To communicate that message across so many of them is challenging, and if you look at the pictures, they all look like how they’re supposed to look, barring different spaces. We have boots on the ground in all the territories in the United States that we did these events, which is tremendously helpful, especially when trying to launch something as curated and as specific as how this had to be done. Luckily, we have representation within our company in 40 territories around the world.
![kanye life of pablo merchandise kanye life of pablo merchandise](https://media.gq.com/photos/57699c933e62db94553b6f54/16:9/w_2560%2Cc_limit/kanye-pablo-merch.jpg)
What was it like to produce the products and the event at this magnitude? It was intense. In the past the pop-ups have only occurred in one city at a time. He’s at the forefront of that, from his sneaker drops to the pop-up-or the temporary stores-he’s the leader. Why it works really well for him is that he believes in streetwear lifestyle culture-and I hate that word lifestyle, but I don’t how else to describe it. It can present some logistical challenges, but ultimately with how invested he and his team are in it, they’re a great partner. That presents challenges, too, because things come down to the wire and there’s a perfection in the product. He pays incredible attention-this is not to say other artists don’t, but specifically talking about him, he pays such incredible attention and because of that, cares so much about it, is so invested in it-and not just financially-that he’s the perfect partner because you know how seriously he and his team will take all of this. Photo: Getty Imagesįrom your perspective, what makes Kanye a good partner for projects like this? He’s at the perfect intersection of music, fashion, style, creativity-he’s a leader in all those spaces. Vlasic joined Bravado as CEO in March of this year from Sony Music the Pablo pop-ups have been largely his project. Yes, it is responsible for producing merchandise for a variety of artists from West to Florence and the Machine to Lionel Richie, but as its CEO, Mat Vlasic, told me candidly, “The making of the product is-we can do that with our eyes closed.” It’s also a task force (Bravado set up and staffed the Pablo pop-ups) and a savvy marketing resource (it placed limited-edition Guns N’ Roses merch in a John Varvatos store). In West’s case, that’s Bravado.īravado is the subsidiary of Universal Music Group that produces merchandise and merchandise-related events for artists. And like all magic, there’s a trick to getting it done. (Each city had a special “color pop” of items that sold out almost instantly.) To those who didn’t know the stores were coming-i.e., practically everyone-the sudden appearance of white box galleries around the world looked like magic. The cities ranged from New York to Sydney to Berlin, and the product was primarily white and black with gold lettering. (Don’t think so? Ask the people in line: “No, I’m not selling whatever I buy-it’s art!” said one at a previous store.) Last weekend he unveiled the Mona Lisa of his pop-up project: 21 international stores, each near identical, filled with branded product.
![kanye life of pablo merchandise kanye life of pablo merchandise](https://assets.teenvogue.com/photos/5769c05d5234d75836f1e5c9/master/pass/tlop-tout.jpg)
His greatest non-musical success in this arena has to be the merchandise pop-up shop model he’s turned from commercial exercise into some kind of social experiment–cum–art project.
KANYE LIFE OF PABLO MERCHANDISE HOW TO
The easy takeaway from the many floating stage pictures is that West knows how to create a mood, how to quite literally set the stage to show off his many talents in their best light.
![kanye life of pablo merchandise kanye life of pablo merchandise](http://picture-cdn.wheretoget.it/ip1fmc-l-610x610-sweater-feel+like+pablo-life+pablo+merch-kanye+west+distressed+clothing-white+virgil+abloh-pablo.jpg)
Chances are your Instagram feed was flooded last night with golden-lit snaps from the first night of Kanye West’s Saint Pablo tour.