Article written for the State Press on september 17th 2009 by Alexys Bahn.
Contact Reporter: alexys.bahn@asu.edu
Create, innovate, educate, associate.
A new central Phoenix menswear boutique, Phoenicia Association, operates by this motto. Created by Jeff Mann and Kyle Simone. Phoenicia Association started about two years ago, and officially opened its doors Aug. 7.
Simone said the basic idea behind Phoenicia Association was to bring fashion forward brands from around the world to the Valley.
“We create with the artists. We innovate with our style,” he said. “We educate our customers with trends. We associate with the community and everyone involved in the process.”
The boutique, at 821 N. Third St. in Phoenix, is minimalistic. The design of the store showcases the clothes as art.
It’s not the aesthetic that is focused on, but high fashion, high quality of the brands that Mann and Simone choose.
“What draws customers in is the quality and exclusivity,” Simone said.
The shop offers products that are unique and functional, he said.
“The jeans here are not only going to look good on you but are manufactured well and will wear well and last,” he said.
Aside from offering brands such as April77 Records and Hixsept from France and Dearly Departed from Phoenix, Phoenicia showcases local artists as well.
The southern part of the store is left empty for artists to rent the space.
“We built a very minimal design aesthetic and allowed it to be amorphous, meaning we can change whatever, and adapt to the artists featured and the change of season with garments,” Simone said.
Phoenicia Association adds to the downtown community by providing a gallery to showcase work, connecting with various mediums of art and providing a space for artists to flourish and gain exposure, he said.
“We also bring in artists from around the country, and world, to show what inspires fellow like-minded individuals around the globe,” he said.
Because of its aesthetic, “Phoenicia is as adaptable as Phoenix itself,” Simone said. “It is a lifestyle. A lot of the garments we carry here are because of our travels. I, myself, have spent a lot of time around the world, and this is a major factor in why we decide to carry certain brands.”
Many of the brands seen in Phoenicia Association are unique to the boutique and were acquired through personal connections of Simone and Mann.
“Everything in here is something I would wear every single day. I choose brands to carry what I, myself, would want to rock,” Simone said.
Phoenicia Association got its name from the Phoenician Empire that was known for its cultivation of the arts. It just happened that it was also the namesake of the city the business was created in.
Simone said the unique thing about the boutique is that it is not a “dime a dozen.” The apparel Phoenicia showcases is not found in strip malls or big capital companies or commercialized shops, he said.
“We looked around [for a location] and said where is it all happening? Where is my demographic? Downtown,” he said. ”Downtown is the place to be at. Downtown is the only place to be at, and what better way to show that then to put my business here?”
Filed under: Articles by Kyle
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