Billionaire Boys Club/ Ice Cream is not fizzling out anytime soon. The brand recently popped bottles to ring in its 10th Anniversary, but Pharrell and partners are not done showing you how to hustle.
If you thought the partnership between Billionaire Boys Club/ Ice Cream with Jay-Z and Iconix’s joint venture Scion was a bad thing, think again. Ever since the two signed the dotted line in May of 2012, BBC has been making money like never before. According to WWD, “BBC and Ice Cream will do $25 million to $30 million in volume this year.” Not to mention, the two lines were “up sharply from $2 million to $4 million the brands were doing prior to the Roc Apparel license.” These are record numbers for a brand whose highest mark ever was $12 million.
The reason behind it is growth. BBC could only stay an exclusive boutique brand for so long before it would reach its niche ceiling. The partnership with Scion allows for a bigger production—which moves from Japan to China and Pakistan to cut costs—and a wider distribution. Outside of its flagship locations, the brand can now be easily found in more doors, which includes more stores such as Zumiez and Tilly’s. They may have alienated a few fans in order to grow, but fans should have seen this coming. What’s the point of owning a business if it can't grow, right?
However, BBC has more up its sleeves and plans to expand with even more products and new stores down the line. There are plans to license fragrance and eyewear products. Vashtie has been tapped to design Ice Cream Girl, which is targeted toward juniors. Also in the works is a full-scale BBC women’s line that will launch by next year designed by Yoon of AMBUSH fame.
For the hardcore fans who seek exclusivity, all is not lost. The upcoming BBC Black line designed by Mark McNairy will be the brand’s own limited distribution line which will only be carried by specialty stores that sneaker forum geeks talk about constantly.
For those thinking that Skateboard P's clothing empire was over, it has only just begun.
[via WWD]
