Men need their briefcases most of the time, and we girls can’t get enough of our big, big bags. However, there are times when the bulk, no matter how stylish or well made, gets in the way. After work at happy hour. Overseas, when we don’t want to look like a tourist. Running down the street to grab a latte and a sandwich. Our bi-weekly trips to the yoga studio. Sure, jackets have pockets, but even they feel heavy when the mercury climbs to 80 degrees. Visionary designer Bernt Kuhlmann, based in Santa Monica, knows this problem well.
“I am on a plane a lot, traveling both in the U.S. and abroad, and I would catch myself all too often, needing a pen, or a five Dollar bill for a beer, while recognizing that the pen and the wallet are in my jacket, which is in the overhead bin,” notes Kuhlmann. “Then I asked myself, ‘What if there was a smartly designed accessory that had pockets but not the bulk that comes with a jacket or a coat?’ This was the seed for XUBÁZ™Functional Neckwear. I quickly arrived at the concept of a scarf with pockets, simply because it feels so natural. After all, scarves have been around for centuries. My wife liked it too, and she started to use one of those first XUBÁZ right away. She appreciated the new product especially while traveling, as it left her "hands-free" to hold on to our children in those crowded airports.”
You may play devil’s advocate as scarves can fly off with a strong wind. For this reason, more improvements were made to make XUBÁZ the perfect accessory for travel and home use. First, straps were added to keep the XUBÁZ in place (around belt loops), and then little alligator grips were added so it would work for people of different height. From there, the pocket design was perfected, and Kuhlmann and his team narrowed down their fabric choices to silks and cottons that drape well, have a soft hand, yet are strong enough to support pockets stuffed with I-Pods, passports, keys and all those other items one needs to have handy while on the go. This year, the line was expanded into three separate lines with their identity: the upscale XUBÁZ "Boutique" line, the eco-friendly XUBÁZ "Green” line and a cutting-edge and fashion-focused XUBÁZ Functional Neckwear. “In developing those two product lines, we were reminded once more of our product's simplicity, and that it really does help men and women on the move to make do with less, while adding a splash of color and style to their wardrobe,” adds Kuhlmann.
XUBÁZ Functional Neckwear collections are now available in over 100 stores nationwide. Locally, they are available at Yogaworks Santa Monica, Spa Vella (San Diego) and Finders Keepers (San Luis Obispo) as well as www.xubaz.com.
This week, one lucky winner will tie his or her travel and casual looks together with a XUBÁZ scarf.
Winners will be randomly selected and notified April 7, 2008.
US only. Rules
