There's nothing like a little product placement to set fire to sales figures. When reality sensation Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino
donned tops made by South Philadelphia clothing designer
Street Star Lifestyle Brand, sales jumped, says founder Bobby Scalia, who personally creates each garment in his father's silkscreen studio on Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
Designs, some of which are embellished with Swarovski crystals, are flashy and heavy on graphics and text. "I started by accident," says Scalia. "I never meant to get into designing clothing. I am a computer technician." With no formal training, Scalia has created such popular clothing that the company's next step is to cut back on supply, with the goal of creating even more demand and exclusivity. Scalia and partner Jenn Tavares hand pick the boutiques around the US that are authorized to carry Street Star. The
full line is also available on the company's website, and online sales have generated an international clientele.
Scalia designs tops for both men and women, introduced a line of studded
hot shorts and
mini skirts for ladies who can rock that look, and also designs for children under the
Charmed & Dangerous label. It all started one day when he was helping out his dad in the silk screen shop and someone came in with a custom order. When word got out, more and more people came looking for Scalia's magic touch. "I started out with tattoo-like stuff and skulls, when Ed Hardy was popular, but I don't want to do that anymore," says Scalia, who's moved on to designs featuring scantily clad women, saints, sinners, crosses, Christ, the devil, the seven deadly sins, and an upcoming series of globally themed tops, each celebrating a country. Street Star is about to add a West Coast rep to the staff, and there's been some interest in getting Scalia himself on TV, who adds, "Everything's going pretty good."
Source: Bobby Scalia, Street Star Lifestyle Brand
Writer: Sue Spolan