Every once in a while someone comes up with a label that is fresh and new and appears to tick all the boxes. When Albam was brought to our attention a few months back we made a mental note to keep an eye on them. Their recent fishermans cagoule has been the talk of the interweb so it seemed a good time to find out more. We spoke to James, one of the founders of Albam.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SET UP?
It kind of started for us about 10 years ago, we couldn't get the things that we wanted to wear, there are some great things out there but sometimes you just want something that is in your head and you can't find it. So we decided to see if we could do it. There was no great plan other than to make really well made clothes that we wanted to wear.
THERE ARE TWO OF YOU BEHIND THE VENTURE. YOURSELF AND ALASTAIR. WHO DOES WHAT AND WHAT ARE YOUR RESPECTIVE BACKGROUNDS?
In the broad sense we both get involved with everything, we have worked together for a number of years now so we just tend to know what to do. On a day to day basis, my time is spent a fair bit at factories and working on the garments and Alastair is making sure the wheels keep turning for the store and the mail order side. Before we had the store we could get involved a lot more with all aspects all the time but things seem to be getting busier so we've just taken on lose roles so we can get more things done.
Our backgrounds have been slightly unusual. Alastair spent a number of years at a really successful leisure group as part of a small team setting up operations and doing a load of things. I spent some time at a sizeable denim brand and then a sports company working on some collaborative projects for a couple of years getting involved in all aspects of a small clothing brand.
DESPITE HAVING A SHOP ON BEAK STREET IN LONDON YOUR MYSPACE MENTIONS NOTTINGHAM AND MANCHESTER - INDEED A LOT OF THE PRESS SEEMS TO SUGGEST YOU STARTED IN NOTTINGHAM. CAN YOU CLEAR THAT UP FOR US?
We both went to study in Manchester and stayed for 7 or 8 years so it is kind of where we grew up and got into things, clothes, music. We moved back to Nottingham when we set Albam up as it was in the centre of all our production so just made sense.
WHAT WOULD A TYPICAL DAY BE LIKE FOR YOU BOTH?
Busy! As things get more established with the store and mail order these get busier so Alastair is making sure everything works, keeping an eye on the store, the guys that work there. I spend 2 or 3 days at factories working on products, checking production, sampling and just making sure what we want gets done. The guys at the factories have become good friends over the last couple of years when we went to them with just an idea, so it is really important for us to always be talking with them and making sure they are happy and into what we do.
We'll meet in the evenings and in the store to go through what is selling, fits etc. And then we like to spend at least 2 days a week each in store to see our customers, get there feedback and a catch up. Then the store is open 7 days a week so there is never a quiet time!
ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ASPECTS OF YOUR CLOTHING IS THAT EVERYTHING IS MADE HERE IN ENGLAND AND IT'S STILL VERY LIMITED. CAN YOU SEE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THAT MIGHT CHANGE?
Making in the UK is really important to us and has been an eye opener since we started. Where possible we really want to keep production here, sometimes that isn't possible and sometimes it is. We have had a couple of factories here stop trading which is always a worry and sadly we are not quite at the stage where our orders can keep them going on there own. The way we run our business allows us to make in the UK if we can, we don't wholesale so we don't have a 3rd party margin pushing the prices up higher than they should be or the quality down to get price right.
The flipside is that there are some things that even the Brits can't do! When this happens we go to where it is done the best. Like our deck shoes and mocassins we work with an amazing family run business in the US and they are the last handsewer of deck shoes in the US so it makes sense. Some of our knitwear comes from Italy as do our trousers because they can just do these things so well it wouldn't be right to change it. If there is a chance to bring a product back then we try and do it, some things we are working on for winter 08 which is great, we are only a small company so everything is a push to get it right!
The limited thing is just by chance really. We have never wanted to have a product with the exception of the basics we offer to be made in such quantities that when you save up to buy is then in the sale a week later or you see the rest of the street wearing it. Small runs prevent us wasting fabrics and resources which is better for us and then our customer gets a product that has been made by an individual with care rather than a mass production line.
