Month: November 2020

On Sunday my friend and board member Will Paxton took a socially distanced group out on The Velvet Hammer sailboat to take photos for my capsule collection. As a seven time National Champion he weighs in on my brand ensuring each piece is relevant and tested at sea. He also has an appetite for winning in any endeavor, and he holds me accountable for moving the brand to the next level in all aspects. It was fitting that he would be there for this memorable photo shoot.

Expanding My Vision

Retail has melted down as the pandemic continues, but in my little corner of the retail market we have been able to thrive. One of the reasons is my vision for a sustainable alternative in sportswear has never been more relevant. The Ocean SF brand is dedicated to providing an ethical and sustainable alternative to the outdoor wear that is currently being made overseas without regard to ethical or sustainable fabrics or practices. If you can buy a pair of jeans for $12.00 you know something is very wrong.

Our products including my signature 100% Merino Wool jackets are sewn near Union Square in San Francisco by third generation sewers. My fabrics are 100% biodegradable and environmentally conscious. Now I’m adding home sewers for small runs and samples providing a livable wage for women who work from home.

Redefining Beauty

I didn’t expect for social change to be part of my brand identity, but it is. Everything I do is always with a sense of awareness of it’s impact. Therefore, I couldn’t do a small Sunday photo shoot with close friends without bearing that in mind. On the eve of the shoot I confirmed the participation of professional models Galen and Christopher to come and challenge all perceptions of beauty and masculinity. They both modeled for me last year at fashion week. They arrived on time and ready to change the world.

This shoot had a very, “the rest is history” feel to it. Galen or just G. pushes the boundaries of what our society has historically viewed as beautiful. To me she could not be more beautiful. Her beauty shines through her lovely face and eyes when you talk with her. There are so many things that make this professional special and I hope to see her grace my pages again in the future.

If we move to all unisex clothing we can dissolve the gender roles that define us.

Christopher, a man comfortable in his masculinity, has a quiet reserve. He has a deep voice and one of those slow curvy smiles. Luckily for us, he was willing to wear our iconic linen dress in the spirit of Harry Styles who wore a ball gown on the cover of Vogue this month. Ironically, I received my copy of the issue the day after shooting Christopher in the Ocean SF linen dress. I think the difference is that a man could actually wear our linen dress. It’s very comfortable, breathable and looks great on just about everyone, including a man.

But, it was more than just that, Christopher wore it with a certain masculine vulnerability that I’ve not seen before. He walked that razor sharp edge that pushes boundaries, but at the same time looked and felt like the new normal. I think everyone there recognized that this was a moment we would all remember.

Women weren’t allowed to wear pants until Coco Chanel popularized them in France in 1930.

Women in Pants

It wasn’t until 1930 when Coco Chanel made her first pair of white linen wide legged trousers did the idea of women in pants begin to be acceptable. In 1850 pants were introduced for women, but they became something one wore under a dress. Women were not allowed to wear pants on the U.S. Senate Floor until 1993. Why can’t men wear dresses? I think they can wear whatever they like.

Changing the World

When I started Ocean SF I had the simple idea to make clothes that were warm. I knew wool was the perfect material for this chilly sport. I simply wanted to be warm while sailing, but I couldn’t find the clothes I needed that I liked. Seeking something classic and chic to wear that would keep me toasty warm I came up empty handed no matter how much money I threw at it. So, I hired a former Gucci pattern maker and made my first prototype in 2016. From there I milled my own technical wool fabric for my signature jacket in Asia.

I was new to design and the clothing business, but I held the vision in my mind that I wanted to wear natural fabrics sailing, skiing, hiking and dodging about in my life. I did not want to wear polyester even on a walk around San Fransisco. As this idea began to form and grow I became more interested in environmental factors. As a lifelong environmentalist I began researching the impact of polyester on drinking water. I’ve been fighting single use plastic for years. Then, my attention turned to fast fashion and the impact of polyester fleece on our oceans and water ways. Now, I am looking at how Ocean SF can help women earn a livable wage and change the way we see beauty and masculinity, gender-fluidity and non-binary dressing.

