SSEAMS Magazine issue 001

Rav Kiran

Meet the team

Editorial

A passionate brand strategist with over two decades in the industry, living and breathing sports and lifestyle brands, Diane is CoEditor of SSEAMS magazine.

“Our aim is to excite, inform and collaborate, whilst keeping you up to date on all of the latest news from around the industry. We thrive on creating connections and embrace celebrating both its talent and unsung heroes.”

Diane carries with her a powerful network of influencers.

A creative design leader and major player in performance sportswear. Soudi’s expertise and industry knowledge is a driving force behind the magazine.

“Having worked in design over the last 20 years, I feel the time is now right for us to influence this sector, curating best in class design methodology and innovation and giving it the spotlight it truly deserves.”

Passionate about performance materials, Ruth is a creative fabric expert, thought leader and educator. A true materials expert, Ruth has successfully led raw materials teams on a global scale across the supply chain, from performance brands to manufacturers.

“I’m excited to help create the collaboration and connection that we need to help our industry transform, as we face the many challenges of sustainability”

Diane Richardson - Co-Editor

Soudi Masouleh - Co-Editor

Ruth Kelly - Materials Editor

A Design and Innovation leader with a career spanning more than 30 years, designing and manufacturing technical and lifestyle outerwear, sportswear and denim for a number of global brands. Julian supports the Design and Innovation of SSACHS, with his in-depth knowledge across the spectrum of fabrication, technical and manufacturing developments along building collections with design teams at all levels of the market.

A design visionary with an impeccable track record of discovering the essence of the brand and creating beautifully crafted narrative to set the foundation for any collection design. A creative story teller with experience of building product directions from the four pillars; True inspiration, Archive research, Market awareness, and Technology.

Blending over two decades of technical apparel industry experience with a thirst for learning, Jonn uses his technical design knowledge and detailed understanding of the industry to educate and inform readers of the ever changing apparel industry. Combining strategic thinking, market analysis and an open minded attitude, Jonn looks to stay ahead of the game to be prepared for the future.

Julian Ritchie - Innovations

Matthew Abbott Design Editor

Jonn Langan - Design Editor

Contributors

Amelia Peng is a textile artist, designer and material R&D. While attempting to find a medium to portray her visual interpretations of materials and ideas, textiles proved to be the ideal process by which she could convey these images with permission of the Art Master of Textiles Woven, Royal College of Art in London.

Kelvin is a Creative Thought Leader with twenty-five + years of global brand experience working with the world’s leading brands. Creating unique expressions which tell deep connective stories through intelligent creative strategies and the highest quality of design. Kelvin is also Creative Director of KLABU.

Neil is a multi-faceted designer and creative director with a breadth of experience in the sportswear and outdoor industries, working with brands such as Nike, The North Face, Oakley, Merrell, Speedo, Kitsbow, to name a few. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Neil is Creative Director and CoFounder of Ptarmigan Design Inc.

Amelia Peng

Kelvin Govey

Neil Baker

Rav has been providing years of successful creative solutions in Fashion Design & Creative Direction in Sports, Lifestyle & Streetwear all over the world spanning various design organisations, groups, & brands. His experience & current involvement with the sports brand Umbro has created some of the brands most profiled collaborations and collections to date.

Kerry is the founder of The Fabricant, a digital fashion house leading the fashion industry towards a new sector of digitalonly clothing. Finland-born Kerry combines his technical 3D/VFX, creative direction and business skills to form the foundation of The Fabricant.

Amy Lee is the Senior Trends and Insights Manager for apparel at global materials science company, Avery Dennison. Amy Specialises in research and creation of forward-thinking content to inspire branding products and solutions for apparel and footwear markets.

Rav Kiran

Kerry Murphy

Amy Lee

Acknowledgments

SSEAMS magazine

Quarterly edition, v1 2021

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Art & Layout direction

Jack Dadds

Published by SSACHS group

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On the cover

Brand: Finnieston Clothing

Photography: Mark Seager

of Simple Photography

Location: Glasgow, Scotland

SSEAMS magazine is a quarterly downloadable edition published by SSACHS group. SSEAMS is a design magazine celebrating apparel design.

We have spent some serious lockdown time creating our first magazine edition, SSEAMS. Launching this month, the theme is, The Common Thread.

Over the last 25 years, we have worked in some of the world’s most renowned brands. We’ve traveled extensively, met and worked with incredibly talented people and have been an integral part of creating brands success stories. Now, we share our world

with you by introducing you to our network and our insights, knowing that we share the same curious minds, and it is here, we bring informed opinions together under one roof. What is our common thread? Simply, the people. The hands behind the brands relentlessly honing their craft to ‘do well’ by this industry.

Best in class, we know the clothing industry inside and out and now we bring our industry

friends and colleagues together to inform, excite and educate our curious and creative readers.

