Beats by Dre partners with Violet Grey on limited-edition headphones
Beats by Dre, the multibillion-dollar, Apple-owned headphones company, is venturing outside its music/sports/youth comfort zone by partnering with a select few specialty retailers, including Los Angeles-based beauty retailer Violet Grey.
Violet Grey’s branded digital content appealed to Beats, as did the opportunity to gain exposure to a hip and cultured group of women. Meanwhile, Violet Grey will gain exposure to Beats’ urban, streetwear-oriented crowd.
“Beats has always been on our list of brands we love,” said Violet Grey founder Cassandra Grey. “I’m a marketer at heart and the story of how Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine marketed the headphones through sports culture really inspired me. When it comes to curating nonbeauty products we think about what brings us joy, what’s convenient and what could most benefit our lives. Headphones are one of those accessories that have become a staple in our wardrobes. They’re a necessary luxury.”
Beginning Thursday, the Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones in matte black will be available for $349.95 among the rest of the Violet Code-approved product lineup on violetgrey.com.
The partnership will be feted tonight during a private event at Violet Grey’s Melrose Place retail studio, where the two companies will host about 40 female celebrities and influencers including January Jones, Alice Eve and Eva Mendes. Beats has created a limited-edition run of headphones to gift the guests, bearing a graphic created by Grey. The company is also hosting a sweepstakes on Instagram running Thursday until Sunday where followers can win a pair of the custom headphones.
“There’s a streetwear and luxury cross-section where sometimes women get left out of the conversation, so this is an opportunity for us to tap into it where our audience can be expressed,” said Violet Grey chief executive officer April Uchitel. “Our Melrose Place location is such a unique jewel box and part of our DNA that’s been there since 2015. The street has since evolved with great energy and we see our space as a cultural hub to highlight new launches and be a destination where we can connect to customers in a different way.”
