“I’d like to help you with your struggle to be free”
50 Ways, Paul Simon
50, 72 Smalldive’s first collection of men’s accessory, is a capsule collective of men’s bags designed for commuting and traveling. Accompanying the collection is a mini selection of sundry items of belts and wallets. 50 is a subtle tongue in cheek response to Paul Simon’s pop-hit that despite the 50 ways to leave a lover, there is only 1 way to make an entrance or exit elegantly. Design wise, subtlety permeates through the collection, and occasionally broken down by the team’s love for asymmetry in aesthetics. Whilst the exterior are kept minimal and simple, the bags interior are created with various compartments to serve the demanding and at times complicated needs of our male urban warriors. Wool felt (sourced from Piacenza wool mills) and calfskin are chosen to emphasize the feel factor of the collection; both materials are known for their suppleness and yet resistance to the climate.
Trivia
01 Why wool felt? Here’s why:
Felt is perhaps one of the most unique and versatile industrial fabrics available. Its many properties are unrivaled by any other single material.
a. Wool Felt is highly resilient, retaining its strength and unique properties for decades.
b. Wool Felt is chemical resistant.
c. Wool Felt is flame retardant and self-extinguishing.
d. Felt is wear resistant.
e. Felt cuts with a clean edge and Felt does not ravel or fray.
f. Felt can be hard enough to turn on a lathe or soft enough to be sewn.
g. Felt can be exposed to the natural physical elements e.g. rain, sun, wind
h. Felt maintains its physical properties as it wears
i. Felt is incredibly resilient, able to be compressed and released thousands of times without deformity.
j. Felt can be highly absorbent, and can retain many times its weight in fluids.
k. Wool felt is a renewable and environmentally friendly resource.