Our first SSEAMS edition for 2021 is a curation of some truly remarkable industry players shaking this industry up and firmly placing innovation at the heart of everything they do. And rest assured, we are in safe hands for future proofing this industry for generations to come.

Diane & Soudi

SSEAMS

“...we share our world with you by introducing you to our network and our insights, knowing that we share the same curious minds...”

BYBORRE believes in a radical approach to textiles – by thinking about the future of people and the planet, we are creating fabrics for the next generation. We ignore the traditional, the wasteful and the inflexible, and instead question everything, from the manufacturing chain to the creative process.

But BYBORRE is more than an in-house textile lab, more than a centre for knitting expertise, more than a clothing label – it is a way of thinking. It is our mission to create conscious creators and invite others to be “part of something bigger” – that’s why we invite iconic brands and respected institutions,

to explore the power of bespoke and conscious textile creation together with us. And use our research and technology, by providing these in our platform.

Our methods have already spread far and wide beyond our studio, reshaping the way numerous brands think about the potentials of fabric making and radically shifting what textiles mean for them and their collections. We’re spreading an original way of designing, producing and sharing that is modern, flexible, time-efficient, adaptable and, of course, joyful. It’s an open source mentality; through

BYBORRE, designers have access to sustainable building blocks, industry innovations and creative tools, all in one place. Using our innovative, stepby-step Create™ tool, brands can create a textile that is entirely theirs – entirely bespoke, entirely fit for purpose, entirely responsible, entirely authentic. It’s all about freedom. Think of it as a chance to create the best textiles for your business or brand in a streamlined, waste-conscious manner.

The result is a little bit of the BYBORRE ethos, twisted to fit a brand’s or the creator’s own DNA. We call it ‘BYBORRE INSIDE’, a clever form of collaboration that prioritises our goal to develop

the best possible textile for each collaborator we work with. BYBORRE INSIDE stands for quality, and innovation; it lets you know that our textile development expertise has been applied and that the innovative brand you’ve chosen to support, has made pioneering use of our Create™ platform. The possibilities are wide as brands have full control of the textiles for their products, from the look and feel to the functionality and performance. We see ourselves as a consistent service, available to anyone who wants to be creatively free, create more consciously, do better and make a positive impact, always committed to push the boundaries of textile and their products further.

All Image credits: BYBORRE

“...designers have access to sustainable building blocks, industry innovations and creative tools, all in one place.”

Avery Dennison Apparel Solutions

Avery Dennison is a global leader in physical and digital labelling solutions.

We task ourselves with the invention of products that serve the evolving needs of consumers, while reducing our own environmental impact, advancing the circular economy and being a force for good in the communities where we operate.

We recognise there’s a clear role for technology in bringing about solutions. With an eight-decade history of materials innovation, over 15 years of pioneering development in RFID and digital ID technology, and the ability to globally support customers across many industries we are uniquely qualified to partner with the most ambitious brands.

Together we can advance a more circular apparel industry and reduce the industry’s environmental impact.

rbis.averydennison.com

Avery

Dennison

Rescue, Reuse, Reimagine

The R Collective is a social impact upcycled fashion brand with a mission to create beautiful clothes using waste materials. It was born from Redress, the pioneering Hong Kong based charity working since 2007 to reduce waste in fashion. The collections are created by rescuing the fashion industry’s excess materials, which were destined for landfill, incineration or downcycling.

The R Collective seeks to unite innovative design with responsible manufacturing and labeling to reduce climate impact and clean up consumer care habits. As a result, Avery Dennison’s partnership with the brand is focused on intelligent labeling, engaging consumer care campaigns and sustainable core branding.

Avery Dennison joined forces with The R Collective and EVRYTHNG to digitize a special upcycled ‘Denim Reimagined’ collection, supported by Levi’s®,

to minimize jeans’ climate impact and lead with sustainability in consumer care. In addition to innovative product labeling, made from recycled materials and using zero-waste watersoluble materials, consumers can scan the unique QR code on

including: the product journey; sustainable consumer care education; restyle, repair, reuse; and the Denim Reimagined story.

the garment’s care label to discover key information on the clothing item.

When scanned, the consumer goes on a journey to receive four different sustainability messages and videos each time they scan

Additionally, to signify the collection launch, The R Collective launched its #WearAndCare global sustainable consumer care campaign to educate the public on the importance of sustainable clothing care. The way consumers wash, dry and dispose of clothing contributes to 37% of clothes’ total climate change impact. In support of the campaign, Avery Dennison created a range of woven label patches with messages, to remind consumers to lower their washing temperature and be mindful of sustainable care. Together, they spearheaded an innovative initiative that is taking positive steps to address the significant sustainability challenges facing the apparel industry.

All Image credits: The R Collective

“Working with EVRYTHNG and Avery Dennison, we are quite literally turning each clothing item into a direct-toconsumer channel to educate and engage consumers with our denim’s sustainability, while also providing the product authenticity and transparency information they demand.”

