ILLEST x Jo Koy Collab Officially Launches On Friday, June 12, 2020

Renowned for its cross collaborative, innovative designs between streetwear and street racing, ILLEST has announced an exclusive merchandise partnership with Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy. Both ILLEST’s collaboration with Koy and Koy’s latest Netflix special — titled Jo Koy: In His Elements — launch on the same day, June 12, 2020. With Koy, ILLEST has created limited-edition tees and hoodies that will be found on IllestBrand.com and JoKoy.com and will be distributed worldwide.

Consisting of 4 pieces ranging from $45 to $85, the collection highlights ILLEST’s iconic trademark design, fit and style, but also draws inspiration from the vision reflected within Koy’s new Filipino-focused comedy special. The collaboration is the first of its kind in the comedy world, following an approach similar to what brands have successfully done previously with musical tour merch such as with Post Malone x Crocs, John Mayer x Neighborhood, and Travis Scott x Virgil Abloh.

Commented Peter Wingsoe, CEO of ILLEST North America: “As a brand, we are extremely excited about working with Jo Koy on this collaboration. In the past we would plan ahead and create timelines that had to be executed months in advance, but now all those pre-existing plans have gone out the window, so we’ve looked for more authentic ways to continue our road to success, not only for ourselves, but for everyone we work with.” Continued Wingsoe: “Since one of our primary Asian markets is the Philippines, it made sense for us to collaborate on a collection with Jo Koy on this Philippines edition of his variety special, Netflix’s In His Elements.”

Added Mark Arcernal, Global Creative Director of ILLEST: “After much back and forth via Facetiming over the last few weeks, Jo gave me a lot of insight into his upcoming special which is launching on Netflix on June 12th. I sent him ideas and we locked in on the iconic Jeepney and old english lettering which he loved and we decided to move forward on that vibe.” Arcenal also noted: “I worked on the initial design and had my team in Asia animate and bring our collective ideas to life. This type of collaborative effort from both sides encompasses who we are as a brand here at Illest. We push each other to bring out the best in everything we do.”

This new ILLEST collection aims to bring something unique to the market: completely on-trend with streetwear fashion while creating a cultural twist that hones in on the true individuality of Koy. Ongoing, ILLEST has continued to build their brand seasonally. In addition, ILLEST recently launched ILLEST CARES, a collection of masks, touchless keychains, gaiters and bandanas. More on all things ILLEST can be found online by visiting ILLEST’s official website at www.illestbrand.com.

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For the first time ever, comedian Jo Koy takes Netflix to the Philippines in his new special, Jo Koy: In His Elements. Koy celebrates his heritage by telling jokes about life as a Filipino-American while highlighting the culture of Manila. Also for the first time, ILLEST has teamed up with the renowned comedian as both take comedy, culture, music, dance and streetwear on a whole new level. Jo Koy: In His Elements premieres globally on Netflix on June 12, 2020. ILLEST X JOKOY Exclusive Collaboration Apparel releasing tomorrow, June 12th, Friday (8 AM PST) www.illestbrand.com www.Jokoy.com #ILLEST #ILLESTXJOKOY

A post shared by Official Illest Brand (@illest) on Jun 11, 2020 at 1:02pm PDT

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Tags: Fashion, Illest, ILLEST CARES, Jo Koy, Netflix

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."