More and more, people are expressing their fandom through the clothes and accessories they wear. Apparel companies are taking notice and they are designing products that are more than a shirt with a recognizable name or character. Atsuko is a company that takes a fashion forward approach partnering with popular anime franchises. We had the opportunity during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) to speak with spokesperson Jonathan Smith about how Atsuko distinguishes itself in the industry.
Atsuko finds more subtle ways to blend an anime brand into their clothing because they want you to feel comfortable wearing it to work, to dinner, or hanging out with friends. Smith said, “For me, it’s always coming from fashion first and trying to find ways to tie-in the IP that feel organic and natural for that property…As everyone gets older, that’s more of what people are searching for is a way to showcase their fandom without it being over the top. It’s like a more if you know you know thing.”
The Cyberpunk: Edgerunners line is a good example. Smith continued, “With Cyberpunk, we brought in some of the brightness that you see in the show, but not necessarily a ton of the character assets or things you would see within the show. We pulled inspiration from the color tones more than anything.”
In addition to the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners line, Atsuko featured Berserk and Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) collections at SDCC 2024. However, they have a lot more fun stuff planned for the future. Towards the end of the year, you can expect more JJK and a Chainsaw Man line arriving. Then in 2025, they will ramp up into a lot of newer properties that they’ll announce at a later date.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login