a successful chain of tattoo studios.
Doctors, musicians and pro athletes get inked up at Club Tattoo. The chain, currently with four locations in Arizona, will open its fifth boutique next year in the Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
But several years ago, when tattoo business was slow during a Christmas shopping season, the studios started selling Club Tattoo-brand clothing. Even though the boutique also carried popular brands like Famous Stars and Straps, the house-brand shirts – named Club Tattoo Cartel – flew off the shelves.
So Bennington and the Dowdells searched for a partner to help expand Cartel. About a year ago, a tip led them to Josh Merrell, who runs the roughly 100-employee team at Liquid Graphics in Irvine.
THE CHATTY CHIROPRACTOR
That tip came from an unlikely source, Bennington's chiropractor. While getting treated for back problems, he talked about his hope to expand Cartel.
The chiropractor recommended Merrell, also a patient, and someone who had grown his business over the previous decade.
Merrell, a Linkin Park fan, was excited when he met Bennington 10 months ago. For his part, Bennington likes that Merrell, 33, is similar to how he describes himself, "a young executive." Bennington also likes that Merrell has established partnerships with clothing factories.
But Merrell, who then was expecting to become a father for the first time, initially had reservations about working even longer days. And Bennington and the Dowdells changed their minds and wanted to move beyond Cartel, something that's viewed as just a tattoo-style clothing line.
So instead, the four decided two months ago to reach a wider audience and called their new label Ve'cel (pronounced Vee Sell).
For Ve'cel, they envision fine cotton and fitted tees selling from $45 to $80, thermals and lightweight fleece. They'd like to eventually offer jackets, denim, leather and accessories.
One of the things that will make Ve'cel special, the owners say, is the custom graphics on the tees. The art, designed by the Liquid Graphics team, portrays today's culture.
While the clothes have few tattoo images, they do draw inspiration from that industry.
Tattooing is "viewed as kind of sexy, kind of rebellious," Bennington said. "We want to have that same feeling when you put our clothes on."
Ve'cel creators hope the clothes will appeal to men and women ages 15 to 40 who are into the punk-rock lifestyle or just want a shirt with a cool design.
They want to sell their holiday collection of about 35 pieces starting in October in places like Fred Segal and Nordstrom, Bennington's shopping haunts. Ve'cel will be the star brand at Club Tattoo boutiques.
FOUR HOURS OF SLEEP
After a week of 10-hour days of press and photo shoots for Linkin Park, Bennington drove straight from his last interview one recent Friday in L.A. to Merrell's Newport Beach home. While their wives hung out, the two spent four hours, until midnight, going over designs for Ve'cel.
"I don't do well sitting around," said Bennington, who normally sleeps about four hours a night.
On Sunday Aug. 26, Bennington will wrap up a Linkin Park concert in Connecticut. Then he'll hop on a jet for a red-eye flight to Las Vegas for the Project trade show. Ve'cel will be among 600 premium and contemporary brands showing at Project, a three-year-old event that's also held in New York.
When Monday winds down, Bennington will jump back on the plane and zip to New Jersey for the next Linkin Park show.
Chiranjeev Kohli, marketing professor at Cal State Fullerton, believes most Ve'cel customers will buy the product mostly because they like Bennington as the lead singer of Linkin Park. So, he adds, Ve'cel's success hinges on Linkin Park's continued popularity.
The band's debut album in 2000, "Hybrid Theory," has sold 18 million copies worldwide. The band's follow up, "Meteora," has moved about 12 million copies worldwide.
"Once people stop wanting to go to his concerts, the (clothing) will also tank," Kohli predicted.
Bennington knows that a lot of the interest for Ve'cel is a result of who he is. Still, he believes Ve'cel will stand on its own.
"It can't be any other way or else it's contrived. Whatever success you get is going to be short-lived."
That's why Bennington says he and his partners are devoting a lot of time to making sure the fabrics and fits are right and the designs are unique and artistic.
"We'd like to take this as far as we can. The sky is the limit."
from:http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/homepage/article_1644334.php
celebs and fashion lines. oh christ.
i mean the line looks semi-great but kind of trite.
