CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN X FINISTERRE | SUSTAINABLE COALESCENCE

Remade, reduced, recycled. Product, environment, people. Two philosophies, two companies, one shared vision. This Autumn/Winter, we’ve teamed up with award-winning designer Christopher Raeburn for the IMMERSE collection.

Decommissioned parachutes, 1950s silk maps, life rafts, bomb disposal jackets – when it comes to sourcing materials for a Christopher Raeburn collection, nothing is off limits. He may be the talk of the catwalk front row, but, like an intrepid archaeologist, finding old fabrics and breathing new life into them is an integral part of the designer’s philosophy. Remade, Reduced, Recycled influences every aspect of his design and development process. And it’s a philosophy that strikes a strong chord with our own. 

This Autumn/Winter season, we’ve partnered with the Hackney-based designer to co-design a series of products for the IMMERSE collection.

“The main inspiration for the collection was the sea, and specifically immersion in the harshest of conditions,” says Christopher. “On a more personal level, it’s also about my trip down to Cornwall and to Finisterre HQ, where I got to meet Tom Kay and embrace cold water surfing with the team. It really allowed me to immerse myself in the world of Finisterre, and the unity was born.”

“The main inspiration for the collection was the sea, and specifically immersion in the harshest of conditions.”

Unveiled at London Fashion Week in January the collection – which features a range of garments and accessories for men and women – draws inspiration from the beauty and fragility of our oceans. “The collection acts as a most creative call to arms,” Christopher says. “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.”

The albatross – a coastal bird tying land to sea and an omen of good luck to seafarers, which has also recently highlighted the scale of the ocean plastic pollution problem – features in various forms throughout the range. Whether it’s outerwear, knitwear, t-shirts or denim, every element of our IMMERSE collection combines the unique Christopher Raeburn design aesthetic with our performance fabrics, sealed seams and recycled insulation. “We’re not a performance-based brand,” explains Christopher, “so it was interesting for us to use sealed seams, new innovative materials and Finisterre’s expertise to give our pieces greater authenticity.”

“It was exciting to work with an internationally respected designer and use that moment to do the unexpected, to open a new customer’s eyes.”

“It was exciting to work with an internationally respected designer and use that moment to do the unexpected, to open a new customer’s eyes,” says Todd, our lead menswear designer. “When we came together, Christopher was really interested in some of the hardware from Cornwall’s maritime environment; shackles, ropes and other stuff you’d find in a local chandlery, but are not quite as easy to come across in Hackney.”

Christopher has built an impressive reputation for forward-thinking design, not just through his dedication to ethical fashion, but also his chopped-up, idiosyncratic take on military design classics. After joining the Air Cadets as a young boy, he’s been fascinated by military clothing and functional fabrics ever since; his collections are deeply inspired by the military, utilitarian aesthetic – albeit with a distinct, 21st century twist.

Pushing back against over-consumption and fast fashion, Christopher deftly combines using materials that would otherwise have gone to waste, with creating new and highly desirable designs. His REMADE studio also hosts Repair Open Days, encouraging customers to bring in their garments to get them mended for free. Like us, he sees the importance of people; he’s also opened up the studio to the local community, using it as a platform to engage and create a dialogue with people – from open days to advanced workshops, where visitors can design their own tote bags using the atelier’s off-cuts.

“I think as a designer, you have an obligation to consider what you are doing and why,” Christopher has said. “Ultimately, we want to make strong, sustainable choices that provide our customers with a completely unique and desirable product. I hope our initiatives can inspire young designers to consider their approach to design. Even in challenging times, creativity shines through.”

We’re naturally proud and excited to join the ranks of brands and organisations Christopher has collaborated with.  

VIEW THE COLLECTION HERE