”THE SHOW EXPRESSED PERFECTLY WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. I’M NOT GOING TO SAY IT FELT LIKE A SUCCESS – THAT SOUNDS LIKE I’M CROWING ABOUT IT AND I’M NOT, BUT IT FELT LIKE IT CAME OUT RIGHT…THE WAY I HOPED IT WOULD FEEL.” -RICK OWENS

FW24 PORTERVILLE MEN’S
THURSDAY 18 JANUARY 2024
OWENSCORP, 7 BIS PLACE DU PALAIS BOURBON, 75007 PARIS

WE ARE SHOWING IN MY HOME AND WORKING COMPOUND WHERE WE BEGAN SELLING OUR COLLECTIONS 25 YEARS AGO — A RESPECTFUL MOVE IN OBSERVANCE OF THE BARBARIC TIMES THROUGH WHICH WE ARE LIVING.

BUT WHAT I HAD INTENDED AS A RESPECTFUL RESTRAINT MAY END UP EXCLUDING A COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT HAVE USED MY SHOW TO GATHER TOGETHER FOR CONNECTION AND SOLACE. I MIGHT HAVE TO RETHINK THIS.

IN THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, I HAVE INVITED SOME OF MY FAVORITE UTOPIAN CREATIVES WHO LIVE THEIR AESTHETIC DEFIANTLY AND COMPLETELY.

INFLATED RUBBER PULL-ON STRETCH BOOTS ARE A COLLAB WITH STRAYTUKAY, A LONDON DESIGNER WHO EXPERIMENTS IN ARCHITECTURAL VOLUMES AND HAS A GIFT FOR TECHNICAL CONSTRUCTION.

I SAW A CHEEKILY IMPROVISED VERSION OF MY KISS BOOT ONLINE AND COULDN’T HELP ASKING LONDON DESIGNER LEO PROTHMAN PERMISSION TO PRODUCE THEM.

SOME JACKETS AND PANTS ARE MADE OUT OF RECYCLED DISCARDED BICYCLE TIRES BY MATISSE DI MAGGIO, A MEMBER OF THE PARISIAN BDSM COMMUNITY WHO SPECIALIZES IN RUBBER GEAR.

I ALSO ASKED STEVEN FROM FECAL MATTER AND GENA MARVIN TO WALK OUR RUNWAY: STEVEN AND HANNAH OF FECAL MATTER HAVE LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO BALANCING OUT FORCES OF CONDEMNING JUDGEMENT WITH THEIR EXQUISITELY CHEERFUL DEPRAVITY — SOMETHING I ADMIRE AND BELIEVE IN AND TRY TO DO IN MY OWN SMALL WAY.

GENA’S OFTEN DANGEROUS COMMITMENT TO HER AESTHETIC IN HER NATIVE RUSSIA IS RECORDED IN A BEAUTIFULLY MOVING AND STIRRING DOCUMENTARY BY FILMMAKER AGNIIA GALDANOVA.

COLLECTION PROPORTIONS ARE GROTESQUE AND INHUMAN IN A HOWLING REACTION TO SOME OF THE MOST DISAPPOINTING HUMAN BEHAVIOR WE WILL WITNESS IN OUR LIFETIME.

BUT THERE IS THE ETERNAL UTOPIAN HOPE OF SOMEPLACE BETTER.

KNIT SPACE SUITS ARE RENDERED IN RECYCLED CASHMERE, ALPACA, OR MERINOS, AS WELL AS TURBO-PLY SHROUDS AND HOODIES.

SHAGGY JUMPSUITS AND CAPES ARE MADE FROM HEAVYWEIGHT FELT MADE WITH THE LONGEST ALPACA FIBRES ON A SILK WARP, WHICH IS WASHED, FELTED AND THEN BRUSHED OUT.

