In a meeting of minds and a sharing of principles, we are proud to announce our new and very special collaboration with the innovative and design conscious Christopher Raeburn.
Raeburn x Finisterre
16.01.14
4 min read
Interview by Rachel Buchanan
Unveiled at London Fashion Week Men's, the collection draws inspiration from the beauty and fragility of our oceans. With Raeburn's REMADE ethos further emphasising the use of unique and pioneering materials.
We caught up with Christopher Raeburn to discuss the oceans, immersion and where the seeds for Raeburn x Finisterre were sown.
The theme of the whole collection is Immerse. Where did the initial idea come from and did the Finisterre collaboration bring expertise which allowed you to take the collection to a different level?
The initial concept came from researching immersion suits. It turns out there’s an abundance of it. Of course, it also felt timely to design a collection around the beauty and fragility of our oceans. The collection acts as a most creative call to arms.
The main inspiration for the collection is the sea, and specifically immersion in the harshest of conditions. It’s all about preparity. On a more personal level, it’s also about my trip down to Cornwall and Finisterre HQ where I got to have a go at cold water surfing with the team. It really allowed me to ‘immerse’ myself in the world of Finisterre.
The partnership with Finisterre, particularly the outerwear, allowed me to take the collection to a different place. At Christopher Raeburn we’re not a performance-based brand and it was interesting for us to use sealed seams, new innovative materials and expertise to give our pieces greater authenticity. Importantly, with the outerwear it was an opportunity we couldn't/wouldn't normally do.
Where does your interest in the sea/sea rescue come from?
I believe we all have an innate connection to the sea, especially here in the UK where the coast is never too far away. My earliest seafaring memories are childhood holidays in the 80’s with my family. For me, the sea holds a strong emotional attachment.
I grew up in the countryside, playing and discovering the outdoors, and I used to be in the air cadets. I developed a fascination for military clothing and original functional fabrics from an early age. When I was at university there was something very exciting about going out and finding original items, and then making them into something new.
The importance of remade, reduces, recycled in your work – does that come first, or does the idea come first and then RRR is in the execution?
Building a sustainable brand was a happy accident and not my prime intention initially. My fascination with military materials, utilitarian clothing and essentially functionality led to the REMADE IN ENGLAND philosophy organically. Every decision we make as a business is now underpinned by the 4 R’s (REMADE, REDUCED, RECYCLED, RÆBURN).
Why Finisterre? What drew you to us?
For me, it was very much about our shared values as well as meeting Tom [Kay]. Making a project with a purpose. It felt like a natural partnership from the start.
Collaboration launches Autumn 2018
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