LIKEWISE YOU CURRENTLY KEEP DISTRIBUTION TO JUST YOURSELVES, WHICH ADDS TO THE APPEAL OF STUFF BEING LIMITED. CAN YOU ENVISAGE A DAY WHEN THAT MIGHT CHANGE?
The fundamental aspect of what we do is that we want to make great clothes and sell them at the price we think is right for that garment without sacrificing quality of fabric or finish. We always talk about how we could wholesale but there is something that would have to give either the price would have to go up to fit in a retailers margin or the quality would go down because we would have to get the garment made for less offshore. To do this would go against what we believe in. If we work with stores it has to be on the terms of the Albam brand and there are only a handful of stores in the UK with our mindset (and these are the stores that are doing well and giving the customers what they want).
IN YOUR INTERVIEW WITH MONOCLE MAGAZINE YOU SUGGEST YOUR CLOTHES ARE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO CREATIVE TYPES. PEOPLE WHO ARE AESTHETICALLY MINDED. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE GROWING APPRECIATION AMONGST WHAT COULD BE TERMED FOOTBALL CASUALS?
We have heard about this and I guess we fit with the essence of their view on clothing. I'm not up to speed with how a Casual would describe themselves but they are into quality, provenance and a great product. I think the fact we spent so much time in Manchester has rubbed off!
THE FISHERMANS CAGOULE YOU'VE DONE SEEM TO HAVE GONE DOWN PARTICULARLY WELL, BEING FEATURED IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES IT STAND OUT?
This is just one of those products that you do and put in the range and have no expectations from and then it just flies! The fabric is amazing, it is a dry wax cotton which just wears like a vintage garment and then the colours we run give it something extra. Our style is pretty understated so to use burnt orange or bright yellow initially seems strange and then you put it on! Internally we tend to not put linings in unless absolutely necessary, we bind the seams to create what looks like a framework. It is more time consuming to do and a bit of a pain but it makes the inside as good as the outside.
WHICH OTHER DESIGNERS/BRANDS DO YOU RESPECT AND WHY?
There are so many and I will not have space to mention them all but some of the first to come to mind are:
DESIGNERS
Massimo Osti - cliche but he was doing it before anyone else was and you could bring it back and it is still great.Raf Simons - He's pretty elusive but his work on his own label in the early days was and is always standout for me and then his input at Jil Sander is impressive.
BRANDS
Patagonia - I used to climb a lot and this brand just ticked all the right boxes. Nothing is without purpose, the vision behind the brand is just amazing and it is one of the few outdoor brands that to me makes the cross over to casual wear without looking like I have just come out from the wild.Hermes - Completely indulgent and I have never bought anything from them, but this is kind of luxury that for those who can afford it is just normal. Their leathergoods I understand to be made in such a time consuming way that other luxury brands shun in favour of churning out products. They just stick to what they do, don't make a fuss and have absolutely no need to be showy.Loopwheeler - All they make is sweatshirts (well they might do T shirts now) and these are the best around at the moment. American knitting machines over in Japan and then the Japanese attention to detail. At the moment! nothing comes close.Persol - the best sunglasses out I think. If they are good enough for the Italians and Steve McQueen then they have my vote.Vans - Just the classic lace up style in blue, red. The best canvas sneaker.
The brands we are into are the ones that have stayed true to their vision and produce fantastic product. They move with the times by being what they are and that is the best at what they do. The others will know who they are.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM ALBAM IN THE COMING MONTHS?
We have styles dropping all the time. Of note is our outerwear, we are working with I think the best outerwear manufacturer in the UK on a number of styles. We have done this utility jacket in immersion cotton which is is really good. We have a new range of footwear coming out, this time all handmade in the UK. They are all great but for me the standout styles are the Desert boot and the Gibson shoe. Our denims aswell have had a tweak, we now have a new style with another on the way, All made in the UK from narrow width selvedge denim woven in Kobe, Japan. The new shirtings are being delivered soon which is good and then onto the Autumn and Winter ranges which is definitely a step up in terms of fabrications, and craftsmanship which we are really looking forward to.
