120 WHAT'S THE STORY
Willem Wijnen, the CCO of North Sails, focuses on the combination of environmental protection and shopping experience.
Sails manufactured by North Sails are used by participants of both the Volvo Ocean Race and the America’s Cup.
North Sails combines technical innovations from within the sailing sport with an urban lifestyle.
North Sails. FREE THE SEA Following the takeover by Oakley Capital, the sail and sportswear manufacturer North Sails was fundamentally restructured. As part of this process, the apparel collection was completely overhauled. With campaigns such as “Go Beyond Plastic” and the use of new, zero-waste materials, the brand is eager to step up its efforts to protect our oceans.. Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: North Sails
Founded in 1957 by American sailor and Olympic champion Lowell North in San Diego, California, North Sails quickly developed into one of the world’s most innovative sail manufacturers. The company issued a license for a textile collection in 1989. In 2014, North Technology Group, the owner of the North Sails brand, was sold to private equity house Oakley Capital. Tomasoni Topsail, the Italy-based licensee for Europe and Asia, was also acquired by Oakley Capital. In Italy, Tomasoni Topsail manages 16 own North Sails stores and 21 franchise shops, as well as own branches in St.Tropez, Barcelona, and Hamburg. Fresh Breeze
In order to freshen up the sail manufacturer’s sportswear collection, North Sails hired a highly experienced crew. In January 2017, Englishman Ben Mears was appointed as Global Creative Director for the textile collection. Prior to this appointment, he worked 318 style in progress
at Churchs, Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Jaeger, and as Design Director of Tommy Hilfiger. Since August 2016, Dutchman Willem Wijnen has been responsible for global retail and wholesale expansion in his capacity as Chief Customer Officer. In the past, he was the Chief Marketing Officer of the multi-brand store The Sting. “We are well under way to making the collection more sustainable, step by step. Especially our high-volume bestsellers will be made exclusively of sustainable materials in the future. Our logistics and production partners are constantly developing more environmentally friendly processes to further improve our carbon footprint,” Wijnen explains. In January 2018, TP Sports was named as the sales representative for Germany. “We serve more than 1,000 retail customers in Italy, Spain, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Australia,” Wijnen adds. The approx. 300-piece lifestyle collection for men and women is on display at the Pitti Uomo in Florence and at the Premium in Berlin. The more technical and sports-oriented NSX collection consists of approx. 50 items in clean designs. A selective high-performance collection named Crew Performance is dedicated to true sailors. Timeless classics such as polo shirts and chinos are available as part of a NOS programme. Active Marine Conservation
The t-shirts - and soon also the sweatshirts - of the Free The Sea capsule collection are
made of Recover Blue, a blend of recycled cotton and PET bottles. One percent of North Sails’ worldwide sales are donated to the UK-based Ocean Family Foundation. The foundation is committed to preserving the biodiversity of our oceans and combats the spread of marine pollution. “Our motto is ‘Go Beyond’, which means that the promotion of innovation and the spirit of discovery are fundamental elements of the North Sails philosophy. We strive to expand our nature conversation efforts, thus taking even more responsibility for the preservation of our planet. Here in our headquarters in Italy, we no longer use PET bottles. We drink filtered tap water from Dopper bottles,” Wijnen reveals. In addition, North Sails supports projects such as A Plastic Planet, an initiative to avoid disposable plastic packaging. The list of current North Sails brand ambassadors includes marine biologist Ocean Ramsey, who dedicates her life to the conservation of Great White Sharks in Hawaii, and underwater photographer Juan Oliphant, the founder of the One Ocean Research & Diving Association. In Italy, the marine biologist Maria Sole Bianco of the World Commission of Protected Areas (WCPA) acts as a brand ambassador. She gives speeches at schools and organises many beach clean-up campaigns. With this in mind, let us Free The Sea from as much plastic waste as possible! www.northsails.com
