Garbstore x Sage Nation ‘Archive Editions’

First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and why this collaboration and project was of interest?

I am a designer / creative director based in London. I am all about keeping things as home-grown as possible so it is great to work with Garbstore. Garbstore is a brand that has been around for a long time and has a great history of working with the types of brands that informed what I do now. It was a project that challenged my usual process and made a lot of sense for me - it was a pleasure working on it.

How did you manage to channel your signature design philosophy into a rebuild project?

I apply the same approach as always. Developing pieces that honour three principles: Purpose, perspective and balance. When it comes to reworking and rebuilding clothes, there is a fine line between over working something or not re-working something enough. As a designer I think it is important to exercise this skill.

Can you tell us about which items you chose to work with from the Garbstore archive and which of them stood out to you?

I was particularly drawn to the earth tone colour palette in Garbstore’s collections, choosing the garments that I felt worked together in their tonalities and could compliment someones wardrobe seamlessly. I wanted to make this capsule something that people could visualise working with their everyday life and not distracting from their current uniform. Garbstore pieces are really well constructed, a personal favourite of mine are the Cordura fabric pieces, it's great for everyday use and comfort.

Much of both Garbstore’s and your recent collections are inspired by military garments and workwear. Could you talk us through how you find inspiration for your designs?

I am drawn to clothes that were designed for a purpose and intention. For me, this means that it is only natural to explore workwear and military references.

This is the first time you’ve had the opportunity to rework an existing collection, do you think this project has allowed you to showcase a side of the brand that people haven’t necessarily seen before?

I sometimes actually prefer to work with restrictions. I think if lockdown has taught us anything it is that we shouldn’t be limited by our restrictions. Sometimes the best design has been created through times of constraint and limitations - it is about working with what you have. I enjoyed working in collaboration, it allowed me to showcase a different angle to my vision, giving a moment for slight redirection and experimentation.

A lot of the pieces in collection are 1 of 1’s – what made you create such limited units?

Re-imagining archive garments meant working with what we had so the range of sizes often only made a 1 of 1 possible to produce, which is pretty cool. It adds that level of exclusivity to the project. It was about stripping it all back to the fundamentals of garment construction and getting tactile with it again.

How does this rework project resonate with your own views on upcycling and sustainability?

It all comes down to functionality and longevity. The reworking process reminded me of the evolving psyche that product design requires with the purpose of continuously trying to improve its efficiency and functionality whilst maintaining its aesthetic value. The further we move from momentary design and closer to those that equip a self aware consumer the better.

What’s next for Sage Nation?

My second collection will be releasing as part of SS22; it will be the first collection to be stocked globally in stores.