Unique Whips Crew Executes Hot New Designs for Marc Ecko-Nissan Project
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Will Castro and his crew at Unique Autosports on Long Island, N.Y. were selected by fashion icon Marc Ecko to execute his custom designs for two of Nissan’s most popular SUVs – the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Armada – giving each a hip, new design inspired by his *ecko unltd. and Cut & Sew clothing lines. The project, part of Ecko’s recent alliance with Nissan North America, Inc., is being captured as part of third-season taping for the popular SPEED program Unique Whips, scheduled to debut in February 2007.
“Growing up on the LES (Lower East Side), I saw a lot of graffiti artists,” Castro said. “Having the opportunity to work with an artist who actually made it big was too much to pass up. Marc had some really good ideas of what he wants in a car and we were just the right shop to make it happen.”
From his beginnings in fashion to his recent entries into the worlds of publishing, video gaming and multimedia, Ecko continues to break the boundaries of conventional wisdom and further solidify this role as the navigator of global pop culture. His journey began in the mid-80s while he was still a high school student working from a makeshift design studio located in the garage of his parents’ New Jersey home. Armed only with an airbrush and his custom graphic designs, Ecko quickly built a loyal fan base and in 1993, at the age 20, founded *ecko unltd.
Since then, the company has grown to include 12 separate *ecko unltd. apparel and accessories lines, the contemporary Marc Ecko “Cut & Sew” collection, G-Unit Clothing Company, Zoo York, Avirex Sportswear, Complex magazine (circulation 330,000), and his recently launched video game, “Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.” Last year alone, Marc’s full-scale global fashion and lifestyle company reported billings of over $1.2 billion.
“As a devoted fan of Unique Whips, I immediately thought of Will and his team when the Nissan opportunity arose,” Ecko said. “It is my intent to take the shared design heritage of the Pathfinder and Armada and, through the skill and craftsmanship of Unique, add my own bold twists to create something truly extraordinary.”
SPEED, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2006, is the nation's first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 73 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country, the home to NASCAR TV and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on-demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. www.speedtv.com