COAT OF ARMS | EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL
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COAT OF ARMS | EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL 🛒
PROJECT: Revival and Rebranding of Coat of Arms Boutique
OBJECTIVE: Transform a failing Manhattan retailer, Coat of Arms, into a premium clothing destination, reflecting the essence of skate and lifestyle brands on an international scale.
BACKGROUND:
Established in 2006 in the heart of Manhattan's lower east side, Coat of Arms began as a beacon for New York's vibrant subcultures. By 2014, the retailer faced dwindling prospects. Magna Opera stepped in, purchasing the retailer with a vision: a relocation to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and a comprehensive 5-year rebranding strategy to resurrect its former glory.
STRATEGY:
Brand Identity: Introduced a revamped logo package and style guide, ensuring the trademark symbolized a fresh yet authentic image for the boutique.
Retail & Ecommerce Development: Recruited and managed a competent team to streamline operations, from in-store sales to e-commerce platforms, ensuring an omnichannel presence.
Licensing and Brand Partnerships: Collaborated with high-profile brands like Levi’s, Thrasher, and Stussy, enhancing the boutique's repertoire and consumer appeal.
CREATIVE:
Product Design & Development: Devised an exclusive private label product line, emphasizing premium quality and limited runs, which became the boutique's unique selling proposition, contributing to 25% of net sales.
Packaging Design & Production: Ensured each product felt exclusive and luxurious, from its design to its packaging, reflecting the boutique's commitment to quality.
Photo & Video Production: Engaged in consistent brand storytelling through dynamic visuals, positioning the boutique at the forefront of skate and lifestyle fashion.
OUTCOME:
Magna Opera's strategic oversight and meticulous execution transformed Coat of Arms from a declining retail store to a bustling fashion nexus, with sales skyrocketing from $0 to $100k in the inaugural year, culminating at $750k/year by the end of the fifth year. With a solid e-commerce platform, an exclusive product line, and successful brand collaborations, the boutique emerged as a testament to Magna Opera's ability to blend strategic insight with creative genius.
EVENT | LEVI’S SKATEBOARDING COLLECTION
PROJECT: Levi’s Skateboarding Collection Launch at Coat of Arms
OBJECTIVE: Introduce the Fall/Winter Levi’s Skateboarding Collection to New York City, fostering a unique and immersive brand experience for customers.
BACKGROUND:
As Coat of Arms established its dominance in the world of skate and lifestyle fashion under Magna Opera's stewardship, opportunities for exclusive collaborations emerged. One such collaboration was with Levi's, a brand synonymous with classic American fashion. The mission was to launch their Skateboarding Collection with a bang, solidifying Coat of Arms' place as a premier retail destination.
STRATEGY:
Pop-Up Shop Creation: Transform Coat of Arms into an immersive Levi's experience, celebrating skateboarding culture and heritage.
Exclusive Customization: Offer chain stitching customization, allowing customers to personalize their purchases, adding an element of exclusivity.
Engaging Visuals: Host a photo show from the Levi’s Skateboarding Team, diving deep into the heart of skateboarding.
CREATIVE:
Skateboard Donation: Align with the spirit of giving, encouraging patrons to contribute to the skateboarding community.
Culinary Delights: Ensure guests' comfort by providing food and beverages, making the event more than just a shopping experience.
OUTCOME:
Magna Opera's blend of strategic planning and execution made the weekend-long pop-up a resounding success. Over a thousand enthusiasts visited Coat of Arms during the three-day event. The highlight? A daily sell-out of the exclusive Levi's products. The event not only fortified the collaboration between Coat of Arms and Levi's but also underscored Coat of Arms' place as an iconic store, where brand stories were told, and authentic experiences were crafted
PRODUCT | CHAMPION REVERSE WEAVE HOODIES
PROJECT: COA x Champion Reverse Weave Hoodies Launch
OBJECTIVE: Drive sustained engagement and store traffic in the lead-up to Black Friday using a phased product release strategy.
BACKGROUND: Coat of Arms' reputation as a purveyor of premium skate and lifestyle brands presented a golden opportunity to craft unique products that resonate deeply with its clientele. Partnering with Champion, a brand renowned for its quality and heritage, Magna Opera conceptualized a line of limited-edition Reverse Weave Hoodies that would tap into the anticipatory shopping fervor of the Black Friday season.
STRATEGY:
Phased Releases: Instead of a single launch, introduce different colors of the COA x Champion hoodies every week, creating a sense of anticipation and urgency among customers.
Hyper-local Content: Showcase the hoodies in their natural habitat — Greenpoint Brooklyn. This not only celebrates the local community but also grounds the product in authenticity and relatability.
CREATIVE:
Content Creation: Develop engaging visuals, captured around the Greenpoint Brooklyn area, to showcase the hoodies in diverse settings, adding depth to the narrative.
Omnichannel Promotion: Leverage the power of social media and targeted email marketing to amplify the message, reaching both loyal customers and potential new patrons.
OUTCOME:
The strategy was a roaring success. Each week, the store experienced a sell-out of the COA x Champion Reverse Weave Hoodies, proving the potency of the phased release approach. The crescendo of these sales peaks culminated in the highest sales month in the store's history, a testament to Magna Opera's ability to fuse product design, strategic planning, and targeted marketing into a harmonious symphony of retail success.
MEDIA | HOLIDAY HAT COLLECTION & LOOK BOOK
PROJECT: COA Holiday Hat Collection & Look Book
OBJECTIVE: Design, manufacture, and market a unique, high-quality holiday hat collection for Coat of Arms, inspired by Brooklyn's blue-collar fishing roots.
BACKGROUND: The rich heritage of Brooklyn's fishing community offers an authentic backdrop that resonates with the Coat of Arms brand ethos. For the Fall/Winter season, Magna Opera envisioned a capsule collection of hats that would evoke the raw spirit of this age-old profession while maintaining contemporary appeal.
STRATEGY:
Inspired Design: Create 10 unique hats influenced by the materials and aesthetics of the fishing community. Utilize high-quality fabrics such as Melton Wool, faded corduroy, washed cotton twill, and striped cotton.
Brand Integration: Seamlessly incorporate the COA lockup logo into the design, ensuring brand recognition while maintaining an understated elegance.
Authentic Look Book: Capture the hats in their natural element. Organize a photoshoot amidst the rough waters of Rockaway Beach, leveraging the backdrop of Captain Pat Butera's fishing boat, Forever Two Worlds.
CREATIVE:
Design & Manufacturing: Craft each hat with precision, ensuring that the design elements, fabric choices, and branding resonate with the desired aesthetic and quality.
Photoshoot: Collaborate with the talented photographer, Nick Girlando, to capture poignant moments on the fishing boat. The juxtaposition of the COA hats against the rugged backdrop of the ocean and the fishing crew brings the narrative full circle.
OUTCOME:
The Holiday Hat Collection was not only a testament to Magna Opera's ability to curate and produce high-quality products but also showcased their prowess in brand storytelling. The look book, with its vivid imagery, served as a powerful tool for marketing the collection, successfully melding the world of contemporary fashion with the enduring legacy of Brooklyn's fishing community.