SAN FRANCISCO, CA (March 1, 2011)-She was one of the pioneers of the category. Upscale, elegant, high-styling, combined with high-tech fabrications and a decided performance enhancement slant – all of it explicitly tailored for golf. Luxury performance became the generic name, and designer Leslie Chow and her company, Iconic™Sport (www.IconicSport.com), were at its forefront.
Now, some five years into it, when others have fallen by the wayside, Chow remains as one of the innovators of the genre. And Iconic™ Sport continues to build on its initial promise, with chic new additions to the core line, innovative new styles to its sun protection group, and the best showing ever at the recent PGA Merchandise show in Orlando.
“We had a lot of buzz – there was a lot of excitement about both our sun accessories and our main apparel line that came from the AGM preview and a PGA show hotlist,” said Chow. “Then throughout the show we were busy, solid all three days, swamped the whole time!” She went on to explain that many operations had good holiday seasons, and were energized about the new season, with enhanced open-to-buys that they hadn’t had in the last few years. “A few people that we had worked with in the past, but didn’t have any budget, came back and wrote orders this year,” she said. “People remembered us because our product is really unique, and they came back.”
For those unfamiliar with Chow’s story, she’s a former NASA engineer with an MIT pedigree. As an MBA candidate at Stanford, she didn’t understand the reference when someone used the term “it’s not rocket science” – because for her (prior to that point) literally everything work related, actually was.
An avid athlete, she attached that same level of expertise and passion when she started Iconic™ Sport. It was built on the premise of offering keenly sophisticated styling with performance components specifically designed for the serious, fashion-conscious, female golfer. Stitching, seams, and other design and construction elements were carefully thought out, created, and field-tested, by genuine golfers – i.e. excess fabric would no longer bag at the waist in order to accommodate a heavier female top-line. Another Iconic touch, every style in the collection is named with either a golf theme or that of an iconic celebrity figure.
One of the fundamental tenets of the line was, and remains, built-in sun protection, with virtually every Iconic™ Sport garment providing a UV level of 50+ – the highest rating possible. A separate group of innovative sun accessories has garnered considerable industry recognition, attracting among others, golf notables such as LPGA fashionista, Michelle McGann, and acclaimed instructor, David Leadbetter.
Originally intrigued by the sun protection aspects and swank styling of the core line, McGann is now an Iconic brand ambassador. The Leadbetter Academy is an Iconic customer, and David Leadbetter, his family, and Academy instructors are all avid consumers of the Iconic sunsleeves. New products-such as a back-of-the-hand glove, and sun leggings-have recently been added to the sun accessory group, and can be seen on the newly re-launched version of the Iconic™ Sport Web site (www.IconicSport.com).
An overall graphic treat, in addition to comprehensive action photo “lookbooks” of both the spring and fall collections, the site features a modeled photo of an Iconic™ Sport garment on every page, as well as real-time tweets from Iconic™ Sport’s Twitter feed, and various YouTube videos. Also new on the site are photos from the latest Iconic photo shoot taken at storied Lake Merced Golf Club in San Francisco. Former host to multiple men’s and women’s U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers and a myriad of other events, Lake Merced is one of the top clubs in the state. A behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot is also included on the site, along with an assortment of other eye-popping elements that exemplify the Iconic philosophy of performance and elegance.
As momentum continues to build, Iconic is always on the lookout to add territorial sales reps, and tour player brand ambassadors.
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About Iconic™ Sport:
Founded and designed by former NASA engineer, Leslie Chow, Iconic is positioned for upscale golfers, emphasizing sophisticated style and performance enhancement. With degrees from both MIT and Stanford, Chow is an avid multi-sport athlete, and was featured in the “Member Spotlight” segment of the 2007 Bluebook edition of the Northern California Golf Association’s magazine, NCGA Golf. Iconic garments incorporate elements from both her engineering background, and an innate fashion sense. Once cited by a noted Silicon Valley recruiter, as “the coolest woman in the Valley,” Chow has created a high fashion statement, with functional design elements intended for the fashion forward, serious player.
Follow Iconic™ Sport on the Web:
On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iconicsport
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/iconicsport.leslie
Facebook Iconic Sport fan page: www.facebook.com/iconicsport
Contact:
Barry Salberg
(650) 573-7500
salberg@mindspring.com
President/Designer
Leslie Chow
(415) 861-3603
lchow@iconicsport.com
Iconic™ Sport Inc.
4406 Eighteenth Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
www.iconicsport.com
