The Sullen team. From left to right:
Ryan Smith, Art Director/Co-Owner; James Johnson, CA Sales Rep; Jeremy Hanna, VP/Co-Owner; Jason Richer, So. CA Sales; Ryan Moore, International Sales
When we think of the ASR show, we not only think of all the
appointments, but we also think of the beer at the booths, the big dinners, and
the late night partying. There’s a lot of fun to be had at ASR, but it’s also a
place where business gets done. No one demonstrates this more than the clothing
line Sullen. Sullen has been all over the press—from the blog Shop-Eat-Surf.com
to Transworld Business to the free mags that you pick up at your local OC
eatery, you can find something on Sullen. So, when I was at the show, I decided
to stop by and introduce myself.
Lucky me, I was able to get the right guy—co-owner Jeremy
Hanna. I asked if he did any other shows, and he said that when they first
started, they did Agenda, but outgrowing that, they now only do ASR. September
ASR was huge for these guys—Jeremy said that the show got them in to all sorts
of accounts, including Tilly’s and No Fear. The other big thing is that there
appointments have quadrupled since September ASR—they were completely booked
for this January show.
Next subject was a team—since they are growing so much, I
had asked if they would start sponsoring athletes. I showed my ignorance,
because it turns out they already do. Although Jeremy stresses that Sullen is a
lifestyle brand, they are involved in different action sports. They sponsor
guys in both moto and freestyle moto, as well as surfers and skaters. And,
guess what else—mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes. Which brings us back to the
blog topics that are getting so many comments—is MMA the new segment of action
sports? I had a great conversation with Jeremy on this, as well as other Sullen
owner Ryan Smith, which I’ll cover in tomorrow’s blog. . .
The Sullen team. From left to right:
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