Here is a great example of how the BlackCoat line is made for either business or casual. Whether you are wearing a suit or jeans, BlackCoat works. James is an advisor to KOYONO and the CFO of Vanson HaloSource in Seattle. The BlackCoat AirGo and Minimal were made for the damp Seattle climate where having a waterproof shell on hand is always a good thing – especially if you have to wear a suit.
Thanks James!
During the genesis of Silicon Valley, and the creation of Accidental Empires, there were two dominant sides to start-ups (“geeks” and “suits”). As described by the book’s author, Robert X. Cringely, the reason for Silicon Valley’s creation had a lot to do with Geeks just wanting to create their own empire of innovation and not have to work for status quo business and the “suits” associated with it. The reality is that creating “business empires” takes both, but making geeks wear suits as a means to an end is not part of the formula (for sure).
I bring this up because I was indirectly invited to a “Harvard T Group” here in Cleveland, where entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and consultants share experiences, tackle problems, and wear suits. Evidently, wearing a suit was as important, if not more, than having a great idea. I was invited two hours before the event, and had no time to change from my staple DDC Lab jeans, Gianfranco Ferre white shirt, and BlackCoat uniform. Boy, did I hear about my presence afterward; I was basically told not to show up in anything but a suit if I wanted to be taken seriously. Sheesh, I thought Sweet Lou (Gerstner) dispelled the whole theory around “dress for success” as he restructured a struggling Big Blue, (i.e IBM).
I could be wrong, but there seemed to be an interesting disparity between entrepreneurs and the rest of the people in the Harvard T Group. Would more entrepreneurs show up if wearing suits did not matter? Hmm.
Either way, I can play the game; the dress dilemma is a main reason BlackCoat was created.
I saw this post on Slashdot about the inventor of the Walkman, Nobutoshi Kihara, leaving Sony. Kihara-san biefly explains the process behind the Walkman’s creation and that Sony still has the genes to innovate.
I don’t know why I thought of this, but reading Kihara’s story made me think of the book, Shoshaman. (After reading the book I realized that I wanted to be an entrepreneur). In Japanese, “Shosha” means trade and of course, “man” means man. Together it more or less means corporate (yes) man. It’s been a decade since I read the book, but I could not help thinking about Kihara-san and his remaining years at Sony after the Walkman. What were those last days like? Was he innovating? One may never know.
In corporate japan, people were/are more or less provided a job for life. While it is changing, there still remains an obligation by coporations to keep people employed at just about all cost. This is especially true for those grandfathered in before the mid 1990s. While coporations feel obligated to keep people employed, they do have there tricks in getting them to quit – “the window job (mado giwa zoko).” Instead of firing someone, corporations will sometimes give them a mado giwa zoku with absolutely nothing to do. People in these positions come to work and gaze out the window thinking of what life would have been like if they just listened and did not fail (take a risk). Man, I would be writing a business plan, calling potential investors, getting a prototype made, etc! But that is not how employees in corporate japan think as they honor obligation with unwavering duty.
Anyway, Shoshaman is about a corporate “yes man” who has great ideas of his own, but would never take the risk himself to realize them. He is married with kids, and has a mistress. He shares his vision with the mistress during bed talk bolstering his bravado (talk is cheap of course). One thing leads to another and he ends up in a “window job,” and more or less at a dead end. The mistress goes away and Shoshaman grapples with his family life and social deterioration. Years go by, and he reconnects with his mistress. Ironically, she has become a multi-millionaire by executing his ideas! In the end, Shoshaman takes a risky opportunity to expand his company’s business in the US and in the end does well. His family life returns back to normal (less the mistress) and he is alive.
I read the book on a flight to Narita (Tokyo) when I was 27, and promised myself that I would never become a Shoshaman with a mado giwa zoku. I began searching for a business to start, which eventually lead to the creation of the BlackCoat. It’s interesting how things turn out and I know I would have gone nuts had I stayed in my corporate job.
“Take a chance. Life is a chance. The man (person) who goes the furthest generally is the one who is willing to do and dare.” Andrew Carnegie
::New Additions and Editions
Here at KOYONO we’ve already begun to ponder 2006 and what we’ve accomplished. A quick mea culpa and a boast:
1) We’ve added so many new products that people are having a hard time picking which one is the perfect one for them.
2) Our blog seems to be as interesting to people as our products.
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We are dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship as a culture and, as many of you have found, our blog, theblackcoat.com, is a representation of that. Aside from matters of products and commerce, we are sharing what we learn about running a virtual manufacturing company (our friends at Coghead recently taught us to refer to this format as a Bedouin company) or operating as an effective business person or citizen or GAI (genius, artist, or innovator). Thanks in part to Jay’s recent insights into how to make his Mac and his BlackBerry Pearl work magic together, our blog is seeing as much traffic as our website. Keep the comments coming. We are also looking for more KOYONO Ambassadors. If you would like to attend swanky events and spread the word about KOYONO, let us know. |
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“I wear or carry the BlackCoat Sport all the time, it is the perfect companion for commuting on my Vespa. I really like it a lot.”
Guido Van Nispen, KOYONO Ambassador to The Netherlands
All of the coats that have been announced this year are finally in stock. It has been a learning experience for us as we moved to off-shore manufacturing (on more than one continent). We are ecstatic about the quality of the craftsmanship in these garments and relieved to finally have them in our hands. The stretch cotton jackets that have just arrived are made with Nanotex® fabric that repels water but breathes like cotton. Nanotechnology is used to transform the molecular structures of fibers and create fabrics that offer unsurpassed performance and comfort.
::Outerwear with nanotechnology featured on KOYONO.com this month:
BlackCoat Work: These new coats have just been received and are shipping to customers. Work comes in black and SandStone. ($199)
BlackCoat Surf: A brand new hybrid shirt/jacket format that makes it easier to carry gadgets when a full jacket is more than you need. Maintain that layered look even when it’s warm. Made with ultra-breathable yet water-resistant stretch cotton by Nanotex and with a slimming cut perfect for beach and boardwalk. ($169)
“Clothier Koyono walks a fine line with its iPod-controlling sports jacket. One button too many in the wrong place, one little ounce of extra heft in the wrong spot, and this piece of apparel would be relegated to the interesting-but-unwearable pile of techie togs.Thankfully, someone at Koyono knows the difference between cool and dorky.”
We have adjusted the pricing on all our outerwear so everything is a bit more affordable We’ve managed to make the whole international-manufacturing-shipping-and-kitting process a but more economical so we’re passing along the savings. All our coats, jackets, and vest are now in stock but some supplies are limited. As a blog reader, you have first crack at these prices.
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