This news update courtesy of Racked.com interview with Jadideah Yarbrough, director of research & development for Spanx for Men.
Racked.com writer Yale Breslin interviews the R&D Spanx executive, and at the very bottom of the Q&A article, I found the following interesting tidbit of information:
What are you working on now? What can we expect next from the brand?
We have two exciting spring launches:
- Core Control shirts for Assets by Sara Blakely (a Spanx brand)—this will be the first men’s product from Assets
- A lighter weight collection of Spanx for Men shirts called Cotton Control
What I find interesting is…
#1 – For those unaware, the “Assets” Spanx brand focuses on offering shapewear products at more affordable prices. This means that we should expect a reasonably effective men’s shaping Core Control shirt for around $28 – $32.
That’s HUGE news because if their Core Control shaping shirt performs well, that product could take a good amount of market-share away from the lower priced slimming shirt market. Consider this, between the SPANX and Assets’ brand names, Sarah Blakley has a TON of mind-share with the woman demographic. Once they launch the Assets brand Core Control product, all of that female customer base will be telling their husbands and boyfriends about the product!
Smart move Sarah.
#2 – I’m curious about the Cotton Control Spanx for Men top. In looking at the Spanx Cotton Control underwear, I see the fabric blend is 81% Cotton, 19% Spandex/Elastane. But, the exact same fabric blend is used in their existing Cotton Compression undershirt??
Granted, you can use the same fabric blend and get different fit results, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Cotton Control undershirt’s design is different from the Cotton Compression.
A little confusing Sarah *wink*
A New Deep V-Neck Product! (Price: $58)
As I was perusing the Spanx site, I ran across a new option in the Cotton Compression line – a deep v-neck! Here’s some product information.
Expect more from your undershirt! This true COTTON compression Deep V-Neck undershirt will forever change the way your favorite man looks and feels in his clothes. Soft, comfortable and powerful, this is the classic undershirt…redefined!
- Style: 629
- Modern deep-v design
- Reduces waistline, improves posture, supports lower back
- High-stretch cotton for ultimate shaping
- No bulk under clothes
- Ergonomic, tapered shape for powerful body control
- High quality, ring-spun cotton
- Flat-lock side seams remain invisible under clothing
- Machine washable
- Get Your Manx™ On!
- 81% Cotton, 19% Spandex/Elastane
Hey – it’s May 2012 and I cannot find the new Assets Core Control shirt. Any update?
I am a professional dancer and love the Assets Original Shaping Tights. They are far better than the tights I get at the dance wear shop and less than half the price!
Both! LOL MFA in Design, Tisch School of the Arts,NYU Lots of textiles classes and much reading.
As you know, fiber content is only one of the criteria for developing a fabric. Another factor is knit density( how tight the stitches are) or denier (thickness of the yarn) used to create the fabric. although the fiber content may be the same, the fabrics may have very different characteristics.
hey pat! you seem awfully well versed in fabric construction. are you just super-duper smart, or in the biz?