I received a press release from Red Ball Jets announcing their wholesale relationship with Fred Segal. While this could be overlooked as an expansion by RBJ to retail, it’s worth discussing as we continue to see other digitally native brands who opened their own doors but stayed away from wholesale in many instances. In today’s economy DTC is a keyword used to explain how companies are reaching their fans and recapturing margins. For a startup, however, wholesale can offer a path to a larger audience while enhancing DTC. I picked up a pair of Red Ball Jets and did a video you can check out below. I think this move to Fred Segal was a subtle, smart, move by RBJ.
The quintessential “All-American” style came to fruition during the 1950s with the evolution of denim and the launch of vulcanized rubber sneakers. In 1951, Red Ball Jets hit shelves and quickly gained a cult following as a brand synonymous with sports and speed, its slogan simple – “The shoe with speed.” The shoes were easily identifiable due to the red ball logo printed on the heels of the sneakers and often worn as a symbol of pride (similar to the check mark on their successor, Nike Air Jordans).
It would only be 10 years later in 1961 that Fred Segal, dubbed the original “Curator of Cool”, opened his first store in Los Angeles. He pulled American Style westward in his curations, foretelling that people wanted to be comfortable and casual. Segal defined “the LA Look ” and sparked a revolutionary shift in style, changing retail and pop culture forever. His eye for fashion and casual brands gained him a fanbase filled with icons of the past such as Bob Dylan, Farah Fawcett and the Beatles alongside celebrity fans of today.
Now, in 2022 Red Ball Jets will finally return to shelves after 51 years, exclusively at Fred Segal’s iconic Sunset Blvd. location. The debut collection will include the full color run of the High Top 51s; Black, White, Olive, Red and Gray and will also be available on the store’s website, FredSegal.com.
Fred Segal and Red Ball Jets both carry the legacy of being at the forefront of and being instrumental at shaping what we know today as classic American Style. Fred Segal continues to set the tone in Los Angeles as an iconic retail location that knows exactly what their customers want while remaining fresh, exciting, and collaborative, while Red Ball Jets may have a classic retro outer design (like other brands of that era; Converse, Keds and PF Flyers) they stand on their own with a modernized approach to the their inner design with an ultra soft insole and antimicrobial treatment. It only took 51 years for this perfect pairing to happen, a seamless partnership between two iconic brands. One, a continued legacy, and one freshly out of its vault ready ready to be worn with pride once again.
ABOUT FRED SEGAL
Curating cool since 1961, FRED SEGAL continually offers the best new, upcoming and established brands in fashion, beauty and home. When Fred Segal opened his first store, he put LA’s “casual, comfortable, and sexy” style on the world map. From the first shop-in-shop to the first denim bar, he created a lifestyle brand before it was even a term — redefining retail and changing pop culture forever.
FRED SEGAL collaborates with iconic brands, artists, and emerging names to create unique collections and immersive experiences — all seen through our unique lens of creativity, optimism, and inclusion. We find and nurture new talent through our Season Zero launches, and give back to the larger community through our Fred Gives program. Our exclusives, including our very own FRED SEGAL COLLECTION, include collaborations with top global brands and homegrown LA artists.
Our iconic flagship store is on Sunset Boulevard, with additional stores in LA, Las Vegas and internationally. And the best is yet to come — from location-specific capsules to special events to digital expansion that’ll put our style stamp on virtually every corner of the world. Discover more at FredSegal.com and on Instagram @FredSegal.