Christina Dean, founder The R Collective and Redress

SSEAMS Magazine caught up again with Designer Rav Kiran to talk about one of his favourite ways he keeps his daily routine fresh and what helps keep him sane - his lockdown outfits.

[Why do Lockdown Outfits mean a lot to you?]

I know I know – there are a lot more important things in the world right now than talking about clothing – and especially what I’m wearing ha-ha. With the new normal resulting in us all staying home more than ever before, our daily clothing choices have inevitably changed. Many of us have pretty much checked out of fashion, in the sense of trends, during these difficult times – for many it’s not a priority in life.

The latest trends may not matter anymore to some, but there is a whole new set of influences on what we wear – especially as a creative. At home, the novelty of working in loungewear wore off very quickly. I needed more – I needed the fun of what outfitting was for me back – it kept me sane, it kept me confident and it kept reminding me who I am as a person – and in the case of work increased my productivity.

The very DNA of our daily lives has transformed out of all recognition. We are in our homes, yet in completely unfamiliar territory. It helps a little bit, I think, to take control of that home environment in a positive way.

An outfit to me is more than just the latest trends or looking the best – it’s an expression of myself as a creative, how I feel on any particular day or motivates me for the day ahead. Rather than searching outward buying the latest pieces I have

used lockdown as an opportunity in experimenting with outfits every day. I dived deep into my own archive of creations, vintage pieces and more to keep me motivated through lockdown.

I’ve been working with the brand Umbro through its UK Licensee GLD Group for some time now. And outside of my work as a Kit Designer I have had the opportunity to be the creative behind some of the brands most recent profiled lifestyle & fashion collections & collaborations.

So it’s with all that I have been experimenting with most – especially when designing the next collections with the brand. With experimentation it brings confidence & insight – outfitting is trial and error. And liberating when you feel you have smashed it. And when you are enjoying what you wearing,

With Lockdown 3.0 in effect across the entire United Kingdom, the creative community are feeling the strain of the times as many look for different ways to stay motivated and creative from home.

or having a laugh it helps maintain your positive outlook which is important in the current climate. It also shows that a great look is in your wardrobe and with a bit of practice we can all find something interesting.

[What have been some of your favourite Outfits?]

Casual Prep (below) – My go to look for the days where I want to feel smarter and relaxed at the

same time. Woven Cropped Plaid Trousers with a Chambray shirt / Bow tie combo & a Vintage Umbro Logo Sweat – all the smarts with a relaxed fit whilst working from home. If venturing outside I would add a Vintage Patchwork Denim Jacket or an Unstructured Blazer when the weather was fairer.

“At home, the novelty of working in loungewear wore off very quickly. I needed more.”

All Image credits: RAV KIRAN

With the call for more relaxed looks in Lockdown my guilty pleasure is denim bib overalls aka dungarees. Grabbing my pair of vintage Carhartt –wide legged and leg cuffs rolled and teaming it up with a great Umbro Football Jersey.

One of my recent collaboration creations – Umbro X Hanon 90 Jersey. The colours are load and scream the 80s. I team this up with a pair of Umbro Bumpy Sneakers and a pair of DIY Tie Dye Socks (Another Random Project I tried one week from home).

“I love Vintage I really do. Pieces you find are unique –none are ever washed the same, ripped the same or look the same and your outfits will always feel one of a kind. Its less wasteful for the environment and is cheaper than what some labels who replicate the look offer.”

Off to the Shops Flex (top) – Look we know we have nowhere to go right now. In lockdown I used to have this thought in my head we are much more likely to be looked down upon for going out in public looking dressed up, than we are for going out in public looking scruffy.

Some people who are tired of dressing down at home during the lockdown, a trip to the supermarket has replaced a night on the town as the highlight of their week. They are taking the chance to dress up and look their best while doing the weekly shop. For me best time to test out a look I’m trying in public. The day will come when we get a piece of normal back and wearing looks outside the house injects some fun into your routine. My last trip I was wearing my Umbro Terrain Half Zip Fleece Camo Top from our Umbro Projects AW20 Collection, Vintage Levi Jeans and a beanie. Smart Phone Friendly North Face Gloves & Under Armour Face Mask gives a performance touch to this look along with a pair of Nike Element 87 Sneakers. The transparent uppers with a bright sock make the shoes really stand out.

The Salvage Nomad (right) – One of my favourite

Pieces of Umbro Heritage is The Drill Top. One of Umbro’s most influential pieces of sportswear has influenced designers, catwalk shows all over the world as well as some of the bigger sports brands since its inception. With Workwear influences growing from strength to strength these influences will be strong in 2021 I paired mine up with a pair of Albam Ripstop Trousers and Stretch High neck & Micro Down Gilet. Recycled clothing is something I am exploring and got a hold of this great one off Cap made from an old Ralph Lauren hunting Skirt adding a bit of colour to the military inspired tones in this look. Again I went for a pair of White / Cream Umbro Bumpys – big fan of the aggressive treads on them.

