Taboo takes Tokyo by Storm.

It was just over a year ago when Taboo and I came to Japan and it was sick then and this time it was reSICKulous. I guess it went down when Tab invited Nobu and I to SMAP x SMAP studios at Fuji TV.  They were taping an episode to air end of March.  We gifted each of the members with TABOOXJUMPs and they absolutely loved their new kicks and rocked them in their performance of BEP songs straightaway.

The next day was the day of our event at Loveless to launch Taboo Deltah.  Loveless is one of Tokyo’s most breathtaking stores.  It’s three floors with a lofted lower level that allows for a spectacular shopping experience.  Last year, Taboo introduced me to the store as his favorite and it quickly became mine.  They carry one of a kind pieces and exclusive items.  So when Loveless agreed to launch Taboo Deltah, we were nothing short of thrilled.  We knew this was going to be sexy.  It began with a battery of press interviews.

Taboo Deltah Magnate and Victor Hsu, Chief Propagandist.

Yonehara Yasamusa, sickest photographer in Japan and Taboo.

Then a speech by Taboo aboard this hydraulic table that lifted him up to the chandelier.  Very epic.

Red Denizens are the best seller!!  Almost sold out.  Get into Loveless and cop the last few before they’re gone!!

Within an hour, 32 anxious fans purchased Deltahs in anticipation of the opportunity to meet Taboo and get an autograph.  It was a record day in sales of Taboo Deltahs!!  Sold like Deltahcakes!!  Busted out another 10 more pair the next day!

The shoes were beautifully and artfully merchandised as the centerpiece of the entire store.  LOOK HOW SICK THIS PLACE IS!!!!!!

TABOOXJUMPs still fresh as hell.

 

Yu Minato and I with the Loveless buying team.

It was a phenomenal experience.  Japan is truly a magical place.  Thank you Tokyo!!

Kind of a big deal in Japan.

I know I have yet to write a post on the Japan Event but honestly what happened was I wrote this big long thing with pictures and it got deleted.  I’ll write it soon but in the meantime here’s some press.

This is Sense magazine.  It’s a new magazine but really dope.  They interviewed Taboo and basically asked him to pull out everything in his pockets.  Haha.

This is Men’s Non No magazine.  I’ve been a huge fan of this magazine for years and it’s been a fashion inspiration for me in many ways.  So it’s a tremendous honor to be featured in it.

Every time I go to China, there’s not much to watch on TV while getting your feet massaged.  There is, however, a channel called Fashion TV.  It’s like a 24 hour blast of fashion shows, events, models, etc.  It’s a good watch, especially Midnight Haute.  Hahaha.  So this last trip to China, it was pretty dope to see the event covered on the show.  It was broadcast globally!!  Check out the sexy time.

TABOOXJUMP JAPAN 1/7.

The eagle has officially landed in China.  He arrived to what was the largest reception he’d ever seen.  Bigger than anything for The Black Eyed Peas.

Tomorrow we go to Hong Kong and finally Japan.

The Tokyo press conference will be held at Vector Lounge and the after party and performance will be at Warehouse702.

TABOOXJUMP ASIA TOUR

It’s time to take this show on the road.  We are about to embark on a multi-city tour of Asia with Taboo.  He will arrive in Dong Guan, China on 1/3 where we will take him to our factories, tanneries and suppliers to design the new TABOOXJUMP collection.  On 1/6 we will travel to Tokyo where our exclusive distributor, Cactus Blues, has arranged a press conference at Vector Lounge and after party at Warehouse 702.  The final leg of our trip will be HK where we will once again roll out the red carpet for a press event and after party.

It’s going to be pretty huge.  And while we work on this, we have another, entirely new, collaboration in the works.  Stay tuned.

新聞發表會初稿

中國人第一個打進世界級豪華運動鞋市場的“將門”JUMP, 從1975年在台灣創立, 歷經30幾年國際化的提升蛻變,終於藉著與國際知名的美國“黑眼豆豆”樂團（Black Eyed Peas)之主要團員“TABOO”合作,成功地賣進美國頂尖豪華百貨公司“Saks Fifth Ave.”(薩克斯第五大道),以每雙美金US$298.00的售價與歐洲奢華品牌並駕其驅,創下亞洲最高級運動鞋品牌的歷史定位.

