Terence To is a life-long New Jersey Devils fan. So when FE decided to launch "The Legends Collection" of NHL sports apparel, To was able to combine his passion for fashion and hockey. To, SVP of Sales for AW Chang Corporation (parent company of FE), joined SportsJam with Doug Doyle to talk about his love and hockey and FE's limited-edition line of collectible reversible bomber jackets and more that pay tribute to some of the greatest players in hockey history.
This exclusive collection, in collaboration with the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA), the National Hockey League and Getty Images, honors the careers of NHL Legends Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Martin Brodeur and more with a unique blend of style, nostalgia, and craftsmanship.
To stresses FE wanted to create something unique and special in the crowed sports apparel market.
"Hockey has some of the most passionate fans out there and obviously the game really has a rich history that we all love to celebrate. Our company's background is a fabric mill. So we started as a mill before becoming a fully vertical apparel manufacturer. We're know for our printing. The garments in The Legends Collection are digitally printed, featuring the iconic photography that Getty has captured over the many years of sports history. We are very excited to be launching this line."
Only 99 pieces of each legend’s jacket have been created, with each style individually numbered from 1 to 99 - making them a rare and coveted addition to any fan's wardrobe. The jacket is the first style in a growing line that will also include hoodies, each designed to blend the culture and heritage of hockey with contemporary, cutting-edge fashion trends. The jackets, hoodies and other apparel are available on the FE Website and at the NHL Shop NYC store in Manhattan.
To says fans will be able to celebrate their respective team's icons that have been part of those moments that the fans certainly remember. For To, one of his favorite Devils moments came when Jason Arnott scored the game-winning Stanley Cup-clinching double overtime goal against the Dallas Stars in 2000.
"I was also at the 2003 Final against the (Anaheim) Ducks at Continental (Airlines Arena) so that definitely stands out in my mind."
There are certain superstars that are not part of the inaugural collection. To admits getting the rights for certain players can be challenging.
"Even for me, a life-long hockey fan, this has been interesting journey. One of the things that a lot of fans might not realize is that for us in launching this collection one of the biggest things we had to work through was being able to secure the licensing agreements with the NHL but also with the NHL Alumni Association as well as Getty who owns the rights to all the photographs. Not every retired player is necessarily part of the Alumni Association. Many of them are but sometimes guys retire and join a few years later or sometimes they never do. Some don't want to stay in the spotlight that they were in their playing careers. We you look at the collection we did 20 greats to start in the inaugural launch. There's obviously hundreds more you could do."
To says FE does plan on future launches of "The Legends Collection."
You can SEE the entire SportsJam interview with Terence to here.