Chester Bennington, Linkin Park's frontman, is part of a wave of musicians working with local clothing companies.
By HANG NGUYEN
The Orange County Register
Linkin Park's frontman Chester Bennington is as passionate about his clothes as he is about his music.
He – not his wife – has the big closet in the master bedroom at their Newport Beach home, where they have quietly lived for almost two years. The father of four often spends an hour carefully selecting his outfit. He sifts through his hundreds of T-shirts, shoes and belts.
"My belt needs to match my shoes. My socks need to match my underwear. Everything has got to go together. It's an event, for real." His wife likens the event to a fashion show.
So it comes as no surprise that in August Bennington will launch a high-end, rock 'n' roll clothing line named Ve'cel. He describes the pieces as clothing he would want to wear. For the apparel brand, Bennington is teaming up with the owner of an Irvine tee screen printer for action-sports brands.
Musicians are playing an increasingly big role in O.C. surf and skate companies. Mike Shinoda, another singer for Linkin Park, and Travis Barker, former drummer for Blink-182, helped design DC Shoes, which is owned by Quiksilver of Huntington Beach. And Billabong USA of Irvine teamed up with Red Hot Chili Peppers to make boardshorts.
And in addition to his apparel line, Bennington spent two years working with Lake Forest-based Etnies to design some sneakers that will go on sale in June.
Experts say there's a strong connection between music and action-sports brands – they often speak to the same audience.
Last week, Bennington, 31, skinny and dressed in all black, spoke exclusively to the Register about his upcoming clothing label. He gave a glimpse into his life where the worlds of art, music and fashion all merge.
"My life is fashion. My life is music. My life is art."
'DUDE, I'M A ROCKSTAR'
With his obsession for fashion, and his connections in that industry, Bennington helps direct the look of Ve'cel clothing. And as the lead singer/screamer for Linkin Park, which will soon release its third studio album, he's also a powerful promoter for the clothing brand.
When Grammy-winning Linkin Park kicks off its worldwide tour later this month, Bennington will wear Ve'cel shirts on stage.
He has access to a lot of free publicity. Last month, during one week alone, Bennington promoted Linkin Park's upcoming "Minutes to Midnight," due out on May 15, in 70 interviews. Among the press was Rolling Stone, which in 2002 splashed Linkin Park on its cover. He plans to bring up Ve'cel in future interviews about his band.
Bennington's invited to fashion shows. He's good friends with designers Jade Howe, Jason Bleick of Ever clothing, and Jeffrey Sebelia, creator of Cosa Nostra and winner of the reality show Project Runway, Season 3.
These designers and others are always sending the Linkin Park frontman their latest styles. Touring with the band, he sees what people around the world wear.
Bennington himself has an expensive, eclectic and edgy eye for fashion. In his closet hang 50 jackets from his favorite labels, such as Armani, Cosa Nostra and Abercrombie & Fitch.
For a photo shoot, he wore Nudie black skinny jeans, DVS black belt and Ve'cel black T-shirt that reads "Aeternum Vale," Latin for Farewell Forever. On his feet were the shoes he helped Etnies design: Club Tattoo sneakers with traditional tattoo artwork of a dragon and koi. He finished his look with a titanium bracelet and a pair of black earrings.
Fashion is a big deal to Bennington because, as he puts it, "Dude, I'm a rock star. It's a reflection of who you are. Typically, whatever style of music you're primarily into is kind of reflected in how you dress and how you live your life. It's interesting how they work together. It's always been that way."
HIS OTHER PASSION: ART
In 1995, Bennington, who is now heavily tattooed, helped Sean Dowdell, 33, found Club Tattoo, a tattoo studio. In the '90s, Bennington and Dowdell played in the same band, Grey Daze. Dowdell's wife, Thora, 35, later became a partner in what has become a successful chain of tattoo studios.
