TKUU (Pronounced Tee’-ku)
TKUU is a design-driven modern collection of cool urban essentials for
the on-the-go metro girl or guy. The new line of Pilates and yoga mat
bags, travel items and clean fashion accessories are eye-catching bold
statements that combine an edgy street style with flawless tailoring
and beautiful detailing. Brought to life in 2004 by international design
team Terrell Wick and Richard Atkins, the design philosophy masters
the balance between clean Japanese minimalism and whimsical metropolitan
chic.
TKUU began as a fated meeting in the city of Shanghai, bringing the contrasting
creative forces of Wick and Atkins together. The resulting dynamic partnership
proved to be a reflection of the line itself: tailored yet edgy, bold
yet minimal, fashionable yet functional. Design director Terrell Wick
studied at the renowned Studio Berçot in Paris and travels the world
extensively studying local looks that bring clean, elegant style to urban
functionality. Richard Atkins brings smart tailoring and wicked detailing
as a former protege of Vivienne Westwood. It’s a combination that
ensures superb modern style for daily urban living.
Based in San Francisco, TKUU is a truly modern company that is passionate
about designing fashionable essentials for busy urban lives. Each item
is designed to look and feel wonderful, carrying you with confidence
from work to yoga class to evening cocktails.
TKUU. The name that’s synonymous with superb modern style.
Our vision is to build a lifestyle brand that’s known for its
fashion-forward, high-quality essentials that provide versatile, stylish
solutions for busy urban people all over the world. We’ve designed
each product as an eye-catching independent statement that will inspire
confidence and create conversations. We believe in helping people look
and feel good—that an active, healthy lifestyle combined with a
stylish look can provide the positive outlook that vitalizes metropolitan
life.
TKUU manifests a culture of enthusiasm, teamwork and respect. We are committed
to the highest standards of creativity, craftsmanship and quality and
seek to work with best-of-class professionals in the fields of design,
branding, marketing, sourcing, manufacturing and sales. Our philosophy
is that a well-balanced life is based on working hard, living out your
passions and giving back.
Our Team is comprised of an enthusiastic group of experienced leaders
spanning the worlds of international design, high-end retail and business
development.
Stephanie Wolf, President
“Great design is essential in every arena of one’s life” – Stephanie
Wolf
Fine design and beauty, which Stephanie defines as whatever gives pleasure
to the senses or positively exalts the mind or spirit, is of high importance
to Wolf. Through her company, SportsMind, Stephanie has spent the last
decade guiding people in how to design and implement balance, values
and quality living in their corporate lives.
Stephanie’s talent for creating balance in hectic lives has gained
her an international reputation for infusing social values into corporate
cultures for clients such as Banana Republic, Capital One, Cisco Systems,
Microsoft and Motorola. Wolf’s previous background includes senior
executive positions in retail companies such as Neiman-Marcus, Jenny Craig and Nutri-System.
Stephanie is an avid world traveler who strives to expand her experiences
and apply them to her personal and professional life. Wolf lives life
to the fullest, having summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, and undertaken challenging
climbing expeditions with friends in Italy, Chile, Argentina and India.
Waking every morning at 5 a.m. to “Hit the hill”—2,800
foot Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, CA — Stephanie is an inspiration
to us all and a visionary contributor to our mission.
Terrell Wick, Design Director
“Great design inspires me, great people make things happen, and
giving back restores my balance” – Terrell Wick
Whether it’s a passion to make a difference or her knack for transcending
the norm, Terrell is a visionary in the field of modern fashion design
and construction. Terrell studied fashion at the San Francisco Academy of Art College and renowned Studio Berçot in Paris. She also achieved a degree in photography from the Art Institute in Seattle.
Wick currently designs exclusively for the TKUU collection and serves as visual
creative director on all communications.