We have just done a short rerun on the Fishermans cagoule in a couple of new colourways and some special orders so if you didn't get them first time round drop us an email.
Thanks to James from Albam for answering our questions.
View their stuff at albamclothing.com
It kind of started for us about 10 years ago, we couldn't get the things that we wanted to wear, there are some great things out there but sometimes you just want something that is in your head and you can't find it. So we decided to see if we could do it. There was no great plan other than to make really well made clothes that we wanted to wear.
THERE ARE TWO OF YOU BEHIND THE VENTURE. YOURSELF AND ALASTAIR. WHO DOES WHAT AND WHAT ARE YOUR RESPECTIVE BACKGROUNDS?
In the broad sense we both get involved with everything, we have worked together for a number of years now so we just tend to know what to do. On a day to day basis, my time is spent a fair bit at factories and working on the garments and Alastair is making sure the wheels keep turning for the store and the mail order side. Before we had the store we could get involved a lot more with all aspects all the time but things seem to be getting busier so we've just taken on lose roles so we can get more things done.
Our backgrounds have been slightly unusual. Alastair spent a number of years at a really successful leisure group as part of a small team setting up operations and doing a load of things. I spent some time at a sizeable denim brand and then a sports company working on some collaborative projects for a couple of years getting involved in all aspects of a small clothing brand.
DESPITE HAVING A SHOP ON BEAK STREET IN LONDON YOUR MYSPACE MENTIONS NOTTINGHAM AND MANCHESTER - INDEED A LOT OF THE PRESS SEEMS TO SUGGEST YOU STARTED IN NOTTINGHAM. CAN YOU CLEAR THAT UP FOR US?
We both went to study in Manchester and stayed for 7 or 8 years so it is kind of where we grew up and got into things, clothes, music. We moved back to Nottingham when we set Albam up as it was in the centre of all our production so just made sense.
WHAT WOULD A TYPICAL DAY BE LIKE FOR YOU BOTH?
Busy! As things get more established with the store and mail order these get busier so Alastair is making sure everything works, keeping an eye on the store, the guys that work there. I spend 2 or 3 days at factories working on products, checking production, sampling and just making sure what we want gets done. The guys at the factories have become good friends over the last couple of years when we went to them with just an idea, so it is really important for us to always be talking with them and making sure they are happy and into what we do.
We'll meet in the evenings and in the store to go through what is selling, fits etc. And then we like to spend at least 2 days a week each in store to see our customers, get there feedback and a catch up. Then the store is open 7 days a week so there is never a quiet time!
ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ASPECTS OF YOUR CLOTHING IS THAT EVERYTHING IS MADE HERE IN ENGLAND AND IT'S STILL VERY LIMITED. CAN YOU SEE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THAT MIGHT CHANGE?
Making in the UK is really important to us and has been an eye opener since we started. Where possible we really want to keep production here, sometimes that isn't possible and sometimes it is. We have had a couple of factories here stop trading which is always a worry and sadly we are not quite at the stage where our orders can keep them going on there own. The way we run our business allows us to make in the UK if we can, we don't wholesale so we don't have a 3rd party margin pushing the prices up higher than they should be or the quality down to get price right.
The flipside is that there are some things that even the Brits can't do! When this happens we go to where it is done the best. Like our deck shoes and mocassins we work with an amazing family run business in the US and they are the last handsewer of deck shoes in the US so it makes sense. Some of our knitwear comes from Italy as do our trousers because they can just do these things so well it wouldn't be right to change it. If there is a chance to bring a product back then we try and do it, some things we are working on for winter 08 which is great, we are only a small company so everything is a push to get it right!
The limited thing is just by chance really. We have never wanted to have a product with the exception of the basics we offer to be made in such quantities that when you save up to buy is then in the sale a week later or you see the rest of the street wearing it. Small runs prevent us wasting fabrics and resources which is better for us and then our customer gets a product that has been made by an individual with care rather than a mass production line.
LIKEWISE YOU CURRENTLY KEEP DISTRIBUTION TO JUST YOURSELVES, WHICH ADDS TO THE APPEAL OF STUFF BEING LIMITED. CAN YOU ENVISAGE A DAY WHEN THAT MIGHT CHANGE?
