Background
North Sails had built its reputation by making some of the world’s most advanced sails. The challenge was to bring that same spirit of innovation and performance into apparel, and build a brand with relevance far beyond sailing.

Client
North Sails
Tomasoni Top Sail S.p.a.

Year
2015 – 2016

Team
Fabrizio Di Bon – Creative Director
Morris Kotkamp – Marketing Manager
Stefano Michi – Brand Manager
Clelia Ferramola – Producer
Piero Semenzato – Graphic Design on Product
Domenico Lomonaco – UX Designer
Paul Carroll – UX Writer
Madelon Brakenhoff – Digital Design
Thijs Wehrmeijer – Digital Design
Nick Zoutendijk – Graphic Design on Brand
Mark Goede – Copywriter

As Creative Director, I led the repositioning of North Sails Apparel around a new brand promise: Crafted to Challenge. A platform that transformed the challenger mentality behind sailmaking into an idea that could shape the entire brand.

Working closely with the teams in Rapallo, Italy, I travelled there weekly to lead the brand and product teams and bring the new direction into the business. From brand and campaign to digital, retail and product, Crafted to Challenge became the principle connecting every expression of North Sails Apparel.

The thinking moved all the way into the collection itself, influencing graphics, materials and product design, while shaping the digital platform and the brand’s spatial experience at Pitti Uomo in Florence.

Brand promise

No matter the outcome, we face every challenge with confidence, constantly raising the bar for product innovation and creativity. Informed by the same principles of sail making, our clothing line delivers all-around protection, sophisticated and hybrid design adaptable to multiple scenarios. Meticulously crafted garments made for every challenge that comes our way, symbolizing the resilience and determination that defines us as individuals.

Pitti Uomo.
Firenze

Blueprint Experience

Backdrop video

Crafted to Challenge

Digital Experience

Embrace the Challenge and Break Free from the Ordinary

Together with North Sails we’re reimagining what e-commerce can be. The platform is designed to challenge and inspire you daily, turning your routine into an exciting journey.

The longer the user engage, the more our platform learns about your preferences, delivering new challenges that grow with you. This isn’t just shopping, it’s an adventure tailored to you. By accepting the challenge, you’re unlocking a fresh, dynamic approach to e-commerce where every day brings something new.

Close-up of a black road bicycle with a carbon fiber frame and drop handlebars, set against a black background.

A person holding a smartphone displaying a website with an image of a person in a black coat and text over it.

Smartphone displaying an online shopping app with a gray insulated vest named "Softshell Bodywarmer," priced at €229, size Medium, color Concrete Gray, with a blue "Add to Shopping bag" button. The background is blue with textured, patterned surface.

Product

From graphics to fabrics

I led the brand team in Italy, and I took charge of spearheading the process of developing innovative graphics that were eventually launched in the ss'17 collection. Additionally, I played a pivotal consulting role in the design of the collection for both men and women.

The overarching objective was to ensure that the collection design perfectly harmonized with the fresh brand promise Crafted to Challenge.