It’s time for another Brand Focus where we take a deeper dive into the lesser-known brands on the come up. This week we had a chance to sit down with Saul Cattan, Director of Sales at Tango Hotel.
Let’s start at the beginning, Saul, when did you join Tango Hotel?
I got on board after the Agenda show in Miami in 2016 with Travis Scott. It was a great show and one hell of a party. I was stoked to join the team.
Who started Tango Hotel?
The brand was created by three longtime friends Pro Skater and founder of DGK Stevie Williams, Pop Artist Al-Baseer Holly and Richard Hilfiger the son of Tommy Hilfiger.
Tell us about the name Tango Hotel. Where did it come from?
Interesting story behind that. These guys were living life to the fullest and of course being friends with the son of Tommy Hilfiger has its perks. Whenever they would fly on the Hilfiger private jet, the pilot would always say “818 Tango Hotel ready for lift off.” This is a sentence familiar to pilots but a sentence so close and dear to our founder. The name of the famous jet ends with TH which translates to “Tango Hotel” in the NATO phonetic alphabet. This phrase had such an impact it actually inspired a brand and a permanent vacation lifestyle.
Let’s discuss wearable art. Where did the concept come from?
Our primary goal was always to tell the artist’s story and make art more attainable to fans. Not everyone can purchase the artwork, but they can probably cop the tee or jacket. This creates an opportunity to connect directly with the artists. With the three founders being creatives themselves, we wanted to share their story and success with their fans and it was a natural progression to partner with other artists. After seeing such a great impact with the Al Baseer Collab, we started collaborating with names like Rime MSK, Mister Cartoon, Layer Cake, etc. We also started partnering with estates Wassily Kandinsky and Patrick Nagel.
Is there a signature item that put Tango Hotel on the map?
I’d have to say it’s our Puffer Jackets. We can really capture the artist’s story and style of painting on the jacket. It’s a statement piece.
What’s been the biggest hurdle operating under the worst pandemic in history?
Great question! There have been several. Biggest was distribution, our public warehouse couldn’t handle doing e-commerce distribution. They are setup only for wholesale. This lead to a whole new range of problems – orders not going out in time, wrong items shipped. It was a complete mess. We moved our entire warehouse to a new e-com special warehouse. Production has also been slowed as the supply chain has been put on hold. We had a recent shipment that was supposed to get here July 1st and didn’t show until September. That’s what we’re dealing with.
Any advice for any entrepreneurs out there looking to create a brand?
Make sure you have a solid concept and just keep pushing forward. When things get rough, get tough.
Are you guys staying safe and how?
Yes, mostly working from home. Zoom has been a lifesaver.
What’s coming next for Tango?
Well today we just dropped the Self Portrait Windbreaker by Al Baseer Holly which is a continuation of our Canvas to Reality Series that helps artists bring their creativity, story and art to reality through touch, wear and feel. Also we have a project in the works with the Patrick Nagel Estate and another with John “Crash” Matos.
There it is, an inside scoop with Tango Hotel. Now let’s check in on the collection.
In his first ever Self Portrait Al Baseer Holly (ABH) focuses on himself and a new form of painting, highlighting more on the oranges, greens, and reds on this beautiful Windbreaker. Comparing himself today to his childhood self, ABH reflects on his abstract mind throughout his life. He wanted to display this with the abstract art behind and within himself and the result is pure fire.
Brand: Tango Hotel
Model: Al Baseer Holly Self Portrait Windbreaker
Release: Available NOW
Available on: TheDrop.com