13OZ JAPANESE DENIM IS TREATED WITH LAYERS OF WAX AND FOIL THAT ARE PRESSED, WASHED, AND TUMBLED TO CREATE THE FINAL CRACKED AND PEELED MEGACRUST LOOK. ALL OUR DENIMS ARE TREATED IN AN ITALIAN WASH HOUSE IN VENETO THAT PRODUCES IN SMALLER TREATMENT BATHS TO REDUCE WATER WASTE AND UTILIZE A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A PORTION OF THE WATER USED. ALL OF OUR DENIM WASHES ARE ZDHC CERTIFIED.

CARGO JUMPSUITS, CARGO TUNICS AND CARGOBOOTS ARE MADE IN A 1,5MM THICK VEG TANNED AND WASHED CALF LEATHER FINISHED USING ONLY NATURAL WAXES. VEG TANNING MEANS ONLY VEGETAL AND NATURAL TANNINS ARE USED IN THE PROCESS OF TANNING AND PRESERVING THE LEATHER.

A LIGHTER WEIGHT OF THIS LEATHER IS USED FOR BOMBASTICALLY SCULPTURAL DUVET JACKETS AND COATS.

ITERATIONS OF OUR STOOGES BIKER JACKET FROM OUR MADE IN JAPAN CAPSULE ARE FEATURED IN SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT HIDES TANNED IN HIMEJI, HYÕGO PREFECTURE, AND SEWN IN ATSUGI, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE.

WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR CAPSULE COLLECTIONS WITH BONOTTO, A 4TH GENERATION TEXTILE MILL FOUNDED IN 1912 SITUATED JUST BELOW THE PREALPS IN VENETO, ITALY. THIS SEASON THE MATERIALS ARE RESISTANT AND DURABLE. HEAVY CORDURA NYLON, UTILITARIAN WOOL CANVAS, AND COTTON WHIPCORD, ALL MADE TO LAST.

I HAVE INCLUDED OUR LONGTIME STAPLE GEOBASKETS, BUT NOW INFLATED TO A LOUDER PROPORTION.

THE FIRST TIME I HEARD BOWIE’S WARZSAWA WAS AT A STUDENT DANCE THEATRE REHEARSAL AT THE PORTERVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN 1977. THE BLEAKNESS AND YEARNING FOR DIGNITY
OF THAT SONG SPOKE TO ME THEN AS IT SPEAKS TO ME NOW.

I REMEMBER THE SMALL BRUTALITIES OF A SENSITIVE CHILDHOOD IN A JUDGEMENTAL COMMUNITY. JUST AN AMATEUR VERSION OF THE BRUTALITY WE SEE HUMAN NATURE CAPABLE OF.

CASTING: AM CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: EXCLUSIVE MIX OF ‘WARSZAWA’ BY DAVID BOWIE

“I LOVED MICHELE’S LAST-MINUTE, SPONTANEOUS ADDITION OF MAKING EGGS FOR EVERYBODY - THAT ADDED THE MOST BRILLIANT TOUCH…THAT EXTRA TOUCH OF HOSPITALITY AND WARMTH. I LIKE THINGS A BIT CHILLY AND CONTROLLED, SO HER WARMTH WAS SUPER CUTE.”-RICK OWENS

FW24 PORTERVILLE WOMEN’S
THURSDAY 29 FEBRUARY 2024
OWENSCORP, 7 BIS PLACE DU PALAIS BOURBON, 75007 PARIS

FOLLOWING OUR MEN’S SHOW, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN SHOWING IN MY HOME AND WORKING COMPOUND WHERE WE BEGAN SELLING OUR COLLECTIONS 25 YEARS AGO – AN INTIMATE MOVE IN OBSERVANCE OF THE BARBARIC TIMES THROUGH IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING.

THE SHOW IS CALLED ‘PORTERVILLE’ RECALLING MY EXPERIENCE GROWING UP IN A JUDGEMENTAL ENVIRONMENT HOSTILE TO AN OVERLY SENSITIVE YOUNG SISSY. THIS KIND OF BANAL HOSTILITY AND INTOLERANCE IS A FACT OF LIFE THAT WE ARE WITNESSING AT ITS MOST HORRIFICALLY MAGNIFIED INTENSITY RIGHT NOW.

