For s/s 2022, FGF Industry, the company behind sportswear brands including Blauer, Blauer HT, Ten C, BDP Be Proud of This Dress and Prince Tees, has launched a new upper sportswear brand inspired by authentic military apparel called B.Tactical.
Enzo Fusco, owner of FGF Industry, explained his aims and expectations for this project.
In these days when brands are closing down or are getting absorbed by larger entities, you are launching a new brand? Why?
One might say what I did is a crazy thing, but I was never too normal. I wanted to launch a line focused on sportswear, and a military-inspired though modern collection. For this I decided to launch a new project with an own name and concept, and a specific distribution network. That's how I launched B.Tactical.
Photo: B.Tactical
Look by B.Tactical
This new brand is inspired by a few authentic military apparel jackets from my archive, some authentic uniforms worn by the US Army during the Korean War in 1951. The selection offers a very concentrated series of 24 items like parkas, field jackets, anoraks and bomber jackets we have revamped with technical details, giving them a more “urban” look through volumes and finishing touches, while still staying true to their roots.
How does it differentiate itself from the historical military items?
We have redesigned the pieces with new fits and silhouettes, less tight-fitting than what we have seen in the last seasons and comfier.
We used new materials that look like cotton from the past, though added with technical properties like, for instance, crinkle nylon, which reproduces an original military fabric, and brushed nylon with a cotton touch, also a reproduction of the original fabric used for the fishtail parka employed by the US Army during the Korean War.
To create a total look, we also included light down jackets in emerized microfiber combined with other fabrics from the collection, sweatshirts featuring nylon details, military-inspired stretch cotton pants and T-shirts with a technical look. The hues I chose only include natural white, army green and black.
Photo: B.Tactical
B.Tactical offers upper sportswear
The idea behind this collection was to reach some of the most demanding upmarket retailers, those looking for some more researched menswear pieces. As today 65% of what I sell are down jackets, I was offering less outer jackets or those inspired by military styles. This brand gave me the opportunity to offer some high-research products but at more interesting prices than other brands offering sportswear jackets.
And this move is giving me good results as this type of retailer is truly appreciating B.Tactical. By now I expect to reach about 400 to 500 clients between Italy and foreign markets. My final aim is that this new brand is sold by 700 stores.
What about its prices?
Its wholesale prices range between €125 and €160. Special sweatshirts completed with nylon details cost about €49 and €69. It is aimed at a higher and more demanding clientele.
What about the present moment, and how do you feel about it?
We are happy we survived the last 14 months that were extremely difficult. We managed to face all this in different ways, including a delaying of our clients’ payments. I also decided to continue paying 100% my 100 employees’ monthly rates without having any layoffs. In general, I understood that it’s best to anticipate when offering new products. Which is what we did also for launching this collection.
In general, I am happy with this new brand because now people are looking for different products and are willing to start wearing more structured products or smarter items like, for instance, jackets and not only sweatshirts and gym trousers all day long. This is a good sign showing that people want to start going out again and changing their style.
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