My initial vision was environmentally focused.

Now, I see my vision expanding as we push the boundaries of what beauty is. We are all evolving and as tough as 2020 has been it has made me more aware of how I view the world. We are all important. We are all beautiful.

If there is one thing this year has taught me it is to be myself and let others do the same.

How To Keep Your Dreams Alive During Covid-19

7 ways to keep your dream alive are the methods I used to keep my dream alive during this Global Pandemic. I hope these helps you to keep your own dreams alive.

Being an entreprenuer is about consistently following your dreams day after day. Last Spring I thought to myself “Am I going to let my dream die?” I own a sustainable sailing apparel company called Ocean SF and as the retail industry melted down and sales plummeted it was becoming a very real possibility.

I believe that happiness is a choice and you have to fight for it. Being an entrepreuneur is no different. Starting a business is the easy part and working at it day by day is the hard part. There are many times when I thought it would be easier to fold and walk away than to continue. As I sat at home in isolation I thought to myself I can’t let this happen.

The Retail Market and Covid-19

I watched in horror as one retailer after another closed their doors during Covid-19’s first wave of stay at home orders. I walked the vacant streets near our once vibrate outdoor shopping center Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. My Vintage Store was dismantled as my partners closed their doors and went back to France. The head way I had made with investors pitching Silicon Valley Forum faded away. The future of Ocean SF was uncertain.

One cold rainy morning in April I reached out to an investor who inspired me not to give up just because of a pandemic. Yes, “just” because of a pandemic. I pride myself on taking good advise and his was sound. It was also what I most wanted to hear. I knew that I had to continue to follow my dream of sustainable outdoor apparel and I did.

These are the seven things I did to continue to follow my dream. Even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy I would not let my dream of making outdoor apparel die even in the midst of a global pandemic. 

Sustainable sailing apparel and following your dreams:

1. Make A Decision: I made a decision that I would not give up. Many things in life are simply about deciding and I decided that no matter what happened I would not give up.
2. Give to Others: I committed to giving 10% of all of my sales to The 5 Gyres and the Lonely Whale Foundation both of these organizations support ocean conservation. Not only did I make this commitment I began writing a check each time I made a sale and putting it in the mail. When I wrote these checks I blessed my company that it can provide this funding. And, I blessed the organizations and their hard work that contribute to the health of our planet.
3. Reach Out: I reached out to everyone who had told me in passing that they wanted to buy something and most of them, with the exception of only one man, said yes! I was fortunate to have sizes that worked for them in stock. It was a great feeling to drop these orders in the mail with personal thank you notes. 
4. Reward Yourself: As I made sales and moved my company forward I would do nice things for myself. I would take a hike, or a hot bath or spend time in my garden.
5. Say Yes: Public speaking makes me nervous and I have a packed schedule, but when I was asked to speak to Oregon State University’s Design Thinking College of Business class I said yes. When I was asked for an interview with San Francisco Fashion Week. I said yes. To follow your dreams you have to give back. I can’t wait to be invited back and do it again.
6. Step Out from Behind the Scenes: During the course of building my brand I did many photo shoots and I was in none of the photos. Now, I am both the face and voice of my brand. 
7. Bet Your Money On It: When Covid-19 hit I was working on acquiring more investors, as the impact of the pandemic continued and weeks turned into months I found that if I wanted to make more clothes I had to fund them myself. I’m in production right now making 100 more units of my Ocean SF signature jacket. I also realized that by making clothes I’m helping my factory and the women who work there thrive. I am also helping my customers shop sustainably. 

Following Our Dreams Creates Impact

In order to thrive we have to have a purpose and create impact in our lives. Everyone has a different path to follow. and different gifts to offer. For me this is to protect the environment and clean drinking water for the children that will follow my children. As polyester fleece leaches into drinking water my signature jacket made of sustainable 100% Merino Wool, that does not pollute drinking water, in it’s own small way makes an impact to create a better future for all of us.

What are your dreams? If you aren’t following your dreams then why not? Please share your stories below.