Sam Ben-Avraham and Valentino Vettori are hoping to bring some improvement to contemporary fashion.
That’s why Ben-Avraham, owner and founder of Atrium stores and the Project trade show, and Vettori, owner of the Scatola showroom in New York, put their heads together and came up with a new brand — Improvd, launching for spring selling.
“These days, selling these high-end collections can be tough,” Ben-Avraham explained. “I really had the need to see something different, but it’s hard to find a collection that has a great look, value and price all in one.”
Improvd consists of a full range of sportswear — washed leather jackets and vests in colors such as tan, black, light blue or dusty pink; printed and solid T-shirts, wraps and T-shirt dresses; a full denim jeans collection; cotton knit dresses for both day and evening; jumpsuits, and a full collection of viscose scarves. The collection, which is made from European fabrics and produced in China, wholesales from $19 for a T-shirt to $200 for a leather jacket. The scarves, which come in a range of colors to work with the sportswear, wholesale for $29.
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“Every time a designer does something special, it has to be expensive, but why is it always that way?” asked Vettori, who carries such European collections as Vivienne Westwood, Iódice and Ilaria Nistri in his showroom. “I want to prove with this line that something doesn’t have to be expensive to be cool and of high quality.”
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The mission Ben-Avraham and Vettori have for the brand is to offer those special items — a T-shirt that is far from basic, whether it’s made longer, spray painted or cut on the bias, or a pair of jeans that has fully tailored interior seams and satin trims on the back pockets.
On the sales end, Vettori said he is gearing Improvd to high-end department and specialty retailers such as Atrium, which will have a shop-in-shop in the stores come spring. In addition, Scoop and Henri Bendel will carry it. Since the collection is so large and diverse, it’s made so several retailers can carry the brand, and each will be able to showcase a completely different interpretation of it, he said.
“It’s a different approach to doing business in this industry,” Ben-Avraham said. “In today’s world, more than ever, retailers need to be able to set themselves apart from the rest, and this collection allows them to do that.”
“And that’s what we plan to do going forward,” Vettori added. “To build and change the brand in order to fill the needs of this changing industry.”
Ben-Avraham declined to give first-year wholesale volume.