Justin Bieber is definitely having an interesting merchandise year. His hotel slippers sold out immediately, and kicked off a fashion line that has been making headlines. Bieber’s House of Drew merchandise line is not exactly the typical musician merch, but that seems to be what’s so successful about it.
When GQ spoke with the line’s cofounder, Ryan Good, he explained that the team wasn’t looking to necessarily create something mega-popular, just something fun. It’s also clear Bieber used his own style as inspiration.
“It’s just about making cool things and stuff, ultimately, that he likes and wants to wear,” he said. “It’s not too complicated.”
Naturally, we were wondering if there were any promo apparel lessons we could take away from Bieber’s clothing line.
Here’s the lowdown:
1. Be weird
We would never have been able to predict the branding Bieber ultimately choose for his Drew line, and that’s what works. It’s so outlandish that it’s almost comical, and yet it’s flying off digital shelves:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgnEA8leqZ/
For instance, why the name Drew? Why not Justin? It turns out Drew is his middle name, so at least there’s a slight connection, but it’s still worthy of an eyebrow raise. And what’s with the logo? It gets people talking, that’s for sure.
2. Keep it simple
Yes, the line is weird. But it’s also incredibly simple. The pieces either feature one of two logos: the smiley face or just the name. Even the corduroy shorts just feature the word Drew across the crotch (not a look we advocate for your promotional lineup, but a notable look nonetheless).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtO0T8SFKVD/
And the color scheme is incredibly basic: brown, yellow, red and black. There’s no reason a first launch should be complicated.
3. Experiment with different fabrications
Corduroy isn’t exactly common in promotional apparel, but it has its fashion niche, and something about it here works. It’s a conversation-starter, and it’s definitely on trend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs9Oj46l-Ya/
Plus, it elevates the collection because these pieces have a more luxurious feel to them. As a result, the collection is able to feature a mix of budget-friendly pieces in one price tier and these higher-end pieces in another.
