Experiencing Sunspel's Sea Island Cotton

"Being so simple, it has to stand and fall on the quality of the product. There are no distractions to hide behind," explains Sunspel's John Mart as he introduces the Sea Island Cotton collection. Despite working in the clothing trade all his life and at Sunpel for over twelve years, this fabric obsessive's excitement for the latest release is obvious. Sitting in his office, located in the heart of their Long Eaton factory, the moment my fingers graze the soft, silk-like cotton I can see that his excitement is more than justified. Consisting of a brief, a one button short, a vest, a crew and a v neck t-shirt, the Sea Island range is considered minimalism at its best. These are truly luxurious basics worth getting excited about.

The range itself might be the finest examples of minimalism but the Sea Island journey has been far from simple. To create the Sea Island Cotton collection, this national institution (that has been making the finest English underwear and t-shirts since 1860) have leant on all of their expertise and pushed themselves that bit more. "We've been working on the Sea Island Cotton project for quite some time, at least two years since we first started talking about it," confirms Mart. As we sit and admire the range, it is obvious that a great deal of time, thought and effort have gone in to making the most of the rich fruits of the Gossypium Barbadense plant and its expert spinners in Switzerland.

"We would find ourselves on a table of six or seven people, scrutinising all aspects from stitch length to at great length," admits the brand's Sales Director Marcus Black. "We had to get it right. It had to be perfect. There is nowhere to hide. The less you have, the more you have to scrutinise." Being so minimal, there is nowhere to hide but the moment you feel the cotton and admire the subtle details and considered finishes, you realise that the product, as well as the fabric it champions, deserves celebration.

Cotton has been used as a staple fabric for thousands of years so 'why is Sea Island Cotton so special?' I hear you cry. Well, there are numerous variations but in Sunpel's latest collection, they are undoubtedly using the finest and rarest. Having long been preferred by the upper echelons of British society (it was Queen Victoria's handkerchief of choice) it was wiped out by a widespread infestation of weevil. After brave efforts to preserve this strain of rare cotton through careful cultivation of seeds that survived the weevil infestation, Sea Island cotton has in recent times experienced a resurgence. Today it is grown and hand-picked by a few dedicated experts on small islands in the Caribbean, where the optimum amount of sunshine, rain and humidity allows the unique genus of plant to bloom. In addition to this fantastic tale, Sea Island’s unique combination of qualities explain why it is so highly prized. Its extra long staple length, fine uniform texture, great tensile strength, silky lustre and an extraordinarily soft feel combine to create something truly special. Something that Sunspel were keen to sustain and showcase throughout this range.

"When the fabric is so gorgeous, you just want to keep it simple because it should all be about the Sea Island Cotton," enthuses Clare Freeman, Sunspel's Head of Design, as she talks me through the design process. "With something so simple, you have to go in to so much more detail. A great deal of time and thought were invested in the whole collection."  Surrounded by samples it is once again clear that although the finished products appear simple, the processes behind them were anything but. The pile of briefs on the table alone demonstrates this point perfectly.

The five stages of brief evolution.

"We worked on sample after sample, reworking the seams so that they were as hidden as possible and we've even changed our branding so that it is more discreet. For something so simple as the briefs, we worked through so many prototypes. As a design team, we were dreaming pants. They were initially based on another brief that we did, the Q82 block but they soon evolved in to something quite different, it had to be both slick and confortable. We were always looking at the finishing and again, we were constantly looking to both simplify and refine, from reducing the leg height, shape and the angle of seam. it was the evolution of the pant. For the final two samples, due to how the machines worked in production we devised a way of binding them so that the seams were invisible. There are no side seams and they are as clean as possible." Clare Freeman, Sunspel's Head of Design.

The same level of thought applied to the design stage was demanded in production. Due to the admirable qualities of the fabric itself, namely its stretch and movement, Sunspel's craftmanship was tested and they were not found wanting. "Little things had to be adapted and developed along the way in order to get the very best from the fabric," admits Production Manager, Mart.

