How This Outerwear Collection Leans into ‘Me Time'
Perhaps the most precious commodity of modern life is time. With endless hobbies to indulge in, movies and TV shows to watch and socialising to take place, it seems that there’s always something to sacrifice. Ultimately, this often means that precious ‘Me Time’ is compromised, and that’s exactly what tech company Lenovo was keen to bring back into the picture.
Partnering with three brands and designers, KIT WAN Studios, RANRA and MAIUM, the tech brand gave each creative a simple brief, to integrate the Lenovo tablets into outdoor wear that prioritises their individual representations of ‘Me Time’. With three drastically different ideas, aesthetics and visions of what time to themselves looked like, the results turned out to be truly unique pieces of clothing, representing the people who created them.
To hear about how each brand was chosen to take part and how they each tackled the brief in question, LBB’s Nisna Mahtani reached out to agency SuperHeroes Amsterdam’s creative director Craig Miles to hear more about the process.
LBB> Three designers lean into the idea of ‘Me Time’ in this Lenovo campaign. Can you tell us a little bit about the concept and why it was important to delve deeper into this idea?
Craig> In the tablet market, me-time is the differentiator for Lenovo Tablets. While other brands focus on being the best for work, Lenovo tablets - sure it can do all that, but it’s really positioned for those moments of relaxation, where you watch a series, read or listen to music. Of course, me-time traditionally occurs at home on the couch, but Lenovo wanted to see how we can bring this me-time out into the world. Because, when you think about it, me-time in this busy world is really important.
But out in the world, there are a lot of distractions, a lot of things that make you uncomfortable, and that’s where the collab with these three incredible designers came in; Lenovo wanted to see if they could create something that would mitigate those distractions and create a better me-time experience on-the-go through the merger of tech with fashion.
LBB> The link between fashion and technology is explored throughout this campaign. Can you tell us a little bit about how and why you wanted to explore that further?
Craig> Technology is of course at the heart of everything Lenovo does. And it’s definitely starting to have a bigger presence in the fashion world as well. And in both worlds, the idea is that better technology will make people's lives better - Lenovo’s brand pay-off line is a testament to this ‘Smarter technology for all’. So combining these worlds will only speed this eventuality up.
LBB> How did you go about finding KIT WAN Studios, RANRA and MAIUM as brands and creators to work with?
Craig> It was a rigorous process. We selected three up-and-coming fashion labels that mix fashion with functionality and tech and have a strong consideration for conscious design.
London / Reykjavik studio RANRA, which specialises in transitional outerwear pieces designed for both nature and the urban environment, has created the ultimate me-time pod for the outdoors. Equipped with a custom-made noise and light cancelling ‘isolation hood’, the jacket allows the wearer to immerse themselves in the cinematic experience of a Lenovo tablet wherever, whenever.
Hong Kong-based KIT WAN STUDIOS, an independent menswear designer and visual artist, has drawn on his distinctive multicultural vision to create an avant-garde manifestation of modular techno-armour. Complete with hyper-customisable elements, such as detachable blankets and hoodies, plus the ability to transform into a bag, the design elevates extreme functionality with a high fashion twist.
Amsterdam-based brand MAIUM cements its reputation for imaginative, fashionable yet functional pieces offering protection from the elements, with a totally unique inflatable poncho that cleverly transforms into an all-season hammock that lets the wearer create a custom me-time cocoon anywhere. The MAIUM coat is made of 66 recycled PET plastic bottles.
LBB> The brief to the designers was fairly broad, why was it important to give them room to play with their designs and what did that bring to the spot?
Craig> Because, at the end of the day, everyone’s me-time is their own. We didn’t want three of the exact same jackets, we wanted jackets imbued with the designers' style and aesthetic. And of course, we picked them for a reason, we trust them, working this way just leads to better collaboration and a better outcome.
LBB> In terms of the timing of this launch, it’s right in the season when this type of outerwear is essential. Did this play into the planning process behind things?
Craig> Of course, this type of outerwear was a critical part of the creative process, however, all the garments were also designed to be season agnostic, allowing you to detach the hoods, turning them into a carry bag (RANRA), deflate (Maium), and transform into a utility vest (Kit Wan Studios).
LBB> Where was the campaign shot and how did you find distinctive locations for each design which not only match the jackets, but keep the viewer engaged?
Craig> The designers were photographed in their own cities. So Hong Kong for Kit Wan Studios, Amsterdam for Maium and Reykjavík for RANRA. We did this as each city impacted their style and design. In terms of locations, we worked closely with the designers who took us to places they often visited for inspiration. This was all part of our approach to creating authentic content.
LBB> Each designer created something different and unique to their brands. What was the process behind creating each piece and how did you go about documenting it?
Craig> Authenticity was key for both Lenovo, us and the designers. That’s why the brief was so open, and that's also why we followed each designer's individual process rather than have them conform to ours. We checked in here or there to see the progress but overall it was a fairly fluid process.
LBB> The designers all narrate the combined and individual videos which make up part of the campaign. What was the process of drafting the scripts and how much of it was off the cuff as the designs were explained?
Craig> We crafted questions, not answers. Everything you hear is from the designers themselves, we shared the questions before shooting, however, it was crucial to get real and authentic perspectives from the designers themselves.
LBB> Tell us a little bit about shooting the imagery with all the different versions of the jackets in their various forms. How did you use the design and backstory to inform the setup of each shot?
Craig> That was one of the challenges we faced because all these jackets have so much utility and so many features, how could we get all of that information into one image? And that was where duplicating the designers within the one single shot came to be. So each pose represents a different utility or feature of the designer's jacket.
LBB> On the strategy side of things, what was the target market for this spot and how were you mindful to cater to them?
Craig> Our core audience is trendy millennials, however, we also wanted to ensure we were appealing to a younger audience - gen z. Ensuring that through the selection of designers as well as the garments they designed, we created some leaning more to our core audience and others more open.
LBB> In terms of what’s next, what is Lenovo’s vision for the continued link between fashion and technology?
Craig> Lenovo has long been established in the fashion scene from its stellar partnership with Stella McCartney and the school of fashion Central Saint Martins in London. And now to this partnership. We have no doubt this link will continue and grow.
