Mitchell and Ness – Throwback
Jerseys
for the Nostalgia Crowd
Mitchell and Ness Nostalgia Company is a clothing company
specializing in authentic replica throwback jerseys for all
four major professional sports. It was just by accident that
Mitchell and Ness became a leader in urban fashion. Their
throwback jerseys are some of the most sought after clothing
for the rap, hip-hop, and athlete crowds.
Mitchell and Ness was started in 1985 by Peter Capolino. He
is not the hip sports promoter you might think, but a 58 year
old man with a passion for sports jerseys. He began producing
retro jerseys after finding 12,000 yards of wool flannel in a
warehouse. The wool flannel is the material used to make
professional baseball jerseys prior to 1970.
Capolino envisioned a line of throwback jerseys bearing the
names and numbers of past baseball greats. He marketed his
throwback jerseys to middle-aged white males who were trying to
recapture their youth. The strategy worked -- the jerseys sold
well.
Rueben Harley is a name that Capolino will never
forget. Harley approached him in 2001 with a proposition to
market the throwback jerseys to the hip-hop world. Capolino was
doubtful about opening Mitchell and Ness up to this new market,
but gave Harley a chance to prove himself.
Harley took jerseys to New York where he started a grass
roots marketing campaign. He visited recording studios, record
companies, and any hip party that he could find with jerseys in
hand.
The big break came for Mitchell and Ness when Sean “P.
Diddy” Combs hosted the American Music Awards. P. Diddy wore a
throwback Phillies jacket, a Hank Aaron jersey, and other
clothing from the Mitchell and Ness line.
The rest is history!
Mitchell and Ness has grown from annual sales of $2 million
in 1999 to over $25 million in 2002.
The retro and throwback craze is still strong and the
titans of the sports clothing industry, Nike and Reebok, have
entered the market with their own throwback lines.
This is quite a tribute to the small company that started
the throwback craze.
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