Timeless & Classic Apparel
Story by Holly McAtee // Photography by Sarah Lemke
Purchasing a vehicle at ONYX is an exclusive, first-class experience, and the excitement doesn’t stop there. Customers who proudly wear branded swag from the ONYX Boutique turn heads wherever they go.
The apparel often sparks conversations, with strangers stopping to ask where they can find such stylish pieces. Customers eagerly share that they picked it up at ONYX. They take pride in their vehicle purchase at ONYX and enjoy sharing the luxury experience with others.
“When making a large purchase of a luxury brand, people identify with that,” said General Manager Drew Friesen. “We wanted to mesh the ONYX brand for them and create that experience as a thank you. We give a bottle of wine to every customer that buys a car. They also get some nice attire. You feel good when you leave here.”
Every season, ONYX Boutique unveils a fresh collection. The pieces are crafted with top-quality materials and feature unique designs. Clients love the apparel for its exceptional craftsmanship and standout style.
“Sometimes, we give the items as a gift if they buy a vehicle or service a vehicle. It’s a nice thing to do for somebody,” Friesen explained. “Some customers come back to buy more items at the boutique on their own. If people like our items, we encourage them to tell us.”
Each vehicle brand has a boutique inside their store with one-of-a-kind items. The MINI apparel has a different look from the Land Rover or the BMW apparel.
“Our boutique items are not cheaply manufactured stuff that other dealers offer,” said Dave Arbaugh, BMW and MINI new vehicle sales manager. “Our items are high-quality items that appeal to people. People are drawn to them because they don’t just have the vehicle brand, they have the ONYX brand. They like that, because they are proud to have done business with us.”
Arbaugh continued, “The Spyder brand zip-up is popular. They fly off the shelf. People also like the rope hats and the Stanley cups. It’s beginning to grow organically.”
ONYX has partnered with the vendor MYLO Brand Studio for its latest collections. “They are a locally owned family-run business that provides high-quality products and are great to work with,” Friesen said.
“One of the things that we take a lot of pride in is trying to do things differently in our industry,” said Angie Hauptman, co-owner of MYLO Brand Studio. “We want people who are investing in their brand. We want them to tell a story that reflects their mission or purpose. We want to provide products that match who they are.”
Every quarter, Friesen sits down with the team at MYLO as models showcase their latest creations. Friesen and the MYLO team carefully choose from various items laid out in front of them. It’s an extensive process—and the result is a new line every spring and fall. The gear is always evolving.
“We’re always using higher finished quality. That speaks to the type of buyer who shops at ONYX,” Hauptman said. “We want to make sure that the products that we are servicing fit the ONYX audience. We’re trying to be thoughtful ahead of time. We look at what is happening with the car market—we also like to stay neutral to the ONYX brand colors with black, white, and grey.”
She continued, “The Land Rover brand has some olive-green pieces of clothing. All the pieces are classy and simple. We call them quiet designs. More tone-on-tone looks, not in-your-face. The ONYX logo is subtle on the sleeve, but it isn’t screaming ‘ONYX.’ It’s a quieter, sophisticated look.”
“When it’s a good product, people want to wear it,” Friesen added.
“We strive to stay on top of trends, but also match their auto buyers. We try to think from the perspective of ONYX clients. We work to keep products fresh that will meet that demand,” Hauptman said.
ONYX also sponsors Millard North’s baseball team. Their uniforms, hats, and jerseys are all Team ONYX. The back of the uniforms even have the players’ names on them.
Friesen enjoys having the boutiques as a way to show gratitude to ONYX clients.
“Most of the items are appreciation items,” he said. “If someone is in the store and has a good experience, we give them something. It makes the moment even more fun when we’re able to give apparel to our valued customers.”
For more information, visit onyxautomotive.com.
