# Seventy Two Changes

Seventy Two Changes was a fashion brand founded in 2009 in New York City, by the American apparel company Truth & Pride and Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. The brand later expanded its operations to Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and other regions. However, in 2011, the brand ceased operations due to differences in management philosophies between the American and Mainland Chinese shareholders.

## History

Ken Erman, who served as the president and co-founder of the American fashion brand L.A.M.B., stated that he is a lover of all types of music. His initial idea of combining music and fashion stemmed from his desire to merge his lifelong passion with his deep background in fashion. Erman was born into a fashion family; his family owned Notations, a clothing company headquartered in Pennsylvania. He laid the foundation for his career in the family business, spending 12 years developing a profound understanding of the apparel industry. Throughout his career, Erman traveled extensively across Asia, where he had opportunities to build partnerships and further expand his knowledge of fashion. In 2003, he collaborated with American singer Gwen Stefani to co-found the fashion brand L.A.M.B. After working with the brand for several years, Erman developed an interest in the rapidly growing Asian market.
In Taiwan, Erman met with Jolin Tsai and Truth & Pride's president, Brenda Lin. The three shared a common vision for a brand, which led to the creation of Seventy Two Changes. This collaboration marked the successful fusion of Oriental and Western cultures, with Tsai becoming the first Asian celebrity to collaborate with an American fashion company, bringing fresh and relevant designs to a global customer base.
In February 2009, Seventy Two Changes was officially launched in New York City. The brand's name was inspired by Tsai's 2003 album Magic (also literally translated as See My 72 Changes in Chinese), symbolizing the brand's versatility and diverse style. Tsai attended the brand's launch event in the SoHo Showroom of Manhattan, where she announced that the first season's collection would be music-themed, featuring four series: "Rocker Chic", "Disco Glamour", "Street Jazz", and "Girly Sweet", with a total of 100 styles. The collection was set to be sold in Nordstrom stores across 12 U.S. cities, with plans to expand into Asia later that year. In August 2009, Tsai attended a fashion launch in San Francisco, where it was announced that the brand would begin selling in select Asian markets, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, bringing the brand's reach to 30 cities.
Tsai revealed that due to the strong sales performance of the brand's first fall/winter season, the shareholders requested that she design 300 styles per season going forward. The fall/winter season's sales were reported to be around $1 million, and the spring/summer collection for the following year saw a 60% increase in sales.
In February 2010, Tsai attended the brand's fall/winter collection launch in New York City, where the season's theme was "Flamenco", with four series: "Pop Electronica", "Rock Urban", "Gypsy Romance", and "Timeless Luxury". In the same month, the brand opened its first flagship store in Shanghai Times Square and hosted a fashion launch, marking the brand's entry into the Chinese market.
However, in 2011, media reports revealed that due to differences in management philosophies between the American and Mainland Chinese shareholders, combined with the expiration of Tsai's two-year design contract, she reluctantly chose to exit her role as the brand's designer. Tsai indicated that she might later create a new fashion brand for online sales, while Erman shifted his focus back to managing Truth & Pride.