Doctors, musicians and pro athletes get inked up at Club Tattoo. The chain, currently with four locations in Arizona, will open its fifth boutique next year in the Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
But several years ago, when tattoo business was slow during a Christmas shopping season, the studios started selling Club Tattoo-brand clothing. Even though the boutique also carried popular brands like Famous Stars and Straps, the house-brand shirts – named Club Tattoo Cartel – flew off the shelves.
So Bennington and the Dowdells searched for a partner to help expand Cartel. About a year ago, a tip led them to Josh Merrell, who runs the roughly 100-employee team at Liquid Graphics in Irvine.
THE CHATTY CHIROPRACTOR
That tip came from an unlikely source, Bennington's chiropractor. While getting treated for back problems, he talked about his hope to expand Cartel.
The chiropractor recommended Merrell, also a patient, and someone who had grown his business over the previous decade.
Merrell, a Linkin Park fan, was excited when he met Bennington 10 months ago. For his part, Bennington likes that Merrell, 33, is similar to how he describes himself, "a young executive." Bennington also likes that Merrell has established partnerships with clothing factories.
But Merrell, who then was expecting to become a father for the first time, initially had reservations about working even longer days. And Bennington and the Dowdells changed their minds and wanted to move beyond Cartel, something that's viewed as just a tattoo-style clothing line.
So instead, the four decided two months ago to reach a wider audience and called their new label Ve'cel (pronounced Vee Sell).
For Ve'cel, they envision fine cotton and fitted tees selling from $45 to $80, thermals and lightweight fleece. They'd like to eventually offer jackets, denim, leather and accessories.
One of the things that will make Ve'cel special, the owners say, is the custom graphics on the tees. The art, designed by the Liquid Graphics team, portrays today's culture.
While the clothes have few tattoo images, they do draw inspiration from that industry.
Tattooing is "viewed as kind of sexy, kind of rebellious," Bennington said. "We want to have that same feeling when you put our clothes on."
Ve'cel creators hope the clothes will appeal to men and women ages 15 to 40 who are into the punk-rock lifestyle or just want a shirt with a cool design.
They want to sell their holiday collection of about 35 pieces starting in October in places like Fred Segal and Nordstrom, Bennington's shopping haunts. Ve'cel will be the star brand at Club Tattoo boutiques.
FOUR HOURS OF SLEEP
After a week of 10-hour days of press and photo shoots for Linkin Park, Bennington drove straight from his last interview one recent Friday in L.A. to Merrell's Newport Beach home. While their wives hung out, the two spent four hours, until midnight, going over designs for Ve'cel.
"I don't do well sitting around," said Bennington, who normally sleeps about four hours a night.
On Sunday Aug. 26, Bennington will wrap up a Linkin Park concert in Connecticut. Then he'll hop on a jet for a red-eye flight to Las Vegas for the Project trade show. Ve'cel will be among 600 premium and contemporary brands showing at Project, a three-year-old event that's also held in New York.
When Monday winds down, Bennington will jump back on the plane and zip to New Jersey for the next Linkin Park show.
Chiranjeev Kohli, marketing professor at Cal State Fullerton, believes most Ve'cel customers will buy the product mostly because they like Bennington as the lead singer of Linkin Park. So, he adds, Ve'cel's success hinges on Linkin Park's continued popularity.
The band's debut album in 2000, "Hybrid Theory," has sold 18 million copies worldwide. The band's follow up, "Meteora," has moved about 12 million copies worldwide.
"Once people stop wanting to go to his concerts, the (clothing) will also tank," Kohli predicted.
Bennington knows that a lot of the interest for Ve'cel is a result of who he is. Still, he believes Ve'cel will stand on its own.
"It can't be any other way or else it's contrived. Whatever success you get is going to be short-lived."
That's why Bennington says he and his partners are devoting a lot of time to making sure the fabrics and fits are right and the designs are unique and artistic.
"We'd like to take this as far as we can. The sky is the limit."
from:http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/homepage/article_1644334.php
celebs and fashion lines. oh christ.
i mean the line looks semi-great but kind of trite.
Last edited by a moderator:
y u c k!!!
