Industry News:

Armani Designs a Skorpion
Quad skate will be sold at Emporio Armani

By Planet staff
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007

Skorpion quad skates are quickly climbing the ladder of cool.

The maker of the innovative 100mm skates announced a new model today that is styled by the Italian designer Giorgio Armani.

The model is based on Skorpion's Quadline, a skate with over-sized wheels that rise above the chassis, giving it the look of a dune buggy.

Armani's contribution to the EA7 is a sleek, new black and silver color scheme.

The skate will be part of Armani's EA7 line of activewear and will be sold exclusively at selected Emporio Armani stories, starting in November.

Skorpion is excited about its collaboration with Armani.

"It's unbelievable," said Lee Cole, CEO of Skorpionusa LTD and one of the designers of the Skorpion Quadline.

"It is quite an honor to have a fashion house of Armani's prestige and reputation choose to showcase the EA7 Skorpion Skate in its European and North American stores," Cole said.

"This is the type of collaboration that should boost the profile of the entire skate industry."

Armani hasn't announced a price for the strap-on skate. The regular Skorpion Quadline sells for $159-169 (US).

Skorpion will show off its entire 2008 skate line at next week's Interbike expo (Booth #6152) in Las Vegas.

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Skorpion press release:

Skorpion Sports and Emporio Armani Collaborate on the EA7 Skate - Technology Meets Style

Las Vegas, September 20, 2007 - Skorpion Sports continues to grow its presence in the U.S. and European skating markets in its latest partnership with fashion designer, Giorgio Armani. The partnership resulted in the EA7 Skate which will be sold in select Emporio Armani stores beginning mid November 2007.

With design and function in mind Skorpion Sports Ltd has designed and produced a skate that encompasses function, performance and ease of use with sleek urban styling.

"I think all these things are what caught the eye of Giorgio Armani, one of the world’s greatest fashion designers," says Gary Reid, Managing Director, Skorpion Sports New Zealand.

The EA7 by Emporio Armani are a fusion of modern design, technology and reflects the demand of fashion conscious ‘urbanites’ for style and sophistication. The skates represent the latest in skating technologies, designed to give skaters more freedom to explore the ever-changing urban environment.

"We are incredibly excited about the Emporio Armani partnership. This is further testimony to the quality, style and performance of our skates," says Reid.

Total Performance

Skorpion utilizes Dupont’s latest Zytel Polyamide resin which provides excellent lightweight strength. When combined with the Quadcoil Spring suspension and steerage system and chromed Hyper rims from Italy, it all results in a lightweight skate that gives genuine street performance.

The New Revolution in Urban Transport

The Skorpion Armani Urban Skate is the perfect solution for inner city mobility. With cities around the world suffering from traffic congestion and pollution, the skates are a practical and convenient alternative.

Skorpion’s innovative design has produced the most stable skate available in market making them suitable for skaters of all ages and skill levels. The skates are strapped-on and can easily be attached to any athletic shoes.

Besides being a practical commuting device, the Skorpion Armani Urban skate is also a fun product that can be used for recreational and fitness purposes.

For more information, visit skorpionusa.com

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