Now CONCEPTS pays more attention to the concept: we provide customers with different experiences, which of course combines the current popular factors, but the core is CONCEPTS unique concept.
CONCEPTS x New Balance The latest joint name is the recent focus of the shoe circle
In the 1990s, the street skateboarding culture on the east coast of the United States was booming. Many of the popular skateboarding brands were established at that time. With Michael Jordan returning to the basketball arena, the sneaker culture began to take shape. So with the help of brands such as Zoo York and Burton, Tarek Hassan opened the first CONCEPTS store in Boston in 1996, specializing in skateboarding, skiing and footwear.
In 1996, CONCEPTS was one of the first Shop-in-shop stores, but now it is more branded.
With the development of time, the role of CONCEPTS has changed quietly 21 years later: perhaps the elements of skateboarding culture have become less intense, but for Sneaker and trend culture, CONCEPTS is a comprehensive store that is often mentioned.
In fact, there are still skateboards in the CONCEPTS store. In addition to ZOO YORK and other skateboard brands, they also have their own boards.
"The store has gradually changed from a simple sales channel to a diversified carrier. Of course, this contains a lot of entertainment elements." Tarek Hassan tells us about the changes in the role of CONCEPTS in the sneaker culture over the years. "As you can see, the culture of these sneakers is changing. The style and volume of the sneakers have become sufficient. At the same time, with the development of human society, we have now entered an era of entertainment. The hope of customers can be in the shopping process. The experience of getting more yuan, so the role of the store in the current shoe culture is much more important than in the past."
"The store has gradually turned into a diversified carrier from a simple sales channel. Of course, this contains a lot of entertainment elements."
In order to plan the opening of the CONCEPTS China store, Tarek Hassan also personally visited China in the past, and we were able to have face-to-face exchanges with the sneakers who have been in business for more than 30 years. "Now CONCEPTS is more focused on the concept of communication: we provide customers with a different experience, which of course combines the current popular factors, but the core is the concept of CONCEPTS."
Changes in the cultural style of sneakers in the past 21 years
There are many ways to buy your favorite shoes now.
The interview with Tarek Hassan was set at the hotel where he stayed. He wore CONCEPTS's own T-shirt and a pair of Balenciaga's Speed ​​Trainer - which was somewhat unexpected: I thought that as an old sneaker, Tarek would wear a pair. Relatively rare AJ, or classic sneakers with historical stories. So our interview started with "Sneakerhead":
Tarek Hassan, founder of CONCEPTS
Now the sneaker culture audience has become more and more broad. From your personal point of view, how do you define the concept of sneakerhead?
Sneakerhead is the person who collects and trades sneakers, just like me. This group will pay attention to the current fashion trends, will continue to buy their favorite shoes and even trade, but the most important point is: Sneakerhead knows to appreciate the shoes, and has a belief and respect for this culture.
CONCEPTS x New Balance "City Rivalry" Pack
When it comes to the sneaker culture, through the 21 years of development of CONCEPTS, Tarek has naturally witnessed the changes. "In the past, we wanted to buy a limited edition version of the sneakers, which is not as easy as it is now." He admits that he has to buy favorite sneakers over the years. The difficulty is not as big as before. "In the past, the information was not developed enough. The information is being sold in one hand; now the world is getting smaller and smaller, and the connections between sneakerhead and resellers around the world are becoming more and more convenient, and it is naturally easier to get a good pair of shoes."
CONCEPTS x ASICS Gel Lyte III "25th Anniversaty"
"In order to continually stimulate the excitement of consumers, brands always have to cooperate, or design packaging and limited sales to make a pair of shoes more difficult to buy because they are difficult to buy. Sometimes we have to buy a shoe through resellers. Tarek Hassan also mentioned the role of reseller in the sneaker culture: in the past many sneakerheads missed the sale of favorite shoes because they could not get the information in time. The presence of resellers and the secondary sales market gave them a chance to dream.
CONCEPTS x Nike SB "Ugly" is a hot item in the sneaker market
"In order to continually stimulate the excitement of consumers, brands always have to cooperate, or design packaging and limited sales to make a pair of shoes more difficult to buy because they are difficult to buy. Sometimes we have to buy a shoe through reseller. ."
Uniqueness in the "Co-operation tide"
CONCEPTS has its own guidelines
CONCEPTS x Nike SB "Holy Grail" is one of the repeated collaborations between Tarek Hassan
"You can't say that a brand is a "CONCEPTS habitual cooperation" brand because we have worked with many different brands."
For the younger generation of sneakers in China, their impression of CONCEPTS is more of a variety of joint sneakers. Perhaps some shops in the past will only be different from a few fixed sports brands. From Nike to Reebok, even non-shoes such as Dr.Martens and Canada Goose are also the partners of CONCEPTS.
CONCEPTS x Canada Goose
CONCEPTS x Dr. Martens 1461
When it comes to joint collaboration, Tarek Hassan also explained to us CONCEPTS' own guidelines. "We have been actively building partnerships with different brands all the time." Tarek has used two "always" to emphasize that he is very satisfied with the various cooperation plans of CONCEPTS in the past 21 years. "You can't do this." Say a brand is a "CONCEPTS habitual cooperation" brand because we have worked with many different brands."
