There is a medieval belief that mystics spent their lives on a quest to find the “elixir of life”, a concoction that was believed to contain a recipe for the renewal of youth. It was believed that those who drank this elixir would be granted eternal life and youth. In 2008, Kyle Poissonnier took this belief to a new level when he founded his clothing line. You may have never heard of it, which is why I’m excited to help you get familiar with the story of and incredible talent behind Elykssor Clothing.
Development of Elykssor
Obtaining its name from the belief in the ‘elixir of life’, Elykssor Clothing was founded in 2008 by Kyle Poissonnier. While the idea began as a project for his senior Entrepreneur class at Husson University, he quickly realized that there was potential for success behind it. With 2008 being his start-up year, by 2009 Kyle had gained two equally enthusiastic business partners – Matthew and Steven Stern.
“We all wanted to come together and work three times as hard to get the brand to where we wanted it,” said Kyle. Together they have developed Elykssor into a lifestyle brand, one that is meant to target those who are driven by inner ambition, the quest for success, and essentially those looking to ‘Prolong Life’ – which has become the Brand’s slogan.
The first step in the trio’s business endeavor was redesigning the Brand, which included new logos, script writing and updating the overall Elykssor image. Like any start-up company, the team got their Brand name out there by using all of their contacts through print, web, and word of mouth. “As time went on we became walking spokesmen for our brand,” said Kyle. I can personally attest for their marketing efforts via social media, as Elykssor often takes over my Facebook newsfeed on a weekly basis!
Elykssor Hits NYC
With the partnership showing early signs of success, Elykssor had its first event in New York City on May 9, 2009. The event drew in around 200 guests, including multiple artists, professional athletes as well as shoe designers Shane and Shawn Ward. Selling their designs at the event, the guys raised enough money to help continue with the next step in the growth of the Brand.
(The faces behind Elykssor:
Left – Right: Matthew Stern, Kyle Poissonnier, Steven Stern)
Kyle explained,“After the event we decided it was time for a big time website and a whole new look that says ‘we’re different’”. With the majority of sales coming from the website, it was imperative to nail it. The website launched in December 2009 and was a huge success for Elykssor, with the initial blast sent out to over 20,000 people. Today the site averages roughly 300-400 hits daily.
Elykssor in the Media
Elykssor has also gained crucial attention from some top media outlets. They have appeared on blogs, including StyleInterviews, PM-Live andFashion Makes Me Horny. The team has taken full advantage of this, even providing ad campaign previews for the public. As their success continues to grow, it is pretty safe to say that we’ll be seeing more of Elykssor within the realm of fashion media.
Published July 2009
Published November 2009
Published July 2009
The Look of Elykssor
The Elykssor team has worked with designers all over the country to put together some amazing and unique styles. Below are the top-selling pieces from both the Men’s and Women’s collections.
Gotta Stay Fly Remix (Men’s)
Working closely with an artist from Portland, Maine, the ‘Gotta Stay Fly Remix’ shirt was one of the first designs that was redesigned in 2009, by adding more graffiti and slightly changing the fabrics. Due to the colors and overall unique concept, this shirt has become one of the most popular.
Above all the Rest (Men’s)
Keeping with the design of the ‘Gotta Stay Fly’ shirt on the back, ‘Above all the Rest’ has the Prolong Life, slogan across the front – making this form-fitting, v-neck style another top seller.
The Progression (Women’s)
A consumer favorite, ‘The Progression’ offers a highly noticeable look with the gold foil. Kyle said, “Every girl who has purchased this shirt loves it and wants it in multiple colors.” However, this shirt is only, and will only, be featured in black.
The Signature (Women’s)
A form fitting shirt, ‘The Signature’ is another Elykssor favorite. It is slightly longer, with scripts on the side and double foil going up the sides.
Elykssor Gives Back
In addition to running their business, Matthew, Kyle and Steven have chosen to actively commit to assisting with fundraising for the Michael J. Fox Research Fondation for Parkinson’s Research
by donating 5% of their sales and 20% of their fundraising proceeds. The disease has had a direct impact on the Elykssor family, which has encouraged the team to help provide funding for a research program to help cure this disease that more than 1 million Americans are living with.
What’s Next for Elykssor?
While the custom shirts are the only items currently available for retail, Elykssor is in the process of expanding into a full custom clothing line, which will include a 16-piece Men’s and Women’s collection. However, for those of you already obsessed with the custom shirts, you will definitely be seeing more in the future. “We will always feature one or two custom T-shirts because that is where our roots are, and we always want to stay true to what we started with,” said Kyle.
As the Elykssor team looks ahead to their next event in the summer, it is clear to me that the hard work and determination behind this Brand is what will launch them further into and keep them on the mainstream fashion scene. I believe that with their unique styles and general idea behind the Brand, these three guys will stand out above many others in this competitive industry. It is highly suggested that you keep your eyes open for what Elykssor will produce next!
***Don’t forget to connect with Elykssor Clothing to get all of the latest news on what’s happening now and where they’re headed!***
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If you have a passion for, already have or are looking to start your own Indie clothing line, below are a few blog sites that I think are definitely worth noticing. They could be more than helpful to you -take a minute and check them out!
GenArt Pulse
Gen Art Discover is an online community that brings together aspiring designers, editors, buyers, bloggers and fashion consumers from around the world. It’s a place to find the hottest new talent, see and comment on designs before anyone else, and spend time in a forum where trends are born.
Kingdom of Style
This site gives you all the info you need to know relating to fashion and all things creative. Check it out!
Indie Fashion House
This site will be your one-stop guide to emerging fashion designers. Keep yourself in the mix and check out this site to get all the latest info on up and coming Indie designers.
UsTrendy
Check out UsTrendy, which as been dubbed a “safe haven for Indie fashion lovers and designers”. A fashion community that supports up-and-coming fashion designers, the site is currently home to thousands of designers and their work.
The sites listed below also offer so much great information and insight into the world of Indie fashion!
Massive Appeal:BTS at Mass Appeal Entertainment 