Earlier this year in a SS25 showcase set in a Parisian wildflower allotment, “slow made” apparel brand Story mfg. unveiled their plans for the coming months by revealing three collaborations with some of contemporary footwear’s best and brightest.
With ASICS and Suicoke projects waiting in the wings, the first wearable testament to Story mfg.’s ethos and unique aesthetic will come courtesy of ROA Hiking. An intuitive team-up, the Italian outdoor mainstay and serial perpetuators of the gorp aesthetic share Story mfg.’s values of emphasizing functionality through avant-garde, low-impact materials, always with environmental consciousness at the fore.
For the uninitiated, Story mfg. is an ethically-focused lifestyle and clothing brand founded by Saeed and Katy Al-Rubeyi, best known for its proclivity towards making the most of the natural world, resulting in pieces that favour handmade processes and alternative fibers.
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Story mfg. even looks to renewable energy sources for production, where packaging is always made from recycled, biodegradable materials.
Captured by Hollie Fernando, the campaign of this joint venture is set in Mohamed Hamid’s Star Pottery studio in East Sussex, where Hamid has led workshops for over thirty years, teaching countless students the art of clay wrangling.
Coming in a special box, complete with recycled paper straw padding and a poem card by Khalil Gibran, Story mfg.’s interpretation of the ROA Katharina makes use of the former’s proprietary checkered white & blue pattern traditionally found in rural farms across France and Japan.
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Using 100% natural, indigo dyed yarn, the cotton fabric is hand-loomed in Thailand, giving each shoe a unique finish and appearance.
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Everything else is classic ROA design language, with a rubberised toecap and custom Vibram outsole reinforcing the functional origins of the Katharina.
Using the same material, Story mfg. x ROA’s vest features a white and blue grid pattern design, with bundles of natural cotton filling the diamond-stitched baffles. Coming with an adjustable hood and two diagonal chest pockets, the vest is signed off with hand-embroidered logos.
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The debut Story mfg. x ROA Hiking collaboration is available today, Thursday, August 8th at 17:00 BST, dropping online at storymfg.com.
