LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2003 — Although originally designed with lighthearted intent, a newly-launched apparel item called the Cupplerobe is finding an audience among couples who want to be ‘closer’ in these times of world crisis.
Introduced only a month ago, the Cupplerobe is precisely what the name suggests- a garment designed expressly for two people to share. Made from Polar fleece, its hood accommodates two heads, side-by-side, and it has two front/center openings that allow couples full use of both hands.
"Judging from their comments, people seem just as interested in ‘crisis-cocooning’ as they are in romantic cozying," says the Cupplerobe’s designer, Alan Cole-Ford. "It was designed for both fun and comfort, but fundamentally it’s about togetherness."
In its first month on the market, the Cupplerobe’s mixture of novelty and functionality has already attracted considerable media attention. The item has appeared on KNBC (L.A.), WPIX (New York), KTLA (L.A.), and Spanish-language Univision on either local news or feature segments.
TV co-hosts Danny Bonaduce and Dorian Gregory wore it on the air together during a recent taping of their afternoon ABC talk show ‘The Other Half,’ as did soap-opera personalities Lisa Renna and Ty Treadway on their Disney-owned afternoon show ‘Soaptalk.’
Production staffers at ABC’s ‘Will & Grace’ are also working at including the Cupplerobe in an upcoming episode of their long-running sitcom, and a few Hollywood celebrities have discovered the Cupplerobe as well. "It’s very, very cute," says Paula Abdul of her own leopard-spotted version.
On the more serious side, the Cupplerobe has also drawn interest from an unexpected quarter: marriage counselors.
"Anything like this that can help people connect with each other, physically as well as emotionally, can be quite constructive," says Stan Herbert, an L.A.-based marriage and family therapist. "There haven’t been very many new therapy tools in this area for 20 years."
"I couldn’t think of a better way to get couples to start talking," adds Barbara Barron, another L.A.-area marriage and family counselor. "It’s a couples-counseling dream."
Accordingly, executives at the IAFMC (International Association of Family and Marriage Counselors) are developing an article about the Cupplerobe for their next quarterly journal, which reaches the group’s worldwide membership.
The Cupplerobe can be found at http://www.Cupplerobe.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-CPL-ROBE. It is made in the U.S.A. Its designer is a media executive-turned-entrepreneur, having been most recently Executive Vice President of MGM-UA Inc. in Los Angeles.
Contact:
Alan Cole-Ford of Cupplerobe Inc.
310.993.1280
acoleford@aol.com
