They say you can tell a lot about a person by the places they choose to fly to.
New York-based brand, Air Wear is inspiring jet-setters with a favourite destination to show it, with travel gear featuring their city name of choice, its latitude and airport code.
It is like joining an “elite club”, explains Air Wear’s founder, Jason Solarek, whose brand is based around the philosophy “you are where you go”.
Solarek took his inspiration from his earlier years as a newspaper reporter where he would often travel frequently. It was a time, he says, when he wanted to “share his pride” for his hometown in Rochester (NY).
“Airport codes signal that you are in the know. People see the signal you’re sending, nod, and think, ‘so that’s where you’ve been,” he says.
Air Wear products also tap into the idea that there is a story to tell behind every airport experience or destination – whether someone would like a memento of a special holiday spot or a reminder of home.
“For the popular cities, such as LA, the palm tree shirts are cliché. We are offering a new keepsake with high novelty value,” says Solarek.
With airports becoming destinations in their own right (Singapore Changi airport is just one example with a cinema, spas, gardens and museum), it is perhaps no surprise that the mainstream crowd are choosing to make a statement by wearing their favourite airport name on a baseball cap, or slung over their shoulder.
Travel journals, mugs, tote bags, t-shirts and stickers can also be rubber-stamped with any airport code, whether it’s something familiar – Orlando (MCO), exotic – Galapagpos (GPS) or obscure -Qinhuangdao (SHP), China.
What's Air Wear's hottest destination? London (LHR) is currently the biggest seller, reveals Solarek.
Pictured: Messenger bags US $39.99, Journals $14.99, large mugs, US$16.99
Air Wear products are sold via www.myairportcode.com and at Los Angeles Airport (LAX).
