It's rare that a new menswear brand comes into the market offering something entirely unique that isn't ludicrously avant garde, or worse, an old fashion trope dressed up in marketing garb. Which is why we really had our heads turns when we recently learned about SEASE, an Italian brand that combines three unusual pillars at its core: urban, sailing and skiing. On paper, it sounds at first rather incongruous, but dig a little deeper and it all makes perfect sense. The performance wear aspects of sailing attire and skiwear are easy bedfellows with todays contemporary urbanwear, which demands high quality performance fabrics that are innately stylish while having all the functionality you would expect from sportswear. The SEASE wardrobe reflects the lifestyle of the contemporary consumer, for whom the city and nature are the two fundamental paths. Founders Franco Loro Piana and his brother Giacomo have put together a menswear concept that is truly unique, bringing together hi-tech fabrications with the inherent knowledge of natural fibres that their surname infers. Tech layers and merino wool soft shells are for more technical garments, while traditional cashmere knitwear is ideal for more casual looks.
The Rake recently caught up with Franco to get the low-down on this exciting new brand, available on TheRake.com...
How did the concept for SEASE come about?
When I was living in New York city, I often spent weekends in Montauk. On Fridays I would pack for the weekend, which inspired me to focus on all the essentials, like gear and items for practicing sports in full contact with nature. So the brand was born from the idea of a bag and six items, blending heritage with performance in a very contemporary way. Since then, it has evolved from the idea of minimal kit into a Guardaroba Contemporaneo (literally Contemporary Wardrobe) of versatile items for living in the city and outdoor. Pursuing one’s passions and sharing them with your friends and team allow for an emotional attachment, like with a crew and their uniforms: clothes can convey a sense of belonging, evoke experiences, even almost absorb your emotions. When this happens, their intangible value grows.
What does SEASE mean?
On the one hand, SEASE evokes the sea, which is the quintessence of a natural element, capable of unleashing strong passions and emotions. On the other, it suggests “ease”, meaning liberation, relaxation, rediscovering one’s own rhythm and harmony with nature. In SEASE a positive tension is created between adrenaline-fuelled elements and a more rarefied dimension that I think well interprets an emerging contemporary sensitivity.
How did it all start?
Two years ago, after leaving the family business, I felt the need to express my creative part, to begin a new adventure in the sector I came from, and I understood that the right way to do that would be to draw on my experiences. I focused on myself, on my values, and my passions.
