TABOOXJUMP Collabo reported in Footwear News

Quote in Footwear News article on Amazon/Zappos deal

Footwear News Spring 10 Trend

Here’s Footwear News’ coverage of our Spring 10 trend.

However, Larry had a different take on Spring 10.

“Following the release of Brüno there will be an emerging trend in exotic, eclectic fashion.  Brüno donned the perfect outfit with matching footwear for all 4 limbs.  We’re likely to see emergence of hooves into the world of fashion with plenty of ungulate aesthetics to choose from – horses, zebras, donkeys, bison, rhinoceros, camels, hippopotamus, goats, pigs, sheep, giraffes, moose, deer, antelopes, and gazelles!”

Lawrence Chen
Captain, Jump USA Inc., New York, N.Y.

JUMP quoted in Footwear News Zappos Issue

Zappos has been an excellent retailer to work with and their progressive business model only continues to evolve and shape the industry.

“When Jump first began working with Zappos, it struck me that their innovative business model and method of buying was revolutionary. Essentially, they allow vendors to be fully partnered with their organization by training us to learn their systems to manage and increase our business. All the new-age tools and applications online companies typically employ to increase interactivity with their consumers, Zappos does with its vendors. It’s fun and interesting to watch your business grow as Zappos grows. Having worked as a merchant for a number of years, I could tell that Zappos’ systems, inventory management and style of buying was something that would not only change the world of online retailing but perhaps the whole of merchandising itself.”

— Victor Hsu,
Marketing director, Jump

Footwear News: What’s Selling

Jump Volume is a best seller at Tan Buddah.

First Glimpse of Sneaker Deluxe in Footwear News

It’s the Volume in pearlized graphite patent.  Available at stores in November.

Where to Buy?!

As I’d mentioned in my prior post, our trip to Vegas and LA has been highly successful.  We’ve opened up some really great accounts all over the country but I’m particularly excited because two of my favorite stores will be selling us soon!

Oak, which has locations in Brooklyn and on Bond St. in New York.

Kitson Men which is located on Robertson in LA and is opening up a few other locations.

More to come!

Also, check out a writeup on our collaboration with Sung Kang in Footwear News.

Taiwan Part 3: When Harry Met Sung.

Let me start by telling you a little bit about our beloved CEO, Harry Chen.  In the shoe business, he’s a living legend, a demigod of shoes.  Any trade show I walk into with him, at least 5 people of any age or background will know who he is then make sure to tell me I’m working for the right guy.  He’s got a real acute talent for finding other talent and maximizing it.  When you meet him, within the first few moments, you realize you’re not really talking to any typical guy but more of a ’spirit’ as Sung described him.  It was he who told his brothers that for their family business to really blossom, they should evolve from an already very successful trading company to a brand.

And he made it happen.  In 5000 years of Chinese history, no brand has ever managed to become a global fashion footwear brand.  That’s right, we did it.  Do we get an award?  He’s a natural born PR/Marketing genius so in a very short time I’ve managed to learn quite a bit from him.

Anyway, while Sung and I were in Taiwan, Harry was in China.  While the ads were being shot, I sent over a few pictures I snapped of the goings ons.

Sung getting styled up.

Here’s some from the fittings:

Sneaker Deluxe

Indie Exec

Officer Couture

Footballer Chic

Tuxedo Man

Easy Rider

Shooting Footballer Chic

Julie was lovely enough to document it all.  The documentary will be coming out soon!

That evening, after I had sent these out, I got a call from Harry.  He told me he’d be in Taiwan the next day.  He could sense the energy and knew that if he were there, he’d could bring something to the table.  Sure enough the next day, Harry was there.  When Harry’s around, everything goes tenfold.  It was also the first time he’d meet Sung so he decided he’d take us out for some insane teppanyaki.

As it turned out, Harry and Sung got along really well.  It wasn’t any surprise to me really because Sung perfectly embodies the philosophy and spirit of Jump that Harry has worked so hard for the past 30 years to instill into the brand.

The next day was equally as crazy as the last.  We started the day by scouting out some spots for opening a Jump store in Taipei.  That’s right, you heard it here first, we’ll be bringing it back to where it all started!  We then had lunch with some of Harry’s old buddies who happen to be the heads of all the major media networks in Taiwan.  He introduced them to Sung and caught up with them to talk about what we’d accomplished in the rest of the world and our plans for Asia.  They all agreed that when the store opened, we would have to do a big press conference.  Our next stop was to the ICRT radio station’s studio where DJ Louisa Lee would interview Sung.  ICRT is Taiwan’s international radio station.

It turned out to be a really good interview.  Check it out here.

After that we had dinner plans where Sung would meet the Taiwanese press.  Things were tight as Sung’s flight left that night but we managed to meet everyone.

It so happens that some of the journalists happened to be his big fans, some of which had even traveled to Korea the last time he was there.  I tried acting as interpreter but as it turned out, the journalists spoke korean and thus they were able to communicate better that way!  In attendance were members of the press from The Liberty Times, The Apple Daily, Trend Media, The Taiwan Times and The United Daily News.  The next day, at the China Airlines Lounge, I found these.

By the way, Jeff has begun to send me the completed ads.  Remember those times when you were a kid and you parents got you that new toy and you were all excited but then went home and it sucked?  This is the exact opposite of that.  They are everything I could’ve ever wanted them to be and more.  Don’t worry.  I’ll post them soon enough.