CONCEPTS x Nike SB "Yellow Lobster"
CONCEPTS x Reebok "CC"
Every time the cooperation CONCEPTS hopes to have some kind of tacit agreement with the partners, "When we want to cooperate with an object, the other party also finds us with similar ideas to us. This is the success of each cooperation. The basis of this.†When I talked about it, the author has another question: How can CONCEPTS guarantee its uniqueness in the growing number of joint cooperation between different brands?
Unlike some brands that have their own assigned color schemes, CONCEPTS has a different theme for each double-named theme and color scheme.
(Top: CONCEPTS x Diadora, Bottom: CONCEPTS x Reebok)
"We will not simply change a few new color schemes, or use different fabrics. Our team must thoroughly understand and feel the history and culture of the partners themselves, and conceive each cooperation with the concept of CONCEPTS itself. The theme and a complete background story, Tarek Hassan is right, "After that we will start to design the color and fabric."
CONCEPTS x VANS "Jamica"
From the selection of partners to the process of designing the output of a single product, CONCEPTS has its own set. "In addition, we are not only looking at the cooperation of the big brands. CONCEPTS is also willing to explore some emerging brands and help them get more attention through cooperation. This is also the difference between CONCEPTS and other competitors in joint cooperation. The place."
CONCEPTS x Ewing 33 Hi "Reflective"
"In each collaboration we do more than just "design" but "creation." That's why the brand is happy to work with us and is a special part of CONCEPTS," Tarek once again emphasized.
"In each collaboration we do more than just "design" but "creation."
"The momentum of China's sneaker culture is just right"
Chinese stores may also be a foothold for entering the Asian market
Tarek Hassan
The author has already mentioned that in preparation for the CONCEPTS Chinese store, naturally we can't help but talk about their Chinese plan. "China's emerging market is constantly growing and growing, which is obvious to all." The market vitality behind this is also one of the reasons that prompted CONCEPTS to enter the Chinese market. "And the development of Chinese shoe culture is also very good, this is for me. It is an inspiration."
"The development of Chinese sneaker culture is also very good. This is an inspiration for me."
"We have made a lot of preparations for entering China, such as big data survey and analysis. In the past few days, I have been researching on the ground and have exchanged a lot with sneaekrhead here." Sneaker culture has a history of more than ten years in China. For the Chinese shoe market, which is beginning to mature online and offline, Tarek seems to be more willing to enjoy the pressure from the local: "I believe that CONCEPTS will bring different things to the Chinese shoe market, facing unknown challenges and opportunities, I I am very excited."
In addition to the cooperation on the single product, CONCEPTS also opened a brand store with adidas Original in Boston.
To enter the Chinese market, the biggest challenge for CONCEPTS is to integrate into this new culture that is completely different from its own country and create more differences in the new environment than those who have already rooted in the country.
"The new cooperation for the Chinese market will account for a large part of our plan." In addition to how to adapt to the Chinese market, in addition to the simultaneous sale of limited editions with North America, CONCEPTS has other plans, "just like we do in the United States." However, we will consider Chinese or Asian brands more in the cooperation. We are making an in-depth study of Chinese brands. After all, China's trend market is not bad compared with the United States."
CONCEPTS New York
When it comes to the Chinese market, there are still fake phenomena that are often mentioned by domestic sneakerheads. "Not only in China, the phenomenon of fake exists in all parts of the world." The fake problem frequently mentioned by domestic sneakerheads seems to be sparse in the eyes of Tarek Hassan. "Not to mention that fake is not only in the sneaker culture, but also in Hermes. ?"
CONCEPTS Dubai
In recent years, many brands have targeted Asian markets and have chosen to open stores or POP-UP in Asia. For this “Asian feverâ€, Tarek Hassan bluntly stated that Chinese stores are also a step in CONCEPTS's continued expansion in the Asian market: “Whatever the brand that is new to the Asian market, or who has done the strategy in Asia, it seems to me They are all smart choices, including CONCEPTS."
"I don't reject the challenges from my opponents. It's stress and unlimited motivation for CONCEPTS." Both Tarek Hassan and CONCEPTS enjoy the challenge of being a local or new competitor.
After this trip, Tarek Hassan also made a statement on the location of Chinese stores that I pay more attention to. “I can make it clear that compared to opening inside a large shopping mall, we are more inclined to open CONCEPTS. The store. But no matter what the final site is, I can guarantee that the CONCEPTS China store is the best... In short, you will see our first store in 2018."
Editor in charge: Wang Zhen
China Dove Prisms,Dove Prism Oam,Prism Dove Rect,Dove Prism Rotation, we offered that you can trust. Welcome to do business with us.Founded in 2014, Bena was co-founded by several experienced engineers who have more than 10 years of optical design, process, production and test. We provide customization service for high precision (rms = 1/100λ, λ=632.8nm), large diameter plane mirror (>500mm) and aspherical lens, as well as professional spherical lens (such as Optical Domes with diameter 280mm), involving different materials including K9, Silicon, Sapphire, SiC, glass ceramics, fused silica, and other various optical glasses, and we can also deal with the nickel-phosphorus alloy surface on different substrates.
Dove Prisms,Dove Prism Oam,Prism Dove Rect,Dove Prism Rotation
Changchun Bena Optical Products Co., Ltd , https://www.benaoptic.com