Torrid
Creative direction by Jan-Willem Dikkers
Images by Alexei Hay & Jan-Willem Dikkers
Styling by John Vertin + Wynn Smith, Heidi Bivens, & Rachel Braband
Client: Hot Topic, Inc. / Torrid
Fashion for size 12 to 28
TORRID
Torrid is an American retail chain owned by Hot Topic. The store offers plus-size clothing and accessories for women and teenage girls sizes 12 – 28. Torrid began operations in April 2001. The first location opened in the Brea Mall in Brea, California. Torrid currently has over 170 stores in operation across 36 states in the United States of America.
Torrid launched in 2001 as a spin off of Hot Topic for big girls that were into the dark goth scene. By the mid 2000s it had evolved into a happy plus size junior brand, and in 2011 was well in need for a new serious incarnation — to be the leading young contemporary fashion for sizes 12-28.
We were proud to have been brought to lead this metamorphisis and new branding. It was exciting to take an unapologetic approach to fashion branding and imagery in this segment, showing Lane Bryant, Cacique, and the short lived Eloquii (alive again looking much better), that this market can be dealt with the same way as any other leading young contemporary fashion brand. We created new logos, brand identity, photography and styling standards, e-commerce website, online content, email blasts, and all promotional and marketing assets. We brought in the best models and would not go under size 14. This overhaul took a good 5 months during which we also helped restructure internal teams and processes with VP of marketing and CEO. We continued to shoot all editorial assets for an additional year to keep the aesthetic level going, working with their new creative and fashion director.
In the midst of this very strategic rollout, it just happened that our 1st new imagery needed to be for Halloween and had nothing to do with fashion, so we produced a killer look book shot by Alexei Hay and styled by Heidi Bivens layering in fetish boots and latex leggings and gloves.