7Layer

Where fashion meets function.

This year will mark the opening of the SEVENLAYER flagship store in Alderley Edge following the brand’s inaugural winter launch of their ORIGIN collection.

The brainchild of founder and CEO Jamie Lundy and with the design talent of Chris Vandrill, SEVENLAYER focuses on the curation of innovative luxury apparel for both the fashion and outdoor markets. The shop, which has already conducted a well-received pop-up period, will open in its finished designed format once restrictions are lifted in the coming months.

Specialising in carefully considered products, SEVENLAYER believes fully in their ‘where fashion meets function and performance meets style’ brand statement, combining the design heritage of a US military layering system with the technical aspects of new-wave products. Intricately detailed for the true purveyors of outerwear garments and now extending the

offer into the new MTP System for SS21 - which will incorporate new pieces including workwear pants, hats and the ongoing collaboration with ArkAir.

“The launch of the shop has come from both a necessity and a need,” says Lundy. “Having the space to work in and be able to interact with the public is extremely

important. We are a new brand, just getting ourselves on the radar and it’s important for us to be able to walk and talk people through our passion for what we do, which then leads to the product itself.”

The SEVENLAYER store brings together the brand’s clean-lines and ‘Scandinavian’ aesthetic with the carefully selected product to

create an environment which is both welcoming and easy to navigate.

“We decided on Alderley Edge as it’s important to cultivate a regional footprint and to take the brand on a journey,” says Lundy.

“We have designed alongside BusbyWebb to make the store look dynamic and inviting, but without any over-indulgence, which mirrors the process behind how we design our garments. Everything for a reason.”

Already working hard on future evolution of collections, both Lundy and Vandrill are looking forward to a period in 2021 where customers can move freely in the new environment.

“The pop-up performed really well, even with the various rules and restrictions,” says Lundy “It will be amazing to be able to activate the space properly as a finished entity with events and

bespoke evenings and a freemoving customer flow so that we can interact in alignment with the brand DNA,” he adds.

For further information visit www.sevenlayer.com All image credits: SEVENLAYER

SSEAMS

Ross Geddes, Founder of Finnieston Clothing and SSEAMS Editor, Diane Richardson have known each other since the infancy of the brand. Both based in Scotland, Diane caught up with Ross and asked him to tell our readers, in his words, more about the brand…

[Tell us about the brand story of Finnieston Clothing ?]

Finnieston Clothing is a modern heritage menswear brand based in Glasgow, Scotland. We offer functional lifestyle garments of the highest quality, at the forefront utilitarian outerwear that’s built to work. Our vision for Finnieston Clothing was to offer our customer better value for their hard earned cash, bringing back good old fashioned retail values of good service and quality without compromise. With this in mind bricks and mortar was always on the horizon for Finnieston Clothing. We wanted to lead by example and get away from where modern retail has gone to. The industry as a whole has to undergo significant change where sustainability is concerned and one of our key missions was to support as many UK manufacturers as we could in creating our collections. We’re proud of where we’re from and we feel it’s our responsibility as a modern heritage brand to pay

tribute to this. Glasgow has a rich industrial heritage and we’ve taken great inspiration from Clyde’s shipbuilding heyday to create our workwear derived range. Whilst utilising our collections in telling the story of Glasgow’s past, another one of our missions was to champion local brands, and now we have our Concept Store this element of the business is really beginning to take flight, which we are delighted about! Built on

these foundations, and coming through 2020 we are excited about what the future holds for Finnieston Clothing.

[Although 2020 was hugely challenging, what were your highlights?]

The main highlight was finally getting our store opened at the end of the year, which was a real game changing moment from the

brand. We were only open for 12 days before we were forced to close after Christmas, during those 12 days we really saw what the brand was capable off with a huge lift in outerwear sales and insight into the local support we had. Other than the positive reaction to the brand’s new direction, the

shipbuilding industry holds a lot of emotion in Glasgow so it was very important for us to build a collection and that represents it in the right way. Our best selling pieces have been the tees with the shipping company logos.

Your audience is growing, what are they enjoying most about the brand ?]

Although our main play is in Outerwear, our t-shirts and sweats are selling extremely well. Our repeat custom online is above average which is really encouraging to see. This is mostly t-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories. People love the local angle of the brand, many can associate with it as past family

members actually worked in the shipyards. What is also working is our efforts going into locally sourced and manufactured accessories. Made in Scotland represents high quality and we can also see an interest in purchasing natural yarns/fabrics.

[Ross, what’s your favourite product in the collection right now ?]

Our Canadian coat is probably my favourite item from the apparel collection. So far, it’s been our best selling jacket online and in-store. Both men and women are buying that coat which is great to see! The dry wax fabric outer shell by Dundee based Halley Stevensons is the perfect

fabric and colour to carry the shawl collar coat design. In terms of our accessories line, the wartime inspired dazzle print scarves produced by MacNaughtons here in Scotland have sold incredibly well. Accessories as a whole are a great way to build our brand awareness with our growing audience.

