P.E.A.C.E. Fits Debuts at MAGIC Market Week
Recently, I had the exclusive opportunity to interview Joana Cruz, Operations Manager for P.E.A.C.E. Fits – a first time exhibiter at MAGIC. Read on to learn more about this eco-conscious SF Bay Area based company and the diverse people & talent represented at MAGIC Market Week.
1) Can you sum up for us what the MAGIC Market Week in Vegas is all about?
MAGIC Market Week is the preeminent trade event in the international fashion industry, hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing resources.
As an incubator of fashion, MAGIC is where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the consumer. The show’s goal is to connect and inspire the fashion community, fuse diverse trends, while offering unbeatable service to its customers.
2) So what is the essence of “P.E.A.C.E Fits” as a brand and clothing company?
P.E.A.C.E. (Planetary Elements Activating Conscious Evolution) Fits celebrates peace by fusing original art & fashion as a medium to invoke consciousness. The designer, AndreasOne, is inspired by art with a message and has made it his personal mission to create art that enhances the well-being of people and our world. The P.E.A.C.E. Fits line consists of apparel for men & women, including jeans, outerwear, shirts, shorts, dresses and accessories.
“When people wear P.E.A.C.E. Fits, I want them to feel an intentional vibration that reflects them as a creative conscious individual. When people feel empowered and creative, they shine that energy into the world and create positive ripples: Planetary Elements Activating Conscious Evolution. We live in a giant puzzle and ‘every PEACE fits’. ” – AndreasOne, Designer of P.E.A.C.E. Fits
The majority of our apparel is crafted with organic fibers in Bali, Indonesia. Our garments are made in independently owned companies where we have personal relationships with the employees whom are paid fair living wages. As a conscious clothing company, we strive to address many elements of sustainability and social responsibility. We continuously educate ourselves about production techniques and sources that are more eco-friendly, while we work to build volume without compromising worker conditions or quality. We are also open to working with manufacturing companies in the U.S. who are aligned with our work and business vision.
P.E.A.C.E. Fits, as a company and a brand, encourages a life of balance and celebrating the interconnection and beauty of all things. Combining the influences of ancient Celtic and tribal patterns with modern urban designs, P.E.A.C.E. Fits has a unique, diverse style that integrates seemingly contradicting forces and showing its interconnectedness: modern technology with the organic, the urban with the earthy, and the tribal with the futuristic. Each piece of original art is a prayer for peace designed to empower the individual, reflect a message of truth and uplift the consciousness.
3) How did you see diversity being appreciated and represented at MAGIC Market Week?
Diversity…hmm…that’s an interesting word to ponder upon. To me, diversity means variety. P.E.A.C.E. Fits really stood out – not only because of the variety of apparel, color, and styles we carried, but the whole vibe of the brand was intentionally geared towards positivity and consciousness, and we as its advocates – as P.E.A.C.E. Ambassadors- tried to embody that in our relations.
We exhibited P.E.A.C.E. Fits as part of MAGIC’s Project MVMNT, which magiconline.com describes as, “an area dedicated to the community and businesses driving the growth of youth culture. This show will unveil up and coming trendsetters, inspire innovation, support commerce and curate resources.” Exhibiting at MAGIC confirmed the universal appeal of P.E.A.C.E. Fits. And it provided revelations on how the brand can expand within our target market: Hip-hoppers, electronic music heads, urban/street artists, yogis, skaters, rockers, eco-conscious consumers, etc. MAGIC definitely showed me P.E.A.C.E. Fits’ versatility, which is important for longevity.
Another enjoyable aspect of MAGIC Market Week was networking with some really amazing, inspiring and driven people who were open to collaboration. In a marketplace that often promotes self-serving competition, our experience with many of our diverse neighbors was that of respect, camaraderie and a vibe that promoted mutual success. We also met music producers, singers, rappers, models, bloggers, photographers, etc., who took an interest in our brand & crew and want to stay connected for future endeavors.
As a first-time brand, it was challenging to predict how to strategically participate at MAGIC. We came into it knowing who we are, what our products are about, who our demographics are and what kind of vibe we wanted people to experience while checking out our booth. We came out of it feeling re-energized about what we’ve already been doing and inspired about how to improve our marketing and outreach to buyers. We are definitely looking forward to the next MAGIC Market Week in August.
Check out this up & coming brand at: www.peacefits.com