曾獲三次葛萊美音樂大奬和多張白金唱片排行榜第一名的黑眼豆豆樂團的

團員之一,被樂團及粉絲們稱為TABOO(本名Jaime Gomez),是一位多才多藝,具有個人獨特氣質品味的藝術家,曾是拉丁美洲舞蹈動作片的巨星,在歐美藝人中也是榜上有名的偶像型人物,此次應美國將門國際企業（JUMP U.S.A. INC.)之邀請,將於新年假期之空檔,來到號稱中國最高級鞋業生產基地的東莞厚街,與包括台灣設計新秀古又文在內的將門國際設計團隊,及本地多家鞋類設計中心,共同設計更有創意的作品,在黑眼豆豆未來兩年超過百場的全球演唱會中穿著,把他獨特的創造風格透過舞台及將門在全球30幾個國家之銷售通路, 塑立他具有天賦的鞋類設計師形象.

藉黑眼豆豆目前國際上享有第一名之巔峰,如能通過媒體之溝通運作, 把TABOO這次的設計處女行廣泛地去推廣,應能把東莞由生產基地推向世界級鞋業設計之都,並把“中國人的高級世界名牌”JUMP與全球華人共享榮耀.

Braku Eido Pisu

That’s the Japanese pronunciation of Black Eyed Peas.  Chinese is Hei Yin Dou Dou.  Anyway, check out this promo they did for MTV Japan.  They are jumping in JUMPs!

Full Video

To Scroll or Not to Scroll?

Indeed, that was the question.  We’d just put all the finishing touches on the ad campaign and I was overwhelmed.  For me, it was everything I had ever wanted it to be.  As I’d said before, it was like wanting a toy for weeks and then finally getting that new Lazer Tag gun and realizing it wasn’t all that special – only this was the exact opposite.  It exceeded all my expectations and I was ecstatic.  Amongst the finishing touches were scrolls each bearing the name of our brand in Chinese and a description of the shot.  This element would prove to be quite a point of controversy.

While the objective of the ads were to create images that would provide Jump with the proper positioning as a premium brand, there was in fact an underlying agenda.  Long bearing a stigma of cheapness and defectiveness, Chinese products had suffered plenty of negative publicity, some deserved, some not.  Although we produce quality goods and use only the best factories in China, it was always a point of contention whether we ought to associate ourselves with China or not.

So we decided to “BE DARING.”  We set out to incite a sort of cultural movement (not to be confused with a cultural revolution!) that would offer the world a different perspective of the Far East – that it had not only become a forum for the international but that it was beginning to carve its own cultural niche in the global arena.  It was a campaign that would, in essence, tell the epic story of a brand who sprang from selling $20 jogging shoes in Taiwan, then to develop a fashion persona and cross over to China, Japan and Korea.  From Asia it would reach the shores of South America and Europe where its fashion would take an interesting new direction with the help of an innovative Spanish design team.  Now, having arrived in the US the brand has been elevated into the arena of luxury fashion but at a reasonable pricepoint.  It is through our unique business model and relationships overseas that we are able to offer such quality and directionality at an entry level luxury pricepoint.

Through Jump’s logos, is the story of the evolution.

And now we introduce the latest iteration.

So when I presented the completed campaign to the rest of the global team the reactions were mixed.  No one denied the art direction was compelling and the execution was spot on.  The mixed feelings were over the usage of the scrolls.  There were concerns that it would limit us and pigeonhole us as a brand for only Asians.  Others cited that it might hurt us to be connected to China whose reputation as a manufacturing giant could be in some respects a dubious one.

What I offered was that this campaign wasn’t meant to do that at all.  It was meant to appeal to those progressive enough to see it for what it is and not some kind of Chinese propaganda.  It’s purpose is meant to bring the consumer into this other world and include them in it.  After a flurry of discussion on the matter, Harry made the decision that the scrolls would remain.  It was decided that we would be genuine to our roots as a Chinese brand and “BE DARING” enough to pronounce this to the world.  We decided that in all of the 5000 years of Chinese history, being the first high fashion brand to become truly global, was an honor we ought to be proud of and share with everyone.  Moreover, we wanted to dispel the stigma of China and show just the kind of creativity that can come from a brand such as ours.

So without any more teasers and an overly verbose foreword, here is Sung Kang in Sneaker Deluxe.

Share with us your take on the scroll!?