[The 2021 collection direction is Modern Heritage, explain what this means for the brand and what’s coming next season ?]

The aim with our 2021 collection is to grow the line, develop strong silhouettes and introduce new product categories currently being developed by our design team, including shirts and pants. Everyday-wear and technical apparel styles grounded in our ethos around modern heritage and durability produced in a sustainable way. From a sustainability perspective, we are doing everything we can with our next collection and will build on this for seasons to come. That

is a given for us now.

[From a digital perspective, what’s the best way to stay informed with the brand ?]

Social Media is the best way to stay informed on the brand. Periodically we delve a little deeper with our Journal, and we’ve had some great press coverage in 2020, but for the day to day running of the brand, product launches and behind the scenes info, Instagram and Facebook are the places to find us. The beauty of being such a small team means

that if you need to get in touch with us about absolutely anything we are just a comment, direct message or email away! We’re on hand pretty much 24-7 and if you’re not on social media, don’t worry – you can sign up to our newsletter for all the latest brand news at finniestonclothing.com and shop the line there too unless you fancy a wander into the FCL Concept store in Glasgow’s west end. Stay connected to Finnieston Clothing:

www.finniestonclothing.com

FCL Concept store

305 Byres Road

Glasgow G12 8UQ

Image credits: Finnieston clothing

We’re proud of where we’re from and we feel it’s our responsibility as a modern heritage brand to pay tribute to this. Glasgow has a rich industrial heritage and we’ve taken great inspiration from Clyde’s shipbuilding heyday to create our workwear derived range.

BRANDS I’M WATCHING IN 2021

by Neil Baker

We all know the story well: 2020 was dominated by the pandemic, financial insecurity, civil unrest, racial injustice, Brexit, border walls, shady politicians, etc… But it also gave us the good stuff. More reflection time, more perspective on what really matters, more time at home with loved ones, more incentive to make sure that time and money are spent wisely, more time for looking after ourselves, be it through healthy food, proper sleep or miles on the trails.

Brands in tune with this new mindset will emerge strongly in 2021. There’s no room for mediocre. Products must be exceptional, authentic, timeless and sustainable in order to excite, and cut through the noise. Here are a few thoughts on brands that I’m excited to see evolve, and contribute to the shaping of our industry over the course of this year.

Vollebak: Vollebak started around 5 years ago, and they pride themselves on doing things differently. They approach product design from a very original point of view, resulting in premium functional apparel that stands apart in the marketplace. Often driven by emerging material technologies, each product is nevertheless rooted in a specific enduser need. Be it durability, visibility, or sensorial

perception, they approach problem solving in unique ways, resulting in a very ownable aesthetic. I look forward to seeing how their Full Metal Jacket (copper-yarn based technical shell) will age and patina in the coming years. Their products tell stories, and pique the imagination, and each new product that launches feels very unexpected. Their first stockist is situated in the Australian desert, 264km from their nearest neighbour, encouraging extreme exploration in order to find them.

District Vision: Founded in 2013, District Vision aren’t a new brand, however, they couldn’t be any more relevant than at this moment. Since the inception the founders, Tom and Max, have focused on mindfulness and movement. They twinned meditation and running way before wellness was

the household word it is today, and their products support the end-users holistic active experience, encouraging a “harmonious dialogue between mind and body”. Known for their premium functional eyewear, they have recently begun exploring

apparel, with a continued focus on products that elevate the experience. As relative newcomers to the apparel game, I’m hoping to see their distinct approach to technology rooted in wellness bring unexpected products to fruition.

Greater Goods: 2020 was a big year for Jaimus Tailor, when his brand Greater Goods found wider exposure through social media, outdoor industry blogs, and a partnership with Arc’teryx’s Artist Series. The brand is focused on creating “something out of nothing”, reclaiming well loved technical outerwear, and upcycling into unique functional goods. The resulting aesthetic is a blend of the familiar (as the base materials often come from iconic outerwear pieces) and the original (with every item being patch-worked together in unique and well considered combinations). Greater Goods uses modern craft to blend the technical with the playful, and they approach waste (discarded apparel) in the way all designers and brands now should, as an important new resource.

BYBORRE: Less of a brand, more an innovation studio. BYBORRE is looking for better ways to make apparel by sidestepping the constraints of the traditional product creation process. They innovate from their well equipped knit-lab in Amsterdam, resulting in products that are different to anything

else out there, whilst retaining a flavor that is distinctly theirs; modern, tactile and crafted. They’ve collaborated with influential brands in fashion and sportswear, and my hope is that they’ll continue to push boundaries and question norms, leading to a more integrated approach to design and production through their holistic lens.

