Yakira, L.L.C. (

trade name A trade name, trading name, or business name, is a pseudonym used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name. The term for this type of alternative name is a "fictitious" business name. Registering the fictitious name w ...

: Ecko Unltd.) is an American

urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

fashion company founded by

Marc Ecko Marc Louis Ecko (né Milecofsky; August 29, 1972) is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, and artist. He is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of fashion company Ecko Unlimited. He also founded ''Complex'' magazine in 2002. Early ...

in 1993. The company makes apparel and accessories under brands including the men's Ecko Unltd. line and the Ecko Red line for girls and women. It is headquartered in New York City. The company's products got public's attention since the late 1990s; they were originally associated with hip hop and skating culture and moved into the mainstream urban culture in the early 2000s. It is most often associated with hip hop. The style is based on

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

art. Its brand features a

rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

as its logo. Rap artist

MC Serch Michael Berrin (born May 6, 1967), best known by his stage name MC Serch, is an American rapper and music executive. He is a former member of 3rd Bass and Non Phixion. Early life and education Serch grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York ...

3rd Bass 3rd Bass was an American hip hop group that was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Formed by MC Serch, Pete Nice, and DJ Richie Rich, the group was notable for being one of the first successful interracial hip hop acts. Along with Beas ...

assisted with marketing in the early years of the company.

History

Marc Ecko began selling graffiti-style T-shirts in the mid-1980s and then founded his clothing brand, Ecko Unlimited, in 1993, with investments from his twin sister, Marci, and friend Seth Gerszberg. The brand was brought into attention with the help of its early clients like

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

and Chuck D, as well as a segment in Good Morning America that featured its T-shirt designs. The company later acquired Avirex and Zoo York. In 2009, Ecko Unlimited had over $1 billion in global revenue and was the largest brand in streetwear. On October 27, 2009,

Iconix Brand Group Iconix Brand Group is an American brand management company that licenses brands to retailers and manufacturers primarily in the apparel, footwear, and apparel accessory industries. Its brands are available in such stores as Kohl's, Kmart, Se ...

paid $109 million for a 51% stake in Ecko Unlimited. It acquired full ownership in May 2013.

Sponsorships

Skateboarding

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Manny Santiago Emanuel "Manny" Santiago (born September 10, 1985), nicknamed "Manny Slays All", is a professional skateboarder from Cayey, Puerto Rico. Santiago is the first Puerto Rican skateboarder to be in the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) “premier c ...

Former

Freestyle Motocross

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Mike Metzger Michael Metzger is an American freestyle motocross (FMX) rider. Life and career In the 2002 X Games, Metzger won the Freestyle and Big Air events and got second place in Step Up, earning him an estimated $100,000 in three days. In 2003 he also ...

•

Jeremy Stenberg Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg (born September 27, 1981) is an American professional freestyle motocross rider and professional off-road truck racer. Stenberg received his nickname "Twitch" from his Tourette's syndrome, which he was diagnosed with at ...

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References

External links

* 2000s fashion Clothing brands of the United States Companies based in Middlesex County, New Jersey Clothing companies established in 1993 Hip hop fashion South River, New Jersey Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2014 {{US-manufacturing-company-stub