B.U.M. Equipment

B.U.M. Equipment, a clothing brand under the ownership of BUM Equipment LLC, is a street fashion clothing company that was founded in 1986 in a Seattle garage.[1] The brand is known for its beginning as a Los Angeles casual sportswear brand for men, women, and children.[2] The brand had financial troubles in the mid-1990s under the management of the original owner, Chauvin International, Ltd.[3] It went bankrupt in 1996 and was acquired by the creditors of B.U.M. International Inc. and managed by SOS Management in 1997.[1][4] SOS Management, and its successor B.U.M. Equipment LLC, subsequently relaunched B.U.M. Equipment.[4] The brand's fashion lines include men's, women's, junior's, and children's sportswear apparel, as well as hosiery, footwear, backpacks, handbags, luggage, and eyewear.[1] According to the LA Times, B.U.M. Equipment is "one of the most successful young men's sportswear brands in California fashion history."[2]

B.U.M. Equipment
Product typeClothing brand
OwnerBUM Equipment LLC
CountryLos Angeles, CA
Introduced1986
Websitewww.bum.com

History

Origins (1986–1996)

Chauvin International, Ltd., a manufacturing company that was led by Morty Forshpan, acquired B.U.M. in 1986.[3] The clothing line made its market debut in 1987 and featured basic clothing items with the brand's logo displayed across their T-shirts, tanks, and sweatshirts.[5] Within its first year, B.U.M. Equipment grossed $2 million and it brought in about $240 million in annual revenues by 1992.[5] In 1992, the B.U.M. parent company, Chauvin International, partnered with the Canadian casual wear company Chip and Pepper. Chauvin International purchased the assets of the Chip and Pepper Wetwear Inc., and distributed its products in the United States while the twin co-founders, Chip and Pepper Foster, were still in charge of overseeing the design along with the marketing and promotion. In 1994 Chauvin International, Ltd. merged with Cami'z, Inc., the B.U.M. brand's retailer.[6]

In April 1996, B.U.M. International filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to what the company said was poor sales.[7] The judge allowed reorganization plan by SOS Management in favor of the B.U.M. International Inc. creditors in 1997.[8] The reorganization, managed by SOS Management and its successor BUM Equipment LLC, resulted in a plan that was in which the B.U.M. International creditors would be paid in full in five years.[9] After the five year payback period, the B.U.M. International Inc. operating unit was dissolved.[9] The trademarks were purchased by BUM Equipment LLC[9] and has continued to operate under that corporate structure.

Relaunch and B.U.M. Equipment LLC, (1997–present)

SOS Management was established in 1996 by Chairman and chief executive officer Stephen Wayne and Vice Chairman Steve Marra.[1] Wayne was the president of Yves Saint Laurent Sportswear (1974–77), president of the menswear division of Calvin Klein (1977–81), and the president of Sasson Industries for five years prior to launching his own licensing firm, Stephen Wayne & Associates,[10] in 1986.[1] Wayne was the exclusive licensing agent for Sasson, Bugle Boy, Andrew Fezza and Bum Equipment and owns and operates the Stephen Wayne & Associates company.[1][11] Prior to co-founding SOS Management, Steve Marra worked for Macy's for sixteen years, most recently as vice president of merchandising, and later worked as president of B.U.M. Equipment's retail division and executive vice president of sales and merchandising for the company.[1]

B.U.M. Equipment emerged from bankruptcy in 1997 under the management of SOS Management headed by Wayne and Marra.[4] In 2002, SOS Management purchased the B.U.M. Equipment trademark, establishing the new trademark and licensing company called BUM Equipment LLC.[9] By 2005, B.U.M was operating more than 20 licenses around the world and gathering approximately $600 million annually.[12]

Brand development

B.U.M. Equipment's logo and athletic style were created by Seattle native Derek Federman about a year prior to Morty Forshpan becoming the chief executive officer (CEO) of Chauvin International, Ltd.[2] Shortly after becoming the CEO of Chauvin International, Forshpan found the B.U.M. brand and acquired it.[2] Forshpan pushed the brand into the market in 1987.[2] Brand founder Federman left B.U.M. in 1988 as Forshpan moved the brand's design in a more trendy direction, and following its success and popularity in the late 1980s, Forshpan was nominated twice for the California Mart's West Coast Designer of the Year award.[2] Chauvin International and B.U.M. brand designers insist the acronym "B.U.M." does not stand for anything, however, many people believed there was an unsaid meaning like "Basic Urban Merchandise" or "Body Under Maintenance".[5]

Under SOS Management and Bum Equipment LLC, Wayne signed over 35 licenses in 1997 and 1998, which grew the business approximately $2 billion in sales over the next six years.[1] This was accomplished by primarily selling product to Target Stores[13] and many regional retailers like Ames, Caldor, Venture, Meijers, Shopko.[9]

