SwimSpot, the retail arm of Tustin-based swimwear manufacturer RAJ Swim, replaced mannequins at its Fashion Island flagship location with 5-foot digital displays showing footage of “real women of all ages, shapes and sizes” in swimsuits and active wear.
“We are always looking through the consumer lens,” Lisa Vogel, co-president of RAJ Swim, said in a statement. “Since the virtual mannequins have been installed, customers have walked by, paused, and taken a sigh of relief. They see a 50-year-old mom and say, ‘Hey, I can look like that, too!’”
SwimSpot also has stores at Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks, Glendale Galleria, Westfield Topanga Mall, Westfield North County Mall in Escondido, Los Olivos Marketplace in Irvine and Ala Moana Center in Honolulu.
Blogalicious Sponsorship
Kia Motors America Inc. joined Vaseline, Wells Fargo, Hasbro, Dove and Coca-Cola as a sponsor of the Blogalicious conference that kicked off on Nov. 3 in Atlanta. The three-day event attracted “leaders in social media who report on topics of note to multicultural female audiences around the world,” according to the Irvine-based automaker.
Kia offered test drives of its latest 2017 Cadenza sedan and showcased part of the collection by fashion designer Byron Lars at the Kia Lifestyle Hospitality Suite. Lars, whose collections are sold at Neiman-Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Anthropologie, has First Lady Michelle Obama and Olympic gold medalists Sanya Richards-Ross, Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix among his clients.
“There’s no denying the influence of the multicultural consumer, especially women within this segment who are increasingly socially empowered,” Kimberley Gardiner, Kia’s director of marketing communications, said in a statement. “Relationships are key to all of our efforts and we spend a lot of time establishing authentic community connections, which is why we jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with the incredibly talented Byron Lars at Blogalicious.”
Catch a Spin
Costa Mesa-based action sports apparel company Hurley International LLC partnered with General Motors’ Chevrolet on a design for the 2017 Colorado pickup for the SEMA Show held from Nov. 1 to 4 in Las Vegas.
The truck featured a surfboard rack, water-resistant seat covers made from breathable material similar to the neoprene used for wetsuits, and a Thule drying rack mounted on the truck bed. The truck also has a Wi-Fi hotspot to check “weather and surf reports.”
“This concept is all about functionality,” Ryan Hurley, Hurley’s creative director, said in a statement. “When we discussed the project with Chevrolet, we didn’t want just a truck with our logo on it—it had to offer solutions for the challenges surfers face at remote locations and that’s exactly what it delivers.”
Nike Inc. bought Hurley in 2002 for an estimated $120 million. Chief Executive and founder Bob Hurley, Ryan’s father, retired last year.
Bits & Pieces
Huntington Beach-based Grupo Gallegos was named creative and strategic agency of record for NEXjet Corp., the full-service jet charter and aircraft management company in Long Beach. … Incipio Group in Irvine signed a multiyear licensing deal with designer Rebecca Minkoff to design, manufacture and distribute a range of mobile device accessories for the New York-based apparel, accessories and footwear brand. … Ad industry veterans Chuck Brauer, Scott Montgomery and Paul Christensen formed an agency called Bark in Santa Ana. … Orange Label Art & Advertising in Newport Beach helped nonprofit organization Allie’s Helping Hands create training materials for volunteers who assist siblings of children with critical health conditions at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. … The REMM Group, a Tustin-based real estate management company, named Windell Mollenido director of marketing.
