Zavvi’s ‘Heist Collection’ – Launch Report
It was a dark and stormy night on the crime-ridden streets of Gotham as we made our way… Actually it was more like a drizzly Monday evening on the streets of Manchester, where we made our way to a secret location a few minutes walk from Market Street to take part in a special preview and reveal of Zavvi’s latest limited edition clothing collection – this particular one based on the clown-prince of crime, the Joker (apt given that Todd Phillips’ film had just opened in cinemas)
Joining a bevy of influencers and other bloggers, we were treated to not only a preview of the 8 pieces of clothing in what Zavvi have dubbed the “Heist Collection”, but also an eveing of drinks, food and a screening of the animated movie Batman: The Killing Joke – one of the few Warner/DC animated movies I hadn’t actually seen.
The film was actually a great accompaniment to what Zavvi were aiming for with this range – it focuses on the Joker (and Batgirl to a lesser extent) more than Batman himself, as does this clothing range. And The Killing Joke takes pieces from various comic sources to create it’s own, more unique, take on the famous comic book story – something which the Zavvi Heist Collection mirrors. In this case the clothing pieces don’t focus on the cinematic versions of the Joker, instead taking more from the comic book look and style, picking different artists interpretations of the character and combining them with tradition fashion design to create a unique hybrid.
The screening was followed by a talk with the range’s designer Ian, who spoke of the inspiration behind the design choices, how everything came together and how it was working closely with Warner Bros and DC to make a collection that not only represented the character of the Joker but also could stand as a fashion range in it’s own right – one that balanced geek culture with fashion culture in a more subtle way than your typical “comic book T-shirt” ever does.
A brief Q&A followed and the night was rounded out by a sample of the range to take home, something very much appreciated given how limited the line is – it is only availble for seven days in total before disappearing into the darkness as skillfully as Batman does!
Check out the Zavvi Heist Collection right now. But be quick, it’s only available for another 3 days!
