Sommers' American Supply

Sommers' product line in 1995 took some unexpected turns. We caught (or created) a giant wave with products like Van's "Lucy" which opened an ocean of opportunity (Ok, enough on the similes). We focused our fashion engineering efforts on specialty items like lenticulars and holograms. Credit must be given posthumously to a customer named, Charles Riu. Charles owned the company, "American Supply, " with offices in Boston, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain. He purchased Sommers' stock line, of Clear Press Polish Sheets.

PP Sheets are a favorite of top, shoe designers like Stuart Weitzman. Stu's father's company, Seymour Shoes, was an early Sommers' customer. Nice to see how Seymour's son, Stuart, magically transformed the company and their famous shoe designed with Sommers' clear plastic- The "Cinderella Shoe."

Returning to Mr. Riu, he became my trusted collaborator. In a major way, Charles became Sommers' link to specialty lines so well-tuned with global fashion. For years, Charles regularly purchased Sommers' clear plastic sheets for distribution to shoe and handbag companies worldwide.

Charles Riu's visionary eye for creative product was only dwarfed by his inability to manage his growing, multi-national business and pay his bills. At one point, Sommers put American Supply on credit hold. We weren't alone. Poor Charles, in my opinion, was sitting on top of a gold mine with no miners to help. I had an idea! Now to convince my brother and dad that it was sound- one of my toughest challenges ever.

I proposed to take over ASC and provide Charles with a number of things in return. His credit line would rise secured by commissions from Sommers on sale of our own clear and other specialty products from new resources Charles would bring in. The concept was pure synergy. We were introduced to innovative companies like Crown Roll Leaf where I jammed with chemists to produce a special, 24" wide, holographic hot-stamping foil that would laminate diffractive grating-embossed foil (whew) onto the surface of Sommers' polyurethane. Furthermore, the bond had to resist delamination when stretched, washed and worn. No flaking or crazing of the aluminum layer sandwiched between clear polyurethane topcoat. Developing "Feather-stretch" polyurethane fabric proved to be quite a challenge with many hurdles to overcome. We did it.

We developed a wide range of holographic patterns on different substrates depending on our customers' end-applications (many styles of holographic Frosty are still available from stock).

One of our first customers was the coolest! Considered the oldest hippy in the biz, Dang Goodman owns an edgy clothing store in NYC's East VIllage, named "Trash and Vaudeville." Dang also designs her own line of clothing- Tripp, NYC. You rock, Dang! She made a "Holographic "Featherstretch"  wedding gown designed for the Joe Boxer wedding. The affair, with NYC mayor marrying the couple in Times Square, was simultaneously streamed on the Internet. This was a first. The gown was a hot flash. And Sommers thought they had a hot flash, but it went in the pan once the market got oversatuarated. The look was so bold and in-your-face that as soon as it got popular,- it "jumped the shark".

Imagine walking aisle after aisle at MAGIC, the annual apparel show in Vegas. You are getting blinded by bright, holographic clothing being hawked at every few booths. Practically screams at you. Reminds me of a full page recurring ad we placed in Sportswear International. It was to run for four publications. We were given the release for a female model, who we posed decked out in tight, holgraphic clothes sitting on a bench. Her mouth is agape as a male model places his hand at the top of her holographic-covered thigh. Sommers was given a full release for the female model in this campaign. However, we were not informed that the male model, pictured out of focus in the background, worked for a different agency who (naturally) was incensed that their top "CK-caliber" model (does that mean he actually works with Calvin or has the caliber to do so? If ever hired by Calvin Klein? "Shameful," they declared. "To pose in such clothes?! Humiliated appearing in such outrageous outfits." The male model's agency demanded an immediate retraction from the current issue going on sale and digital erasure of his presence in future scheduled ads booked as a package. Plus!!! Don't forget the extremely high pay rate they imposed on us for 1/2 hour posing in a comfortable studio. Will never use human models again.

We did have the honor of working with greats Michael Jordan and, shown here, Michael Johnson, with his signiture gold running shoe

Through Charles Riu we discovered mind-blowing products like photopolymer holograms. This item was produced by one company in the world-US Holographics, based in Logan, Utah, just over Salt Lake City's mountain basin. Much like American Supply, USH was in the red and in the process of filing Chapter 11 around the time we met. But their unique product was remarkable- using lasers to "photograph" miniature images revolving affixed to a vibration-free, multi-ton turntable. The exposure time was so lengthy to minimize movement the turntable had to be extremely stable and there could be no truck traffic anywheres near the building when images were being shot. Technical info.

All that glitters is not necessarily gold. Might be a hologram.

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• S

• adidas and the NBA
  
  
  
• Olympic runner,
  Michael Johnson,
  wins races with his
  lucky, gold shoes. Each race different.
• Michael Johnson &   Nike nominated Sommers to create gold holographic polyurethane that was
• breathes, is lightweight, and most of all, look wild enough cameras would stay on them.

• adidas

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