Hyke: Hyke are commonly known for their incredible collaborations with The North Face and Adidas. Their distinct confident handwriting unites authentic utility-driven outdoor inspired design and fabrications with directional modern proportions and design-lines. They make crunchy Gore-Tex drape like a couture dress, they blend the modern and the traditional, and their simple, distilled color palettes bring a sophisticated and utterly wearable quality to even their most forward thinking outfits. I believe they’ve had a strong influence on the performance design community, and I’m keen to see where they take things next.

SSEAMS

Neil Baker is co-founder of Ptarmigan Design Inc. A design studio and collective based in Portland Oregon, focused on delivering original, ownable design and innovation to the Sportswear and Outdoor industries.

Photo credits: Vollebak, District Vision, Greater Goods, BYBORRE, Hyke.

Torsa

Pursue your greatness.

Seb Beasant is the Founder of Torsa. Having grown up in a Swedish family, much of his early life was shaped by Scandinavian design and culture. After studying Fashion Buying at University, he spent the last 10 years working across different sectors of the fashion industry. Most recently, he spent time at lululemon where his passion for functional

Seb explains what Torsa represents...

The activewear market was dominated by a few big brands, vying for attention through oversized logos and performance-based marketing messages. Torsa was different. For me personally, I believe training has the ability to shape how we think, create, and ultimately impact the world. I see fitness as the foundation for both a healthy-body and healthymind, and our mission is to inspire people to reach their greatness, using training as the cornerstone to achieving that. I want Torsa to be relatable, yet still aspirational. That’s why you’ll see we never use models in our campaigns, but everyday people that share the mindset of continuous improvement.

We are committed to producing a product that inspires a certain mindset, and this can only be done through innovation. We currently work with a handful of leading technical fabric mills across the world, and base our manufacturing in Portugal. I am fascinated by fabric, and see it as the foundation for innovation. We want to work with the best mills, offering the most technical solution, and building a product that is built for purpose. We also have a commitment to the environment, and continue to work hard behind the scenes to understand and evaluate our ongoing impact, and monitor ways we can change and improve.

design and innovation was sparked. After seeing the growth the men’s market that lululemon was showing, Seb quickly realised the product design and art direction didn’t line up with his own values.

Since our launch back in September, we have seen steady growth in sales and engagement. Operating as a direct-to-consumer brand, we know how tough

it is to get the brand in front of enough eyes, but we’ve been delighted to have featured in various press outlets and had great industry support.

At the start of this year, we quietly launched Torsa Studios, a new section on our site dedicated to product design and development. The concept behind it is to give an insight into what goes into building a product and brand. I hope by offering a behind-the-scenes look into the inner workings of Torsa will help build continued trust with our community, and hopefully, educate and inspire them in some way.

In terms of direction for the brand, we’re using the Japanese design philosophy of Shibui to inform our decisions. In essence, this concept refers to simple beauty. It’s unobtrusive and simplistic on the surface, but as you get deeper into the inner workings of the product, it offers layers of complexity and detail that you don’t see on first glance. For this, I have collaborated with an incredibly talented designer on two new styles, which will hopefully launch

later this year. We’ll also be sharing an insight into designing during a pandemic and what that looks like.

I am very excited and optimistic for the year ahead and looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that I am sure I’ll face along the way.

View the collection at www.torsa.co.uk

All Image credits: Torsa

“I felt the market really lacked a brand that embodied an understated Scandinavian aesthetic, which spoke more to the brands I was wearing on a day-to-day basis.”

Blue Elvin

The power behind functional training.

Blue Elvin is building a world where women can realise their physical and mental power through functional training.

The two founders, Lamorna and Tamara, London-based sisters with Cornish heritage, started functional training in 2016. They didn’t anticipate the truly transformative effect it would have on their lives. Helping Tamara through a period of

depression, and Lamorna with an eating disorder, training has fundamentally reconditioned the way they think and feel about sport, performance, womanhood, and everything in between.

However, they weren’t prepared for the constant marks, scrapes, and bruises all over their bodies. Ripped hands from the rig, bruised collarbones from power cleans, and scraped shins from deadlifts.

They decided this shouldn’t be an accepted part of training. So they started Blue Elvin.

In October 2020 they launched with their first Set of products, following a two-year research and development journey. The three limited-edition products are engineered to protect women’s collarbones and shins during barbell training. Integrated impact panels, made with

RHEON™ technology, control the energy of the barbell on impact. Empowering women to train without discomfort.

The products have been built to be lasting pieces - both in

construction and design. The Set uses one main recycled Italian fabric, and the choice of colours and seams were deliberate to create timeless products. Designed in London and manufactured in Lithuania, the brand uses minimal

and sustainable packagingintroducing stone paper, which is indefinitely recyclable and no hangtags or polybags.

Blue Elvin took protecting women’s bodies seriously which is why they partnered with a world-leader in energy control, RHEON LABS. The RHEON™ technology is used across high-impact sports including motorcycling, skiing, and American football. The RHEON LABS and Blue Elvin collaboration involved engineering their technology for an entirely new use case - functional training.

