How Filipino Streetwear Went Mainstream
Owner and Creative Director Mark Wesley Pahate of Eggshell Worldwide Communications Inc. admits that it is a leap of faith going from advertising agency to avant-garde fashion business.
Advertising firm Eggshell Worldwide, led by Mark Wesley Pahate, wanted to ensure that the strategies they employ in a dynamic digital landscape were sound, effective, and properly tested.
So, they launched their own fashion brand, What? Caps, to see if they can successfully sell their own product line.
“Since I’m a fan of streetwear, we decided to go with fitted caps,” Pahate shares.
Streetwear has proven itself appealing to both young and old alike, rising from a do-it-yourself (DIY) aesthetic and a loose community of surfers, skaters, artists, and musicians.[1] In the Philippines, What? Caps has generated buzz among the youth who want to express themselves through fashion.
“Internationally, it is a really big market, valued around $300 billion and growing,” Pahate says. “Young people drawn to streetwear comprise a vibrant community and an evolving hub of creativity. You will be surprised by a lot of independent streetwear brands we have here in the Philippines, and how popular they are in the international market.”
Neighboring streetwear hubs Taiwan and Singapore are the biggest markets for What? Caps. “Our products appeal to the two markets we identified for What? Caps: Streetwear fans and cap collectors.” Pahate shares. “We connect with customers through social media. From there, we lead them to our website where they can shop.”
The What? Caps website is conveniently integrated with the FedEx shipping system, ensuring secure and fast delivery to over 220 countries and territories.
For any brand, it is a badge of success to cross borders. After steadily gaining traction in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Pahate shares how they are beginning to penetrate the USA. This increase in demand and destinations, he says, was made possible by their logistics provider.
“FedEx was willing to work with us and install the FedEx system into our website even though we were only a fledgling small business. They were the only logistics company who gave us the same treatment that large companies receive,” he added.
Because of the availability of FedEx services on the What? website, buyers can preview the total cost of the merchandise they are purchasing including shipping fees. This feature is what Pahate deems most important.
“We all don’t like surprises. It pays to have a system that will do all the math for you,” he states. With a number of delivery options available in the website, What? Caps customers find it easy to choose the one that best suits their needs.
Integrating the FedEx shipping service on a company’s website guarantees a smooth end-to-end transaction, decreasing cart abandonment. This is a tangible boost for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) exploring the possibility of reaching more markets beyond their borders.
Pahate says they plan to venture to other streetwear staples such as hoodies, socks, and shoes, with the vision to grow into a full-blown lifestyle brand. To see What? Caps product line, visit https://whatheat.com/.
To get your own FedEx shipping solutions, visit http://fedex.com/ph.
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[1] Highsnobiety.com. Is the Streetwear Bubble About to Burst? Retrieved from: https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/hype-bubble-streetwear-bubble-burst/
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