27 October 2022 |
Be it mountain sports and city living that suits you, Goldwin 0 just released a streamlined and sustainable collection that can dress you for both – and it does it with dancing. With creative direction and concept creation by OK-RM, a collaborative design studio working within undefinable parameters founded in 2008 by Oliver Knight and Rory McGrath, the offshoot brand of the house-hold Goldwin label has just launched its first highly-functional collection. Working in tandem with the Goldwin Team in Japan, design director Julia Rodowicz and lead designer Jean-Luc Ambridge created a high-performance collection of transitional, versatile garms with multi-functional effects in a range dubbed Enquiry 2. This inaugural collection from Goldwin 0 marks a big step in the right direction, toward a congenial and cohesive relationship between the wearer and the world around them.
In case you didn’t know, Goldwin 0 is an experimental branch of the heritage brand; a platform for connectivity and collaboration, it is the model for “the harmonious confluence of creativity” that’s core quest lies in the synthesis of art and science through an attitude of care and repair. Circularity is in its blueprints, striking a harmonious balance with nature. So no doubt, it’s an extremely sustainable line too.
“It’s difficult to be different within the sphere of sustainability at the moment, many brands are claiming sustainability but some other practices may counteract this,” Ambridge notes. “I think one thing we established early on is it’s not just about designing sustainably, it’s about being systematic in our approach.” The collection was designed and produced solely in Japan, reducing the carbon footprint of air travel, 3D development helped reduce waste in the sampling and development stages, and an in-house repair service ensures wearers get the most out of their garments, in a bid to combat throwaway culture.
Exerting this responsible attitude toward production, the unisex offering includes a utilitarian shell jacket, ski pants with ventilation zippers, and optical tops and pants, all made from recycled Gore-Tex product, as well as polyester made out of recycled PET bottles. The Fair Isle knits are also made with Spiber’s Brewed Protein™, a fibre that drastically reduces water usage. The material has a fleece-like texture and can be worn as post-workout relaxation wear due to its breathability. “We believe the partnership with Spiber will grow to create our garments in future seasons. The Brewed Protein™ material can easily game change the fashion industry,” says Goldwin 0 art director Taro Motoda.
Plus, by tapping into Japanese WholeGarment 3D printing technology developed by Shima-Seiki Japan, knitwear was able to be printed at once using cruelty-free wools. “We are tapping into Goldwin’s heritage by bringing wool – a fibre that naturally regulates moisture, temperature and odour – back onto the ski slopes,” says Rodowicz. In fact, the design duo was majorly inspired by a 1960s Goldwin ski sweater and traditional alpinist gear.
Working with the Goldwin factory and Test Lab in Toyama, high-performance fabrics were tested under the volatile conditions of all weather and new technologies were developed in an effort to increase comfort and to enhance utility. “Designing items that can be lightweight, have adjustable breathability and a layering system allows them to be worn across seasons and the world, increasing their longevity and wearability,” Ambridge says.
A functionally formidable range, a packable parka expands to hold a bicycle helmet or backpack using an ultrasonic crimping process makes it feathery-lightweight, a nylon double weave padded parka can be attached to a shell jacket and worn as a mid-layer or by itself and pieces are fully waterproof and windproof with an adjustable drawcord to reduce cold-air penetration
The Earth’s geological formations inspired this collection, too. Ambridge explains that a lot of the panelling he designed was informed by natural structures such as Strata lines in cave structures and the wings of a native Japanese species of butterfly. Rodowicz, on the other hand, felt humbled by the elements in her investigation into our relationship with nature, taking ideas from “the harsh environment and exquisite beauty of the mountains of Toyama where Goldwin was born”.
The accompanying film directed by OK-RM and Daniel Shea, acts as both moving image and lookbook, a dynamic, seven-part exploration of the body, space, sound and motion in relation to one another. Set amongst the expressive, free-flowing contemporary dance phrases that filled the campaign were evidently used as a tool of demonstration rather than distraction. OK-RM explain, “The ambition for the 31 movements of Enquiry 2 was to treat each as almost a morphemic unit – a self-contained word that can then be arranged and rearranged to create meaningful syntax. We aimed to offer something pragmatic, clear and pure; a structural framework.” Of course, the adoption of dance as a resonant means of communication was integral to the practical garments and their potentialities, because first and foremost, the Goldwin 0 garments are for movement, action and life. Darcy Wallace’s choreography responded to this notion of contemporary functionality with ease, composing an elaborate fresco of gestures requiring heavy physical exertion and elementary movement just the same. Referencing Goldwin’s peerless heritage as a world-leading outdoor apparel specialist, every motion speaks to the innate wearability of the togs. “The way in which we filmed the movements is a key aspect of the interpretation; the plain camera position carries a blunt conceptual approach akin to films by the likes of Trisha Brown, John Baldessari and Bruce Nauman,” they say.
This all said, it’s unsurprising that Goldwin 0 will continue to be sustainably innovative and strive for zero impact in the future. “We want to better ourselves as designers and manufacturers by constantly reducing the impact of our product on the environment,” Rodowicz declares, adding, “We hope to inspire other brands to do the same.”
Goldwin 0 is continuing its research to further the implementation of a reduced environmental impact through production, pattern development and endeavouring to implement improved systems that increase the longevity of the garms. “We want to make sure Goldwin 0’s products are always created and well thought through “science” (heritage and futuristic innovation) with a blend of “nature” (to co-exist / connecting human with natural surroundings) designed with an artistic approach that adds “emotion” to the garment,” Motoda concludes.
Photography courtesy of Goldwin. Shop the collection here.
