Who knew that a high school
kid could have a major impact in the fashion and music industry?
In 2005, Mark Capicotto
founded the clothing company Glamour Kills, while living in his parent's
basement and just finishing high school. By day, he was a pizza delivery boy,
trying to make an honest dollar and by night he used the money he earned to
start his very own clothing line.
He knew nothing about the fashion industry, how to print t-shirts, how
to design shirts, let alone know how to run a small business.
Despite his cluelessness
about business and a lack of capitol, Mark slowly but surely began to build up
his company, started selling his clothing to local stores, and launched his own
website. Today, Glamour Kills is sold
in major clothing stores like Zumiez and Tilly’s, and has their own location in
Beacon, New York.
Mark’s biggest inspirations
for Glamour Kills was, and still is, rock music and the culture that embraces
it. Bands that have proudly
sported the brand are those more associated with the alternative and
alternative/punk genres such as All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, A day to
Remember, Bayside, and many others.
Back in 2009, Mark was interviewed by the website,
hottostartaclothingline.com and talked about how the main reason for the growth
of his company is band sponsorships:
“The exposure gained through sponsoring a band is astronomical. When fans of a certain band can associate your company with the band, they then in return, become fans of your company. If it wasn’t for the bands that we sponsor, Glamour Kills Clothing wouldn’t be where it is today.”
There is another article on that website written by
Ryan Miller of Carraway Clothing that discusses the process and importance of
band sponsorship. To sum it up,
the more you give to bands, the more you get back. Besides the costs of the apparel itself, it is practically
free advertisement. For clothing
companies just starting out, this is a vital way to get the name out,
especially if the bands participate in major tours, like Bamboozle Road Show,
Zumiez Couch Tour, or the granddaddy of them all, Vans Warped Tour.
In 2009, Glamour Kills was asked to be a partner all
summer long with the Vans Warped Tour.
This was the dream publicity that Mark had been longing for his
company. The tour was a perfect
platform to promote because their audience and demographic was present, the
bands were what Glamour Kills tried to target, and the tour traveled across the
nation to thousands of kids.
Since Mark created his first template with the
infamous winged pig in his parent’s basement, Glamour Kills has drastically
grown into a well known label that can be seen in music magazines like
Alternative Press, skate shops, malls, music tours and is instantly associated
with several bands and their image.
The movement and image that Mark tried to create has become a full-blown
success.
-MM
-MM
