Frank Delgadillo
After parting ways with Comune, Frank Delgadillo, who also launched Ambiguous, announced today that he and the sales, marketing, and creative team that left Comune with him, are launching a new brand called Chapter.
The collection will have a soft launch for Spring/Summer 2012 with a full men’s and women’s line debuting for Fall 2012 in July of next year.
“Chapter’s mantra, ‘Nothing More Beyond’ asserts our position that utmost quality doesn’t start and stop at design and the aesthetic of each collection but also extends to the lifestyle we lead, weaving itself into every aspect of our identity” states founder, Frank Delgadillo.
We caught up with Delgadillo to learn more about the next Chapter:
Congratulations on the new brand. Can you fill us in a little on what’s been happening at your camp over the last month since leaving Comune and announcing Chapter’s launch?
Everything happened very unexpectedly and sudden so we’ve all been working very hard and diligent to coordinate our efforts in a short amount of time. To say the least it has been hectic, not to mention getting our home back in shape – you always forget how hard it is to start from scratch. However it has been a great bonding experience with the team. We’ve spent a lot of time together and we realize how much of a family we are.
Is it all the same team working on Chapter that left Comune with you?
Yes, we all feel very fortunate to have such a close group of friends and family.
What lessons did you learn from your last endeavor that you’re applying to Chapter’s launch?
Creating a successful brand it is about relationships and the brand’s synergy, the people behind the brand are the DNA of the company, and family is everything. Also honesty is key, it is important to stick to your values and not compromise your integrity.
What can retailers expect from Chapter moving forward and what is your goal as far as distribution?
At Chapter, we will continue to design product that reflects our lifestyle and the things we love. Our goal is to offer a multi-channel brand that is showcased in the best retail stores around the world. We look to grow brand distribution cohesively with our retail partners and our distribution model will remain focused on building the brand with those that support and believe in us. Retailers can expect to see the highest level of integrity and quality complemented by an equally price conscious product assortment.
With the same crew, how will the product, pricing, and marketing differ from Comune?
At the end of the day, we are who we are. We live a lifestyle, and Chapter is going to be a continuation and extension of that lifestyle. However like anything—there is always evolution. We have some new projects in [the] works, as well as expansion plans into new categories outside of our apparel collections, [creative home accessories].
Anything else you’d like to add?
We’d all like to give a huge thanks to everyone’s support from contributors, friends, family, retailers, industry and media partners. We are excited for the future of Chapter.
According to the brand, Chapter “will feature aff ordable premium product, such as denim and woven shirting, designed with the highest level of integrity and quality complemented by an equally price conscious seasonal product assortment. Each silhouette will draw upon influence from the CHAPTER family. The collection will continue to evolve as new passions and interests are discovered including the addition of creative home accessories, but will stand to remain true to the sentiments of those who grew up with skate, snow and artistic roots.
Chapter will be headquartered in the previous Comune offices at 2139 Placentia, Costa Mesa, California, and is already planning an inaugural launch event party for October.
The brand also says it will “continue to expand the creative collective of contributors involved with the brand
including: photographer Jason Lee Parry, artist and skateboarder Gareth Stehr, photographer Jimmy Fontaine, the band Crocodiles, motorcycle journalist Nelson Kanno, furniture designer Nick Musso and multi-media artist Hunter Longe with more to be revealed after the inaugural launch event.”
Delgadillo and a group of nine other Comune employees announced they were leaving the brand on June 17 of this year. The rest of the group included:
Mike Quinones (Creative Director)
Mark Logan (Brand Manager)
Julie Shumaker (VP of Marketing)
Matt Davis (VP of Sales)
Clifford Lidell (Graphic Designer)
Kerri Banach (Designer)
Billy Garner (Marketing Coordinator)
Sean Ciminesi (West Coast sales)
Cory Heenan (East Coast sales)