The two-year research and development journey started with mapping athletes bodies during

training, identifying how and where they were impacted from the barbell. Using pressure film, 360 videos and physical dye on white suits, the team were able to identify the core zones to protect.

A rigorous design and prototype process followed. Starting with the minimum area to protect, and working closely with a RHEON LABS engineer and a garment designer, to create an aesthetic that would be sleek and functional.

The products have been built to be lasting pieces - both in construction and design. The Set uses one main recycled Italian fabric, and the choice of colours and seams were deliberate to create timeless products

Using 3D printing technology they were able to iterate on the protection panels, continually testing on athletes, collecting data to inform the next stage. The thickness, size, and geometry of the panels were all informed through testing and athlete data.

Alongside the panel development, the team worked closely with their manufacturing partner in Lithuania, to understand the best way to integrate the panels into the product. Testing stitching, molding, and laser cutting. The 2-year process resulted in a pioneering product for functional training - bringing protection,

style, and comfort to women athletes. They call them Products for Power.

All image credits: Matt Ben Stone

www.blueelvin.com

#productsforpower @blueelvin

Spring / Summer 22

“As a mix of home fitness and appreciation for the great outdoors continues to grow, being comfortable, wearing versatile activewear, and managing health and wellbeing will continue to remain at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Now more than ever, these mentalities will play a pivotal role and continue to grow. Consumers will be seeking comfort and protection in what they wear, all of this going hand in hand with performance and multi-functionality. Energy and individuals aspirations need to remain at their peak.”

by SSACHS Digital

Recharge

After the troubles of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is more important than ever before for wellness to be on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Working out is still a release from daily stresses and allows you to reconnect with yourself. Built in face coverings provide ease and added protection in these uncertain times. Colour palettes include calming, tonal blues with pops of bright orange that provide optimism and freshness.

Invigorate

Spring time brings a new chapter for everyone in the wake of the global pandemic. There is a burst of endorphins and energy for the new year ahead and the time comes to focus your mood on being active and staying active. Being outdoors allows a release and escape from everyday life, it’s time to hit the gym or track and reach new heights. Colour palettes include earthy greens with bright pops of hot pinks to bring spring freshness.

Biocell

A visionary dream for humanity.

In a small city in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a creative textile idea emerged from the founder of the company AirjetGlobal, Antonio Marin.

The company’s foundation had financing of US $ 15 thousand by Eulalia Bastos to invest sustainability in the global textile market. The small family business founded by Antonio Marin and

his son Fernando Marin, together with his partner Marcio Belli became the creators and founders of Clean Ocean technology.

Today in 2021, the era of

“We deeply believe in our ideals, having the persistence to show and prove to the textile market that this is a viable and sustainable economic solution to create the change in the textile chain.”

sustainability, Clean Ocean is the only and first sustainable solution for a textile yarn. A market

estimated at 100 billion dollars replacing the old blend yarn process. AirjetGlobal are securing a wide agreement between large companies, for this new reality in textile yarns.

With scientific studies in the new blending process, it is more sustainable, durable and circular to use a garment made with Clean Ocean blending technology than a garment made of 100% natural raw material.

In discoveries with the new blending process we found that synthetic fibres protect natural fibres from not loosening easily

and creating greater durability and circularity  between people. And the Clean Ocean process fixes 100% synthetic / artificial fibres from shedding during washing and wearing”

Resulting in more durable clothes and a more circular environment .

Until recently not many companies took sustainability seriously and now this topic is on everyone’s radar yet not everyone can afford it. That is why the Clean Ocean Process is so innovative!

Image credits: Biocell

“We all live in the same backyard, we all need to buy produce and products with a 100% biodegradable life cycle in soil or chemically recycled in a closed loop. Protecting our oceans and lives as much as possible.”

“Everyone works one way, but working together we can change.... We have managed to create sustainabilty that is accessible to everyone and every wallet.”

Fernando Marin, CEO

KLABU

KLABU is the Swahili word for club. It is also the name of the organisation on a mission to unlock the power and joy of sports for the overlooked, in refugee camps and beyond.

Fueled by the ambition to provide sporting opportunities for people in refugee camps, welaunched our first KLABU clubhouse by mid2019 in the Kalobeyei refugee settlement in Kenya. Thanks to the provision of sports equipment through an innovative library system, we have greatly eased the infrastructural barriers that people in refugee camps face when trying to access sports like football, basketball, volleyball and running.

Across the rest of the world, a further few thousands of supporters have joined our brand via purchasing our products. All of us are united by the common vision that sports has the power to move the world forward. To build a solid base for future growth, we have developed a hybrid business model whereby

the KLABU social enterprise develops and sells KLABU products and raises funds for the KLABU Foundation. So the purchase of any KLABU product is a direct contribution towards giving young people in refugee camps access to sport through our club houses.

