Post Surf Artisan Collection 001 // A return to handmade

January 13, 2021

Artisan Collection 001 Cover Photo

Co- Founder Claire here. Last year I set off on a 6 month trip to surf my way through India, Sri Lanka, and Bali. As many stories you have probably heard before go: After years of working in fashion and living in the city I found myself burnt out and completely disillusioned with what was really happening in the industry I spent so much time building my career in. As both a designer and a consumer I felt increasingly disconnected from those who were actually making my clothes and even more disheartened with the way fast fashion was impacting our environment. In an effort to slow down my own life and find a new rhythm with the waves, I also wanted to reconnect with slow fashion and what handmade really means.

Post surf was an idea Gabbie and I had for over a year and the addition of “collective” to our name really came from this feeling we had meeting so many amazingly talented women makers during our travels. We wanted a way to incorporate community into our business model and celebrate the creativity and common interests of women who inspire us and most importantly share their stories. Artisan collection 001 features Manvi: The Handmade and Palm & Pine crochet. We are excited to announce the third artisan in this collection in the coming weeks who is hard at work finishing some beautiful pieces for us.

While living in southern India, I serendipitously met the nephew of a woman named Sujata who is the owner and founder of Manvi: the handmade. I saw Manvi pieces for the first time and learned about the ancient art of chikankari, a delicate hand embroidery on fine fabrics that is specific to a region in northern India and has been passed down for generations. We later were able to connect with Sujata herself and Post Surf x Manvi became a reality. Manvi is not only woman owned but focuses on empowerment of women . In the words of Sujata “We have made a conscious effort to recognize and challenge cultural and structural barriers that hinder women from working and achieving monetary independence” Her work with and for women provides opportunity for them to not only the express their creativity but also to rise out of poverty through preserving an ancient and culturally significant art form. In addition, all their processes are eco-friendly and low impact.

The second artisan featured in this collection is Gen Duffy founder of Palm & Pine. We had admired Gen’s work for a long time and really felt her connection to nature and the ocean. Crocheting is another handcraft that has been passed down through generations of women and Gen brings a fresh and modern perspective to it. Her tops are the perfect mix of feminine and effortless cool.

Without further ado, we present to you the lookbook of Artisan Collection 001: a return to handmade.

X , Claire and Gabbie