It's been 20 years already!
2020 was therefore a special year for the brand and once a quick assessment had been made it was important to look towards the future.
The results.
The results are pretty cool. Twenty years after starting out, storing freshly delivered t-shirts from the local screen printer in my grandparents' garage, then selling the brand in the coolest surf shops over the first few seasons—even though some of them are no longer there—none of this would have been possible without their support: Surfer's and Antipodes in Bordeaux, Tutti Frutti in Cap Ferret, Odyssée in Andernos, Maracuja in Royan, Mister Good Deal in Brest, Zone d'Impact in Anglet, Neway Hossegor, Blue Hawaii in Biscarrosse, Wishbone in Vieux Boucau... and so many more. In a time before e-commerce existed, working with the best independent surf shops was a real opportunity and a great learning experience.
In 2020, it's a very different world in which a brand must evolve. More than ever, I'm delighted to welcome you to our physical store in Arcachon. Our online store and social media have become the easiest way to offer you our collections and connect with our community. The brand has retained a few exclusive retailers, true partners who help us convey our message to their customers.
I'm especially pleased that 20 years after its launch, the brand has been able to maintain its original DNA and independence, and that our community has grown organically, without the need for excessive marketing campaigns. Word of mouth is our best form of advertising.
The brand has continued to progress in the quality of its products and services, and has been able to invest in numerous projects and support many riders over the past 20 years.
2020.
This season will be marked by several significant events.
- Pierre Louis Costes
It's hard to have missed it, but for those who don't already know, two-time World Bodyboarding Champion Pierre Louis Costes has just joined Sen No Sen. His arrival will allow us to showcase our collections to a wider audience, and it's important for PLC to demonstrate that it's possible to do things differently and more responsibly. He will now be surfing in Yulex natural rubber wetsuits and wearing our organic cotton clothing made in Portugal. These are essential values that the French champion wants to share with his community.
- Our commitment to an even more responsible approach
- In 2020, the majority of wetsuits produced will be made of natural rubber , with the goal of producing 100% of our wetsuits in a few months. Now, with the best synthetic neoprene, performance is no longer the deciding factor. Therefore, I've decided to prioritize Yulex over Limestone, which has a higher carbon footprint and a greater environmental impact.
- I have also removed all plastic packaging from all of our textile collections and surf suits, which will therefore arrive from the workshops without plastic.
- Our t-shirts and sweatshirts are made in Portugal in quality workshops, offering working conditions that exceed European standards, with priority given to organic cotton and recycled fabrics.
- All our products are designed to last and we offer a recycling program for textiles and wetsuits.
- New collaborations
A little exclusive here, I can already announce that we are working on some collaborations that will be released throughout the year.
Pierre Louis Costes will have his own signature suit, which should be released in the second half of the year.
This summer we'll be releasing a collaboration with the French swimwear brand Albertine . I know girls are eager for more styles for themselves, and this will be a great opportunity to treat yourselves!
A project close to my heart, a new collaboration with free surfer Jared Mell. I won't say more here; I'll let you discover this unique collaboration for yourselves!
We're also going to release a collaboration with a famous leash brand. For our 20th anniversary, we're designing a line of surf accessories with our guiding principles: style and quality. I'm keeping that under wraps for now!
We are currently working with Chipiron Surfboards , the surf brand based in Hossegor, on a line of wetsuits designed for the whole family.
There should also be a few surprises, just the way I like them! And of course, the element of surprise is important here. Everything will be announced in due course.
- Our spring/summer textile collection
For its 20th year, the spring/summer collection was inspired by the origins of surfing and surfwear. I won't say more for now; we'll have the opportunity to discuss it in more detail soon! It will be a delicate mix of Sen No Sen's signature style and the surfwear that defined my teenage years.
- The return of SNS videos
In the early 2000s we produced 3 feature films: French Touch , Rock The Life and We Don't Give a F***.
I've been wanting to get back to working on video projects for a while now. 2020 seems like the perfect year, and we're already working on two formats: a feature film, which will most likely be a bodyboarding film, and a web series in the form of documentaries called "People from the Ocean." I'm really looking forward to telling you more about these projects soon!
The future of the brand.
I want to avoid making too many long-term plans and let my own desires guide the brand's trajectory. What's certain is that I'll focus on all the little details I can improve regarding the brand's sustainability, as I always have. Today, we have access to more information on the subject to improve our best practices. Collaborations with other brands and surfers will, I hope, help spread the message as widely as possible.
The brand should also export more in the future, which is a big challenge to overcome.
What's important to me is that the brand retains its DNA and identity while evolving as it has over the past 20 years. It's very exciting to turn this page and to be able to continue writing the SNS story with all of you and to continue making your lives better with the brand!
