ALIFE-style like no other Part 2

Last week we were asked to write a blog about the key elements of branding, and discuss how are company uses it.

Uniqueness
ALIFE is unique in tons of different ways. But what the company represents is different from your everyday clothing brand. ALIFE represents the people and they show it on their Home Page. Once you go to http://www.alifenyc.com/ all that is on the page is a hyperlink to the Declaration of Occupying Wall St, over an ALIFE “necktie” pocket tee- shirt background. That alone shows how unique ALIFE is compared to other companies. Can you imagine if Abercrombie & Fitch had that shit on their website, I think not! This also shows what the company stands for. They are a “hub for creativity”. Endclothing.co is a blog about street wear and they, along with myself describe ALIFE as a place where skaters, artists, designers and more can come together and share their ideas (endclothing.co).


Authenticity
ALIFE is authentic in tons of different ways. One example is there signage. There are no flashy lights or people dancing around that attract customers to this store. All that lies outside of the ALIFE headquarters on 158 Rivington St. is a plaque that divides the two stores between its two store sections. (ALIFE, and ALIFE Rivington Club) Pictured below.

But that is not what makes ALIFE authentic. The ALIFE brand and the items that they carry, is what makes the company authentic. As I said in my first blog, The ALIFE Rivington Club (the sneaker store) has a tier 0 account with Nike. So they get these sneakers that people really only hear about, and that are crazy exclusive. These are the types of sneakers you will never even see in stores like Footlocker or Foot Action. ALIFE, the brand, is authentic because it is an art that is transformed to cloths. This is what truly makes ALIFE authentic.


Talkability
I think what makes ALIFE so talkable is their authenticity. There are not many other boutiques like it; it is definitely one of its kind. But this also has people talking shit about ALIFE and what they stand for. I’ve heard people say that they have outrageous pieces and that they send a bad message through their clothing. For example their “Crispy as Fuck” tee that dropped last fall. Pictured below.

I heard some one say once, that ALIFE is a bunch of degenerates, that smoke some pot and put whatever comes to mind on a shirt. But I guess that makes them talkable in the Business world. But in this world of “underground” street wear, what makes the company talkable is ALIFE’s relationship it has with the cultures that it came from. People wear ALIFE because ALIFE is apart of the people. It says it all in their slogan that is written on the bottom of tee shirts, “ALIFE style like no other”. It’s more than just a brand it’s a culture.

Overall Personality
Pardon my French, but the overall personality of ALIFE is “We don’t give a fuck what you think, because if you do not like it… it probably wasn’t meant for you.” The store and the workers are real laid back but still all business. Some say that their cloths are outrageous and childish. But just because these people go to work in a ‘Crispy as Fuck’ tee shirt, jeans, and some fresh ass sneakers doesn’t mean they are lesser businessmen than those who are in a shirt and tie all day.