Terrell’s design philosophy comes from a global mindset and is
based on her love of contrast and architecture, creating paradox by juxtaposing
hard lines and soft curves. Terrell is known for taking basic clothing
or accessories and making them extraordinary. Durable yet beautiful,
elegant yet slightly off-beat, tailored yet edgy, Wick’s designs
are immediately recognizable as welcome contradictions. Each piece is
designed to be eye-catching and will, without fail, create whispers of “where
did she get that?”
Realizing that there were little to no fashionable choices helping busy
urbanites move stylishly from one activity to the next, Terrell created a line that’s truly a modern style solution. Described as
adventurous and independent, Terrell continues to travel the world studying
local fashion from Tokyo to Barcelona, bringing her unique perspective
and innovative ideas to the TKUU collection.
Richard Atkins, Director of Sourcing and Quality
“Imagination is the purest possible intelligence a person can
hold. They say it’s the only adolescent force that stays with you
for life. If you don’t hold a passion for imagination then your
vision for life is faded.” – Richard Atkins
A young wunderkind designer and tailor, Richard is relentless when it
comes to attention to detail and sheer determination to produce quality
products. An adventurous
spirit with a desire to try anything, a chance meeting with Terrell in
Shanghai seemed to be fated when the two designers connected and realized
their collective dynamic vision for a new accessories and clothing line.
Richard’s career has been in overdrive over the past four years.
After achieving honors in Fashion Design at UCE in England, Richard was
given an opportunity to work on the 2000 Gold Show for Vivienne Westwood
Studios. Using his keen understanding of three-dimensional pattern cutting,
Richard was immediately made an integral member of this world-famous
team.
After Westwood Studios, Richard ventured into new opportunities in high-end
fashion in London and New York designing everything from tailored business
wear to energetic British high street fashion. Today, Richard assumes
exclusive responsibility as the lead in selecting the highest quality
fabrics, leathers, cashmeres and textures while serving as co-designer
and creative visionary with Terrell Wick.
David Lefkowitz, CFO
David brings expert start-up experience to TKUU with over 30 years experience
in financial planning and tax management strategies as well as superior
competencies with manufacturing concerns and service companies. David
most recently launched the highly successful Method Products, Inc.,
a stylish home care products line, where he served as CFO in Method’s
critical early stage development.
For TKUU, David is applying his established
professional skills in business planning, forecasting and implementing financial controls.
Myron “Mike” Wick, Chairman
Mike Wick is Terrell’s dad and Chairman of TKUU. Mike is a dynamic
executive, having served as COO, CEO and Chairman of a variety of
unique and interesting enterprises spanning aquaculture, biotech,
education, television broadcasting and investment banking.
Holding degrees from Yale and Harvard Business School, Mike served
as President and CEO of International Oceanographic Corporation in
the early ‘70s followed by CEO posts for Cox Hobbies, Inc.
and Werner Erhard and Associates, a network of companies offering
philosophical and educational courses in over 34 US cities and 18
international cities.
In the mid ‘80s Mike jumped into the biotech world as COO
for California Biotechnology, playing a major role in raising $64
million in a secondary public offering and later creating three joint
ventures: Karo Bio in Sweden, Pac Bio in Australia, and Meta Bio
with Pfizer in the US. Following biotechnology, in 1988 Wick co-founded
the investment banking firm McGettigan, Wick & Co. Inc., providing
financial services to small private and public companies. Wick and
McGettigan later formed Proactive Partners, L.P. in 1991 with Jon
Gruber and Pat McBaine, a merchant banking fund, investing in and
providing advisory services to “micro cap” public companies.
In 1989, Wick co-founded StoryFirst Communications serving as Chairman
of the Board from 1993 through 2003. StoryFirst is the largest privately
owned television and radio broadcast company in Russia.
Wick currently serves as a director for Modtech, Inc., StoryFirst
Communications and MicroIslet. Mike gives back by serving as a chairman
of the Natural Step, the Tanager Foundation and the Hoffman Institute. Mike’s public service began when he served with the Peace Corps in Columbia from 1968 to 1970. He
was later appointed to the Peace Corps Advisory Council by President
George H. Bush from 1991-1993.
