Bacardi Creates Innovative Program to Blend Spirits & Fashion

29 Sep 2015 --- Hamilton, Bermuda – Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, has taken the fashion world by storm with another high-end brand collaboration. Its ultra-premium tequila brand CORZO is part of an innovative program, led by Bacardi VP of Fashion Akiko Maeda, to marry the world of fashion, designers, and spirits.

At the recent New York debut of American luxury playwear label Thaddeus O’Neil’s first ever womenswear collection for Spring/Summer 2016 featuring the designer’s popular après surf inspired looks, signature Corzo tequila cocktails co-created by Thaddeus O’Neil and NY-based mixologist Jillian Vose were embedded into the show. Merging the ultimate expression of modern tequila with a blend of boutique bitters, spices and served in ornate coconuts in the place of glasses, Thaddeus O’Neil named each of them based on his inspiration for the collection: “The Beach on Which Caravaggio Died,” “Death of Venice,” and “Our Salty Bodies Burning in the Sand.”

This latest fashion collaboration comes on the heels of the unique Bacardi sponsorship at New York Fashion Week: Men’s where Bacardi helped team three top NYC mixologists with three emerging designers to create custom cocktails using Bacardi products for private parties. It started with the mixologists visiting the designers’ studios to take in the inspiration of the upcoming collections. The mixologists then worked on creating bespoke cocktails based on the season’s collections. Then it was the designers’ turn to visit the mixologists at the bar to choose and fine-tune their favorite cocktails. The mixologists were hosts at the private after-parties where those cocktails were served featuring Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, Grey Goose vodka and Bombay Sapphire gin for an A-list of influencers. The reaction of this new entry into the fashion world -- from the mixologists, designers and guests -- has been very positive.

“My focus is to introduce Bacardi to the adult fashion consumers,” said Ms. Maeda, who is responsible for developing collaborative programs that further incorporate the iconic Bacardi portfolio of spirits brands into the fashion world. “But just as important is content to be shared socially, so even those without these hard-to-get show invitations can participate. The key to our program is the audience who is sitting outside the fashion world.”