IN PAST INTERVIEWS I HAVE MENTIONED MY STERN FATHER NOT ALLOWING A TV IN THE HOUSE BUT I UNDERPLAYED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT HE REPLACED IT WITH – OPERA. STORIES OF ACHING, LONGING, AND DISAPPOINTMENT, SET TO RAPTUROUS MUSIC REACHING FOR TRANSCENDENCE BY PUCCINI, WAGNER, PURCELL, STRAUSS… AND EVERY EVENING HE WOULD SOFTLY READ EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS PAPERBACKS TO ME, STORIES SET IN SPACE WITH NAMES LIKE THUVIA, MAID OF MARS AND LLANA OF GATHOL AND A PRINCESS OF MARS, FILLED WITH BEINGS THAT WERE WEIRD BUT NOBLE, AND HE WOULD ALTER HIS VOICE FOR EACH CHARACTER. ON EACH BOOK COVER WOULD BE A FRANK FRAZETTA ILLUSTRATION OF MUSCULAR HEROES AND HEROINES IN THE BRIEFEST OF VAGUELY JUGENDSTIL-ESQUE SPACE GEAR SURMOUNTING JEWELRY ADORNED MONSTERS. THIS WAS THE WORLD I LONGED TO LEAVE PORTERVILLE FOR.

WEIRD BUT NOBLE SPACESUITS ARE KNIT IN RECYCLED CASHMERE OR FELTED ALPACA AND SWADDLED IN MATCHING HOODED ROBES OR TURBO PLY-KNIT PONCHOS. KNIT TOPS KNOT AND BUNDLE AROUND THE UPPER TORSO WHILE LEATHER DUVET STRETCH PULL-ON BOOTS ANCHOR THE LOWER LEG ECHOING OUR INFLATED RUBBER COLLAB WITH STRAYTUKAY FOR OUR LAST MEN’S SHOW.

SOME JACKETS, SHROUDS AND SIREN SKIRTS ARE MADE OUT OF RECYCLED DISCARDED BICYCLE TIRES BY MATISSE DI MAGGIO, A MEMBER OF THE PARISIAN BDSM COMMUNITY WHO SPECIALIZES IN RUBBER.

CAPES AND MANTLES ARE CUT FROM HEAVY AND COMPACT LODEN FELT MADE BY A FIFTH GENERATION FAMILY OWNED MILL FOUNDED IN 1888 AT THE FOOT OF THE MASSIF DU DACHSTEIN IN THE AUSTRIAN ALPS. WOVEN WITH COARSE AUSTRIAN WOOL AND FELTED USING PURIFIED GLACIER MELT WATER FROM THE DACHSTEIN GLACIER.

SHAGGY COATS AND DONUT STOLES ARE MADE FROM HEAVYWEIGHT FELT MADE WITH THE LONGEST ALPACA FIBRES ON A SILK WARP, WHICH IS WASHED, FELTED AND THEN BRUSHED OUT.

13OZ JAPANESE DENIM IS TREATED WITH LAYERS OF WAX AND FOIL THAT ARE PRESSED, WASHED, AND TUMBLED TO CREATE THE FINAL CRACKED AND PEELED MEGACRUST LOOK. ALL OUR DENIMS ARE TREATED IN AN ITALIAN WASH-HOUSE IN VENETO THAT PRODUCES IN SMALLER TREATMENT BATHS TO REDUCE WATER WASTE AND UTILIZE A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A PORTION OF THE WATER USED. ALL OF OUR DENIM WASHES ARE ZDHC CERTIFIED.

TUNICS AND CARGOBOOTS ARE MADE IN A 1.5MM THICK VEG TANNED AND WASHED CALF LEATHER FINISHED USING ONLY NATURAL WAXES. VEG TANNING MEANS ONLY VEGETAL AND NATURAL TANNINS ARE USED IN THE PROCESS OF TANNING AND PRESERVING THE LEATHER.