Following countless tests, trials and adjustments, the first pieces went through the manufacturing process before my eager and enthralled eyes last month. I followed the crew, v, vest, brief and boxer along each stage from relaxing and rolling the fabric right through to cutting, stitching, trimming sewing, ironing and packing. Produced in very limited numbers, it takes nine people at the Long Eaton factory to handcraft each unit. It is arguably the closest a man can get to the refined luxury of artisan craftsmanship his his everyday wear. Every detail, from the shape, fit and finish of the collection have been scrutinised to ensure the utmost quality. I watched on as six of the women, who had a total of over fifty years experience at Sunspel, combined their skills and talent to create the first few items of Sunspel Sea Island Cotton. I excitedly snapped away as the action unfolded...

Experiencing Sunspel's Sea Island Cotton.

Freeman, Mart and the entire Sunspel team have been dreaming about pants and the other basics in this Sea Island Cotton range so we don't have to give them a second thought. We can just slip them on and admire how they feel, cling and drape just perfectly.

Trine Lindegaard SS13

"I make clothes that are bright and have some aspects of playfulness to them" purrs Trine Lindegaard in her soft Danish accent as she stands in in her East London studio and introduces me to her SS13 offering. "I love working with colour and generally like to have fun when I develop a collection." Her words only echo the findings of my eyes as they dart between the frolicsome fabrics. Ever since Lindegaard first came to our attention following her accomplished MA graduate show from the RCA, we've fallen for her sartorial charms thanks to her dynamic palette and light hearted, joyful approach to menswear. SS13 makes us fall that bit deeper.

For SS13, Lindegaard has focused on what she does best; exploring new techniques and textile developments. Lindegaard simply explains the collection as "a colourful collection that celebrates the traditional craftsmanship of Ghanaian fabric weavers whilst adding some sporty elements and of course, the odd bit of embellishment." The collection quickly evolved from an approach from an West African based charity and an introduction to the wonders of their local weavers. Ultimately, the Danish born design talent celebrates their great textile tradition whilst breathing fresh life in their work by mixing it with Western hi-tech materials to achieve a wearable and modern collection.

"It is great to work with in terms of its colour and texture," she explains as she thumbs a sweatshirt. "I try to keep to their traditional patterns but I tweak it a bit in terms of colour combinations and of course using them in an entirely different way." Traditionally hand woven by the Akan tribes in West Africa, the Kenta has a distinctive identity that comes not only from its rich quality, pattern and colour but also its cultural and historical significance. It is an icon of African cultural heritage around the world, Akan Kente is identified by its dazzling, intricate, multicoloured mix of bright hues, geometric shapes, and bold designs. The material is entirely handmade, from the picking of the cotton to the dying of the yarn and ultimately, through to the weaving of the fabrics. Lindegaard worked closely with the Ghanaian fabric weavers for S/S13 in hope to support and raise awareness of this amazing but unfortunately fading craft. "The collection is rooted in these African fabrics. I wanted to take them away from their traditional use, the wraparound dresses and headpieces, and their links to social status. I wanted to make them more accessible but still keep the traditional influences. I've used a lot of technical fabrics and dying throughout to keep it fresh."

On a grey November morning the sight of this collection was just what we needed. We were transported to a different world. It left the pulses of our eyes racing and our enthusiasm was reignited with the recent delivery of the Ivona Chrzastek shot look book. Feast on the vivid visuals of the look book and get drunk from our own detail shots....

 

Look book credits: Shot by Ivona Chrzastek with styling by Naz Di Nicola & Kusi Kub

Dazzled all over again. Given the timing of my visit, Trine Lindegaard's mind was caught between the production of this collection and designing AW13. A designer has to be a multi tasker and with various projects in the works, this Lindegaard is a fine plate spinner. I'll leave you with a glimpse in to the future thanks to the excited words from the designer herself. 

"I'm taking elements of this season forward to next and I've also been working with a charity called Fine Cell Work. They train prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework which is undertaken in the long hours spent in their cells. They've been around for fifteen years or so, they do amazing cross stitching with prisoners. All of the guys are young and tough, as you'd expect, but they hand embroider cushions, it's so strange. I'm working on product development with them. It's great working with them and I'm excited to see how it all develops." Her enthusiasm for textile development is infectious. We share Lindegaard's excitement and can't wait to see this design talent continue to develop before our wanting eyes.