Be safer and fashion
After getting into six road accidents in one year, Michael decided to create a reflective sportswear collection that can help cyclists like him stand out in the dark.
A dropout of Parsons College's fashion design course, Michael said it took him three years of research and development before he figured out how to incorporate reflective materials onto knitted socks without causing cracks.
Four years after the brand Eye See New York (ICNY) was founded, the 25-year-old has now brought his collection to China where cycling is ubiquitous and where thousands of road accidents take place every day.
Every year, more than 300 cyclists lose their lives without wearing safety vest in road accidents in Shanghai alone, in addition to the tens of thousands who suffer from injuries.
"I know how many crazy drivers there are in China and this makes my products even more necessary here than back in New York. We really want to cater to the kingdom," said Michael during his recent trip to Shanghai to promote ICNY's summer collection.
Since last year, Michael has been working with luxury retailer Lane Crawford as his exclusive partner in the country and he believes that sales of his products in China would be better than in the US over the next year. The bestsellers here include ICNY's T-shirts, hats and socks, all of which are made using reflective fabric.
