tommaso chini

The collection is titled AKAW, a word whose etymology originates and still belongs to the world of surfing. It is used by surfers when they spot a perfect wave, both in terms of its size and its linearity. AKAW is not just a word; it represents a state of mind. For those who belong to this world, it is more than a simple call; it is the moment when adrenaline and the desire to ride the perfect wave are generated. Whoever earns that wave knows that the responsibility is great because it is an opportunity that belongs to one person alone, and for this reason, it must be given the right importance.
As can be understood from the title, the collection is inspired by surfing and extreme water sports, which are part of my life and personal growth. Thanks to this passion, I have been able to visit unknown places where nature is still uncontaminated. Precisely for this reason, I chose to approach the collection in a sustainable way, making upcycling the starting point. The men's/women's outwear collection combines research on technical clothing for extreme water sports with activewear, with thorough research into the functionality of a garment.
To create my collection, I contacted major companies that produce clothing for water sports such as surfing and kitesurfing, asking them for materials discarded from their productions. Industry leaders like ION (https://www.ion-products.com/it) and GA Sails (https://ga-windsurfing.com/sails/) supported my project by providing wetsuits and wing foil sails.
After receiving the materials, I studied their construction and details, piece by piece, and applied them to a mannequin, in order to minimize waste. I also decided to integrate re-ripstop into the collection, an overproduction fabric provided by Majotech (https://majocchi.it/), made with recycled nylon in collaboration with Sea Shepherd (https://www.seashepherd.it/).
As for footwear, I was supported by companies like Clarks (https://www.clarks.eu/it) and Stelio Malori (https://steliomalori.it/). Clarks provided me with the necessary men's shoes, which I later customized with specific details from surf shoes provided by ION. As a first step, I disassembled the surf shoes to obtain certain parts, which I then assembled onto the uppers of the shoes provided by Clarks.
For women's footwear, thanks to the collaboration with Stelio Malori, I had the opportunity to create a model from scratch: the upper is entirely made from the discarded wetsuits I already had, and the heel is made from discarded wood from other heels.
And that’s how AKAW, that wave full of adrenaline, strong emotions and reasonability, I decided to ride it myself.