CROPPED DUVET POD JKTS ARE EITHER MADE IN MARLENE DIETRICH CHARMEUSE, OR HEAVYWEIGHT MERINO SHEARLINGS TANNED IN TUSCANY BY A SECOND-GENERATION FAMILY OWNED AND LWG CERTIFIED TANNERY. THE LWG CERTIFICATION ENSURES TRACEABILITY OF RAW MATERIALS, HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, AND EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE TANNING PROCESS.

BRUTALIST SHAPES FROM OUR FURNITURE COLLECTION ARE APPLIED TO SLEEK CLUTCHES IN A FUTURISTIC PALLADIUM FINISH, MATCHING ORB NECKLACES AND CUFFS ADORNED WITH FACETED HEMATITE CRYSTALS MADE OUTSIDE OF FLORENCE IN TUSCANY, ITALY AND THE STONES ARE CUT OUTSIDE OF VENICE.

I ALSO ASKED PHOTOGRAPHER KRISTINA NAGEL, HANNAH FROM FECAL MATTER, AND GENA MARVIN TO WALK OUR RUNWAY. KRISTINA HAS BEEN LENDING ME HER FACE IN A SERIES OF SELF-PORTRAITS WEARING MY COLLECTION THAT CAPTURES THE WEIRD ELEGANCE I AM CONTINUOUSLY AIMING FOR. HANNAH AND STE V EN FROM FECAL MATTER HAVE LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO BALANCING OUT FORCES OF CONDEMNING JUDGEMENT WITH THEIR CHEERFUL AND EXQUISITE DEPRAVITY – SOMETHING I TRY AND DO IN MY OWN SMALL WAY.
GENA’S OFTEN DANGEROUS COMMITMENT TO HER AESTHETIC IN HER NATIVE RUSSIA IS RECORDED IN A BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENTARY BY FILM MAKER AGNIIA GALDANOVA.

AND THE MUSIC IS A SYNTHESIZED VERSION OF ‘PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS’ BY RAVEL THAT MY FATHER OFTEN USED TO PLAY IN OUR HOUSE AND SOUNDED LIKE AN EERIE ELEGANT AND BENEVOLENT WORLD FAR AWAY FROM PORTERVILLE.

CASTING: AM CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: ‘PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS’ BY MAURICE RAVEL

FECAL MATTER

FECAL MATTER IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PLATFORM CREATED IN ORDER TO EXPRESS UNCENSORED IDEAS. THE FECAL MATTER WORLD PRESENTS AN ALTERNATIVE TO RESTRICTIVE BEAUTY STANDARDS AND OFFERS EXPERIENCES AND PRODUCTS THAT CONNECT FASHION, FILM, POLITICS, PERFORMANCE, MUSIC AND EVERYTHING THAT IS FORBIDDEN IN ORDER TO PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING.

THE DUO BEHIND THE BRAND, STEVEN RAJ AND HANNAH ROSE, CONNECTED OVER THEIR PASSION FOR CHANGE AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WHEN THEY MET IN MONTREAL, CANADA. ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY 2016, THE INTENTION BEHIND THE BRAND NAME COMES FROM THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE CYCLE OF CONSUMPTION AND HOW VALUELESS THE MATERIAL WORLD CAN BE. THEY USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PLATFORM TO VISUALLY SHARE THEIR UNIQUE VISION OF BEAUTY AND REALITY. THE DUO HAS BEEN PRAISED FOR THEIR 360 DEGREE WORK PROCESS AS THEY CREATE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR WORK INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHY, HAIR, MAKEUP, CLOTHING DESIGN, ART, MODELLING AND MUSIC.

THEIR WORK HAS BEEN SHOWCASED IN MULTIPLE MUSEUMS SUCH AS THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM (LONDON), MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS (MONTREAL) AND THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA (MELBOURNE). THEY HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH RICK OWENS AS CREATIVE DIRECTORS FOR THE CONVERSE COLLABORATION CAMPAIGN AS WELL AS MODELING IN HIS RECENT F/W MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SHOW. THEY ARE MOST KNOWN FOR THEIR SKIN SHOES CREATION, A THIGH HIGH BOOT THAT RESEMBLES THE HUMAN LEG WITH MUTATIONS. THIS PIONEERING WORK HAS LAUNCHED A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON OF BODY TRANSFORMATION WITHIN THE ART AND FASHION SPACES.