The fundamental aspect of what we do is that we want to make great clothes and sell them at the price we think is right for that garment without sacrificing quality of fabric or finish. We always talk about how we could wholesale but there is something that would have to give either the price would have to go up to fit in a retailers margin or the quality would go down because we would have to get the garment made for less offshore. To do this would go against what we believe in. If we work with stores it has to be on the terms of the Albam brand and there are only a handful of stores in the UK with our mindset (and these are the stores that are doing well and giving the customers what they want).
IN YOUR INTERVIEW WITH MONOCLE MAGAZINE YOU SUGGEST YOUR CLOTHES ARE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO CREATIVE TYPES. PEOPLE WHO ARE AESTHETICALLY MINDED. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE GROWING APPRECIATION AMONGST WHAT COULD BE TERMED FOOTBALL CASUALS?
We have heard about this and I guess we fit with the essence of their view on clothing. I'm not up to speed with how a Casual would describe themselves but they are into quality, provenance and a great product. I think the fact we spent so much time in Manchester has rubbed off!
THE FISHERMANS CAGOULE YOU'VE DONE SEEM TO HAVE GONE DOWN PARTICULARLY WELL, BEING FEATURED IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES IT STAND OUT?
This is just one of those products that you do and put in the range and have no expectations from and then it just flies! The fabric is amazing, it is a dry wax cotton which just wears like a vintage garment and then the colours we run give it something extra. Our style is pretty understated so to use burnt orange or bright yellow initially seems strange and then you put it on! Internally we tend to not put linings in unless absolutely necessary, we bind the seams to create what looks like a framework. It is more time consuming to do and a bit of a pain but it makes the inside as good as the outside.
WHICH OTHER DESIGNERS/BRANDS DO YOU RESPECT AND WHY?
There are so many and I will not have space to mention them all but some of the first to come to mind are:
DESIGNERS
Massimo Osti - cliche but he was doing it before anyone else was and you could bring it back and it is still great.Raf Simons - He's pretty elusive but his work on his own label in the early days was and is always standout for me and then his input at Jil Sander is impressive.
BRANDS
Patagonia - I used to climb a lot and this brand just ticked all the right boxes. Nothing is without purpose, the vision behind the brand is just amazing and it is one of the few outdoor brands that to me makes the cross over to casual wear without looking like I have just come out from the wild.Hermes - Completely indulgent and I have never bought anything from them, but this is kind of luxury that for those who can afford it is just normal. Their leathergoods I understand to be made in such a time consuming way that other luxury brands shun in favour of churning out products. They just stick to what they do, don't make a fuss and have absolutely no need to be showy.Loopwheeler - All they make is sweatshirts (well they might do T shirts now) and these are the best around at the moment. American knitting machines over in Japan and then the Japanese attention to detail. At the moment! nothing comes close.Persol - the best sunglasses out I think. If they are good enough for the Italians and Steve McQueen then they have my vote.Vans - Just the classic lace up style in blue, red. The best canvas sneaker.
The brands we are into are the ones that have stayed true to their vision and produce fantastic product. They move with the times by being what they are and that is the best at what they do. The others will know who they are.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM ALBAM IN THE COMING MONTHS?
We have styles dropping all the time. Of note is our outerwear, we are working with I think the best outerwear manufacturer in the UK on a number of styles. We have done this utility jacket in immersion cotton which is is really good. We have a new range of footwear coming out, this time all handmade in the UK. They are all great but for me the standout styles are the Desert boot and the Gibson shoe. Our denims aswell have had a tweak, we now have a new style with another on the way, All made in the UK from narrow width selvedge denim woven in Kobe, Japan. The new shirtings are being delivered soon which is good and then onto the Autumn and Winter ranges which is definitely a step up in terms of fabrications, and craftsmanship which we are really looking forward to.
We have just done a short rerun on the Fishermans cagoule in a couple of new colourways and some special orders so if you didn't get them first time round drop us an email.
Thanks to James from Albam for answering our questions.
View their stuff at albamclothing.com
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