Why the pop star behind Dynamite launched a high-end sunglasses brand
In short: Before Taio Cruz dominated global charts with hits like Dynamite, he was building a fashion empire. In 2009, he launched Rokstarr, a luxury accessories line that quickly found its way onto the faces of celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Kanye West, bridging the gap between music production and high-street retail.
Taio Cruz, born Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere in 1980, is a British singer, songwriter, and producer who achieved international stardom with his second album, Rokstarr. While his music career flourished, Cruz simultaneously pursued a venture into fashion. In September 2009, he introduced Rokstarr, a brand initially centered on premium sunglasses. The brand gained rapid visibility through celebrity endorsements, with stars like Kid Cudi and Kanye West wearing the designs, while UK acts like JLS and The Saturdays promoted the label online.
Recognizing that the initial luxury price point of Rokstarr excluded many of his younger fans, Cruz expanded the business in 2010. He introduced a subsidiary line called Rok By Rokstarr, which offered more accessible, high-street items such as jeans and T-shirts. This strategic shift aimed to make the brand's aesthetic available to a broader audience, moving beyond the exclusive, high-end market that defined the label's early days.
By 2012, the brand underwent a significant rebranding, changing its name to RXTR—a backronym for Riots and Twelve Rebels. This transition was accompanied by the introduction of new product categories, specifically watches, which were stocked at the iconic Selfridges department store on Oxford Street in London. However, the brand's independent lifespan was relatively short; by 2015, the RXTR website began redirecting users to Cruz's primary artist page, marking the end of his formal foray into fashion retail as he shifted his focus toward new musical collections and venture capital projects like Tourean.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Taio Cruz
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