After the launch of the Kalobeyei Spirit sports kit, inspired by and named after the location of our first KLABU clubhouse, we launched the One Club collection in 2020 to celebrate a message of global community and unity through sports.

We also installed a solar power grid and Wifi connection in our clubhouse and with the support of our partner Avery Dennison we provided the Kalobeyei club house with a PlayStation console and a TV; these additions are especially useful in stimulating positive interaction between young refugees and locals as well as overcoming idleness and strengthening mental resilience. For 2021, many more exciting projects are lined up to support this mission, including new club houses, product launches and partnerships with likeminded organisations and individuals. They are all joining us on our mission to build the biggest club in the world and to use sports as a key driver for change. Interested in joining the KLABU? Check out klabu.org and come on board!

One world, one club.

The Fabricant

Our world in 3D

Image credits: The Fabricant

A digital fashion house leading the fashion industry towards a new sector of digital-only clothing. We specialise in photo-real 3D fashion design and animation. Our work operates at the intersection of fashion and technology, creating digital couture and fashion experiences that are always digital, never physical.

We aim to show the world that clothing does not need to be physical to exist. We believe the digitalonly fashion sector will open up new creative avenues beyond the limits of the physical world, while promoting sustainability and drastically reducing the negative environmental impacts of the current fashion paradigm.

Digital fashion is a vast and untapped creative terrain, where the previously physically impossible becomes possible. We see ourselves as ‘fashionauts’ committed to exploring the potential of this new world through our digital couture and compelling 3D fashion narratives. We collaborate with global brands and retailers, bringing our expertise as leaders in the digital fashion sector, to help them deep dive into its unlimited possibilities.

Fashion is one of the last creative industries to embrace technology. It is equally one of the most polluting. We see the opportunity to use technology to make the industry more sustainable while expanding its creative options in unlimited new ways. The digital fashion environment opens up new avenues for all stakeholders in the industry, both creatively and in terms of its potential as an emerging market.

The Fabricant wastes nothing but data and exploits nothing but imagination. Digital garments vastly

reduce fashion’s impact on the planet’s resources and the natural world. When clothing is always digital, never physical, pollution and waste reduction are non-topics. In this new sector, there’s no need for samples, high retail stock levels or size ranges. It’s sustainable by its very nature.

Digital-only fashion has no history, no format and no existing template to follow. From this standpoint the very idea of physicality and seasonality is not relevant. Digital fashion challenges the norms of the fashion industry and enables a much closer understanding of customers’ reality and a faster

response to their needs, any time, anywhere.

Young people in particular have an instinctive understanding of the digital space and its power to enable self expression. For them the digital world has equal validity to physical life as an environment in which to explore and express their various selves. Our work seeks to emotionally connect with these digital natives to co-create an inspiring, innovative and sustainable fashion landscape that’s attuned and relevant to their values and interests.

Images credit: Puma x The Fabricant

“We aim to show the world that clothing does not need to be physical to exist. We believe the digital-only fashion sector will open up new creative avenues beyond the limits of the physical world...”

Trend Edit

Human After All by Amelia Peng

For each SSEAMS edition, our Editors invite a leading industry trend expert to showcase a preview of their work.

Amelia Peng is a textile artist designer and material R&D. While attempting to find a medium to portray her visual interpretations of materials and ideas, textiles proved to be the ideal process by which she could convey these images with permission from the Art Master of Textiles Woven, Royal College of Art in London. Following several years doing commercial textile design proposals for fashionsports’ brand such as adidas, Nike...etc, and research development for Hermes, Agnes.b in Paris, she has worked for lululemon as Fabric Developer of Global supply chain management. All is associated with ready-to-wear, luxury, mass-production, and standards of perfection. These experiences inspired her works towards art conception and mixed technical aspect.

Her textiles have been featured in exhibitions and festivals including recently presented “Time Lapse” collection for the 2017 Taiwan Art Festival in Taipei, where she was awarded Best of New Talent Designer in 2007. Amelia’s designs are in numerous private collections. Amelia is interested in art poetic, vintage and innovative fabrics, adventurous travel, and finding the design aspects in everyday life.

In 2020, She launched her Art Design Studio and Consultancy- ATTITUDE CREATIVE after recieving Christie’s London certification of Art Business. Her contribution is an aesthetic edition for SSACHS Digital. With a passionate focus on the research and development for forecasting sustainable textiles. Amelia’s approach is to never stop learning to achieve excellence as a textile explorer.

Thank you

FINNIESTON CLOTHING

SEVENLAYER

THE FABRICANT

RAV KIRAN

BYBORRE

AVERY DENNISON

TEAM SSACHS

JACK DADDS

BIOCELL DRYAD

BLUE ELVIN

AMELIA PENG

KLABU

MODERN SVRPLVS

NEIL BAKER

PTARMIGAN DESIGN INC.

TORSA