Today, Chicago’s own Fat Tiger Workshop launches a limited-edition clothing collection in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures, to celebrate the release of the action-adventure Rampage, in theatres today. In the movie, starring Dwayne Johnson, the city of Chicago gets demolished by a gigantic genetically mutated gorilla, wolf, and crocodile, so the team behind the film and the owners of Fat Tiger are collaborating to benefit the city in real life: all proceeds from product sales will be donated to Social Works, an organization empowering youth through arts, education, and civic engagement in Chicago.
“We make sure the things we do in Chicago, both as a brand and as young black entrepreneurs, pave ways to empower youth in our city,” says Joefreshgoods, co-founder of Fat Tiger Workshop. “Social Works shares that mission – you can always find them providing experiences for our future leaders and nurturing young talent, so we are proud to get them involved in this project.”
The limited-edition apparel collection includes long and short sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, a military parka, a hat, and enamel pins inspired by Rampage. “We wanted to give the collection that 8-bit nostalgic feel given the movie’s roots as an 80s video arcade game,” says Rello, co-owner and lead creative for Fat Tiger. “The pieces are meant to equally fuse the Fat Tiger brand, which represents strength, honor, and culture, with the themes from Rampage and overall greatness of Dwayne Johnson, who we’ve always been a big fan of.”
Last night, the movers and shakers of Chicago assembled at Fat Tiger Workshop to celebrate the launch of the collection. Attendees including Taylor Bennett, Trashhand, Shani and Nolis were given a sneak peek of the collaborative streetwear pieces, and played the original arcade and Nintendo64 versions of the Rampage video game that inspired the film.
To further intertwine the movie with their brand, the Fat Tiger crew designed a Rampage room in their retail shop. “We wanted to engage customers into what life would be like if you happened to live in a Chicago apartment during the monster attacks,” said Joefreshgoods. “A large part of the movie and video game involves buildings getting destroyed and animals climbing skyscrapers, so we hoped to create a shopping experience that allows consumers to interact with the sights, sounds, and actions of the film, live from the living room of the Tigers.”
The Fat Tiger Workshop x Rampage the Movie capsule collection will be available for purchase at the Fat Tiger retail location in Chicago (836 N. Milwaukee Ave) and on their online webstore (www.fattigerworkshop.com) today, April 13th at Noon CT, the same day the movie Rampage opens nationally.
Dwayne Johnson headlines the action-adventure Rampage as Davis Okoye, a man who keeps people at a distance but shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla in his care since birth. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size, and other, similarly altered animals are soon discovered. As these newly created alpha predators tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited geneticist to secure an antidote, fighting not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.