BEYOND THEIR WORK, HANNAH AND STEVEN’S MANIFESTO “PROVOKE SOCIETY” HAS INSPIRED A GENERATION TO LIVE THEIR AUTHENTIC TRUTH AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITHOUT LIMITS, JUST LIKE THEY DO EVERYDAY.

TEXT FROM FECAL MATTER (@MATIERESFECALES)

KRISTINA NAGEL

GENA MARVIN

MARVIN'S ART PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF CREATURE DRAG AND MUCH OF HER PERFORMANCE ART INCORPORATES THE REACTIONS OF OTHERS TO HER APPEARANCE.

“BJÖRK? I ADMIRE HER VERY MUCH.” - RICK OWENS

"FOR MY SPRING 2020 TECUATL COLLECTION, I ENLISTED MEMBERS OF THE TWO SPIRIT COMMUNITY IN SPRINGVILLE, CALIFORNIA, NEXT TO MY CHILDHOOD CITY OF PORTERVILLE, TO COLLABORATE ON THE COLLECTIONS PRESENTATION. I HAD WANTED TO HONOR MY MEXICAN HERITAGE ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE AND FOCUS ON ITS GENDER NON-COMFORMING SUBCULTURE TO SUPPORT QUEER MEXICAN YOUTH FROM THE TOWN I GREW UP IN UNSUPPORTED.

THE FACE OF THE CURRENT CONVERSE X DRKSHDW CAMPAIGN IS ARTIST XICO GARZA, A TWO-SPIRIT ELDER AND TEMAZCAL CEREMONY LEADER, CHOSEN BY RICK OWENS FOR HIS DEDICATION TO TEACHING INDIGENOUS HERITAGE AND CULTURAL PRACTICES THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION OF REGULAR WORKSHOPS, COMPLEMENTED BY TWO-SPIRIT CEREMONIES ON SACRED LAND NEXT TO THE TULE RIVER.

TWO SPIRIT IS A TERM USED BY NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO DESCRIBE NATIVES IN THEIR COMMUNITY WHO FULFILL A TRADITIONAL THIRD GENDER CEREMONIAL AND SOCIAL ROLE IN THEIR CULTURES. THEIR PRACTICES ARE CENTERED ON PRINCIPLES OF NATURE ETHICS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONS AROUND GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION." - RICK OWENS

LODENSTEINER IS A FIFTH GENERATION, FAMILY-OWNED MILL LOCATED AT THE FOOT OF THE DACHSTEIN MOUNTAINS IN AUSTRIA.

FOUNDED IN 1888, THE ”LODENWALKE” MILL WAS BORN OUT OF A DEMAND FOR DURABLE WOOL TEXTILES SUITABLE FOR THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA. ITS EARLIEST DEVELOPMENT WAS OVERSEEN BY FRANZ STEINER, WHO, TOGETHER WITH HIS BROTHER, WAS THE FIRST TO SCALE THE SOUTH FACE OF THE DACHSTEIN…WEARING LODEN TROUSERS FROM HIS OWN PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT.

LODEN FABRIC WAS ORIGINALLY USED FOR WORK CLOTHING, EVENTUALLY EVOLVING INTO INCREASINGLY FUNCTIONAL DESIGNS AND WORN BY MANY WELL-KNOWN MOUNTAINEERS.

MADE FROM 100% NATURAL WOOL, OUR LODENETTE QUALITY IS PROCESSED IN FORTY ELABORATE STEPS. WITH AUSTRIAN MOUNTAIN SHEEP WOOL AS ITS BASE, THE QUALITY IS ENHANCED BY THE ADDITION OF FINE WOOL FROM OTHER RAW MATERIALS. OUR LODENETTE TEXTILES HAVE A BRUSHED AND SOFT HANDFEEL.