SOS Management began restructuring B.U.M. sportswear in the United States with a license with the Buffalo Group in 2005.[14] The company also signed licensees in Malaysia, Taiwan, England, Korea, Germany, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. The B.U.M. brand was extended to non-apparel licenses in footwear, socks, sunglasses, and licenses in watches, luggage and eyewear were renewed.[1] B.U.M. Equipment signed licenses with New York-based Channel Creations in 2007 for their men's and women's sportswear.[12] In 2009, the company relaunched their young men's and juniors brands in department stores through a license with Sierra Fashions.[15]

In 2004, Women's Wear Daily listed B.U.M. Equipment as Number 5 on their "Top 10 Young Contemporary Hip List in 2004."[16]

Billy Ray Cyrus wore B.U.M. Equipment workout tanks during his concerts on his 1992 tour and was pictured in the 1991 October issue of Cosmopolitan wearing a tank from the brand.[17]

Jane Fonda wore a B.U.M. Equipment shirt in her 1992 workout video.[5]

Christian Slater can be seen sporting a B.U.M. Equipment shirt in the movie Pump Up The Volume.[5]

Sponsorship

As a sportswear and casual athletic fashion brand, B.U.M. has sponsored various athletes including Laila Ali[18] and Oscar De La Hoya.[19] It was also the official off-the-rink casual wear of the LA Kings hockey team.[5] B.U.M. Equipment also outfitted caddies for PGA Tour events beginning in 1998.[20]

In 2012 B.U.M. Equipment participated with the Dancing with the Stars gifting suite for its 14th Season.[21] Contestants from the show were able to choose items of the B.U.M. Equipment brand to wear during show rehearsals.[21]

References
  1. "Brand Overview". Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  2. William Kissel (8 October 1993). "Basics Instinct : B.U.M. Equipment Finds Success Making Comfortable Everyday Clothing With Reverse Snob Appeal". LA Times. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  3. Bonacich, E.; Appelbaum, R. P. (2000). "Behind the Label : Inequality in the Los Angeles Apparel Industry". University of California Press.
  4. Kristina Tradetalk (6 November 1998). "B.U.M. Equipment". Sporting Goods Business.
  5. Kim-Van, D. (14 October 1992). "A B.U.M. Bonanza". WWD: Women's Wear Daily.
  6. "Cami'z to buy Chauvin Int'l for $66 million". Daily News Record. 1994. Archived from the original on 2014-06-29. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  7. "B.U.M. Hits Bottom, Files for Bankruptcy". LA Times. April 1996. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  8. "COMPANY NEWS; TARRANT ENDS BID FOR ASSETS OF B.U.M. INTERNATIONAL". New York Times. 5 September 1997.
  9. Vicki M. Young (18 December 2002). "SOS MANAGEMENT TO ACQUIRE BUM EQUIPMENT TRADEMARKS". WWD: Women's Wear Daily.
  10. Rachel Spevack (16 November 1993). "SASSON LICENSING CORP. BUYS TRADEMARKS OF H. COTLER CO.; FUTURE OF COTLER COMPANY UNCLEAR". Daily News Record.
  11. Stan Gellers (7 February 1994). "LICENSED TO DEAL IN THE MID-'90S LICENSING CAN STILL BE A BIG MONEY-MAKER, BUT YOU NEED A STRONG DOSE OF REALITY TO GO ALONG WITH ALL THE HYPE". Daily News Report.
  12. "B.U.M. INKS TWO SPORTSWEAR LICENSES". WWD: Women's Wear Daily. 2007.
  13. Williamson, Rusty (20 February 2002). "BUM EQUIPMENT RETOOLS, MAKES RUN AT DEPT. STORES". WWD: Women's Wear Daily.
  14. Lipke, David (11 July 2005). "B.U.M. EQUIPMENT SIGNS SPORTSWEAR LICENSE WITH BUFFALO GROUP". The Daily News. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  15. Thomas, Brenner (5 November 2009). "BUM To Relaunch As Young Men's, Juniors Brand". WWD: Women's Wear Daily.
  16. Greenberg, Julee (1 July 2004). "The top 10: Young contemporary: The hip list". WWD: Women's Wear Daily.
  17. "Country B.U.M.". WWD: Women's Wear Daily. 29 September 1992.
  18. Chuck Johnson (19 January 2007). "Like dad, Ali's daughter rules the ring". USA Today. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  19. "The Selling Of The Golden Boy". Business Week. 7 August 2005. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  20. Bill King (31 August 1998). "Caddies, sportswear maker happy after striking a B.U.M. deal". Sports Business. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  21. "B.U.M. Equipment Llc; B.U.M. Equipment Announces "Dancing with the Stars" Season 14 Participation". Leisure & Travel Week. 14 April 2012.
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