OUR HEAVYWEIGHT LODEN FELT TEXTILES ARE COMPACT, WITH A DRY AND COARSE HANDFEEL.

ONLY PURIFIED GLACIER WATER FROM THE DACHSTEIN GLACIER IS USED TO TREAT THESE FABRICS, AND THE WOOL USED IN BOTH LODEN QUALITIES IS MULRSING-FREE.

”OUR LODENETTE FABRIC IS A SORT OF TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH BEUYS AND OUR ARMY BLANKET BEGINNINGS… OUR ARMY BLANKETS WERE ALWAYS ABOUT JOSEPH BEUYS…HE WAS MY DAVID BOWIE OF ART – SOMEONE WITH A WHOLE STORY THAT’S CONSISTENT AND PERFECT. I FIRST DISCOVERED HIM AT THE OTIS PARSONS LIBRARY WHEN I WAS GOING TO ART SCHOOL IN LA.

SO THIS IS A NOD TO JOSEPH BEUYS AND ALSO TO MY HOLLYWOOD BLVD DAYS WHERE EVERYTHING I NEEDED COULD BE FOUND AT THE ARMY SURPLUS CALLED “SUPPLY SERGEANT” A BLOCK FROM MY STUDIO... CANVAS DUFFLES THAT I CUT APART TO MAKE INTO JACKETS AND OVERDYED BLACK... THE BLACK WAS CHEAP RIT DYE WITH A LOT OF PURPLE IN IT AND A BIT WEAK SO ALL THE ARMY GREEN THINGS I DYED IN IT ENDED UP IN A FADED COLOR I CALLED DRKSHDW...” -RICK OWENS

“EVERYTHING IS SO PERSONAL…I FEEL THAT EVERY COLLECTION NEEDS TO OBSERVE WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND IT - IT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN CONTEXT AND IT NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE WE ARE. MY BIG OBSTACLE WITH THE SHOWS IS ABOUT HOW TO PRESENT THEM IN A WAY THAT ISN’T OBLIVIOUS…HOW DO I PRESENT A SHOW THAT RESPECTS WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH, IN A WAY THAT DOESN’T IGNORE IT? BUT I CAN’T PASS JUDGEMENT ON ANYTHING - A BIG REASON FOR THAT BEING THAT I’M NOT AN AUTHORITY…I DON’T THINK I’VE STUDIED ENOUGH TO HAVE THE KIND OF INFORMATION I’D NEED TO MAKE ANY KIND OF PROCLAMATIONS. BUT I DO KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT SPEAKING LOUDLY WHILE OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH INTENSE DISCOMFORTS, AND I NEED TO BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT…SAYING ‘DISCOMFORT’ MAY NOT BE ENOUGH OF AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH NOW, BUT IT’S THE LEAST SHRILL WORD I CAN USE.

THERE’S ALWAYS HOPING FOR SOMETHING BETTER AND THEN MANIFESTING SOME KIND OF PLAN. THE PLAN ITSELF BECOMES INTENSE AND OVERWORKED AND CORRUPTED, ONLY TO COLLAPSE. THEN YOU’RE BACK AT IT AGAIN. ‘HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL.’ THE MOMENTS WHERE YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE THE GLASS IS HALF EMPTY ARE WHEN IT MORPHS INTO A DEPRESSING, POINTLESS CYCLE. THAT IS THE LESSON BEHIND THE STORY OF SISYPHUS - THE ASPIRATIONS OF TRYING TO REACH THE HEAVENS…A UTOPIAN GOAL - AND IT FALLING APART INTO CHAOS AND CONFUSION. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE IN THAT CYCLE NOW, AND IT DOES HAPPEN, THESE HISTORICAL WAVES. SOME PERIODS ARE SOPHISTICATED AND THE OTHER PERIODS, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH IT…AND WE WILL. OPTIMISM AND NIHILISM...OPTI-NIHILISM. IT’S ABOUT BURNING SOMETHING DOWN. IT WAS ABOUT RAGE BUT THERE WAS JOY THERE TOO.”

FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OUR DOUBLE CASHMERE AND SHAGGY FELT TEXTILES, OUR PRODUCTION TAKES PLACE IN A SECOND-GENERATION FAMILY MILL SPECIALIZING IN THE PRODUCTION OF NOBLE ANIMAL FIBERS. THE MILL WAS FOUNDED IN PRATO, ITALY IN 1961 BY AN IMPRESSIVE WOMAN NAMED MIMI, WHO BEGAN WORKING AT THE AGE OF TWELVE IN A MENDING AND FINISHING FACTORY NEAR THE MOUNTAINS IN WHICH SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED.

MIMI’S LOVE OF TEXTILES, COUPLED WITH HER EXPERTISE IN DEVELOPING THEM, STRENGTHENED HER DETERMINATION TO ESTABLISH HER OWN PRODUCTION FACILITY, CREATING A WORLD OF HER OWN AND GAINING HER PROMINENCE IN AN OTHERWISE MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY. NOW LED BY HER SON, THE MILL CONTINUES TO LEAD IN CASHMERE AND WOOL INNOVATION, HIGHLIGHTING RESPECT FOR WORKERS, ANIMALS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS ITS GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

OUR DOUBLE CASHMERE IS A HEAVYWEIGHT, PURE CASHMERE QUALITY, WOVEN ON A DOUBLE WARP IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE ITS HEAVINESS AND CREATE A DOUBLE-FACED FABRIC.

THE FINISHED ROLL IS THEN WASHED TO ADD SOFTNESS AND TEXTURE.

OUR DOUBLE CASHMERE IS MADE USING GRS CERTIFIED RECYCLED CASHMERE, A PROCESS WHICH FINDS A PURPOSE FOR RAW MATERIALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE DISCARDED.

OUR HEAVYWEIGHT SHAGGY FELT FABRIC IS AN ALPACA AND SILK BLEND. THE THICK AND VOLUMINOUS ALPACA YARNS ARE FELTED AND THEN BRUSHED IN ORDER TO CREATE THE SHAGGY EFFECT.

THE FIRST TIME I HEARD WARSZAWA BY DAVID BOWIE WAS AT A DANCE THEATER REHEARSAL AT PORTERVILLE COLLEGE I WAS WALKING BY…THEY WERE DOING SOME MODERN INTERPRETIVE DANCE TO IT AND I LOVED IT. I REMEMBER BUYING THE ALBUM AND GOING OVER TO MY FRIEND NANCY’S HOUSE – WE USED TO PLAY THAT ALBUM AND WALK AROUND IN CAPES MADE OUT OF BEDSPREADS IN HER GRANDPARENTS’ HOUSE.

TANNED IN THE TUSCAN AREA OF ITALY, OUR SHEARLING MERINO HIDES AND LIGHTWEIGHT SHEARLING LAMB LEATHERS ARE OF AUSTRALIAN AND NORTH SPANISH ORIGIN, RESPECTIVELY. BECAUSE THE HAIR ON OUR SHEARLINGS IS NATURAL, THERE WILL BE VARIATIONS IN HAIR LENGTH AND TEXTURE, MAKING EACH PIECE UNIQUE.

THE TANNERY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OUR SHEARLINGS WAS FOUNDED IN 1975 AND IS LWG CERTIFIED WITH A SILVER RATING.

RENOWNED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD, THEIR EXPERT TEAM PURIFIES THEIR LOCAL WATER SUPPLY, TREATS SEWER SLUDGE AND RECOVERS TANNING BY-PRODUCTS, COMPLETING A CIRCULAR MODEL THAT IS VITAL TO A SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION CYCLE.

THE SKINS USED ARE BY-PRODUCTS OF MEAT PRODUCTION, AND TANNING THEM RECOVERS PARTS OF THE ANIMALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE DISCARDED BY THE FOOD INDUSTRY.