Any time a brand enters our awareness via the time-honoured fashion of nice coats, we consider it our duty to find out more. Where did they come from? Who is behind it? What are their plans? A small scratch of the surface of UPPERVOID reveals a story to be told, chiefly by its founder, Vis Bi.
Having spent his adolescence in the Canadian pacific west coast, Vis has taken his spirit of adventure far and wide, and it is those experiences that power UPPERVOID.
We took some time out to speak to Vis Bi to find out where it all came from, what keeps it moving, and why sometimes the best ideas come from stepping back rather than pushing forward.
Hi Vis, thanks for speaking with us….
What is the purpose/reasoning behind the creation of UPPERVOID? What did you want to achieve with it?
When we started UPPERVOID, I felt there was a lack of supply for a combination of Outdoor Technicality and Aesthetics, and I’m not talking about Urban Outdoor Players. We firmly position ourselves on the technical/function side of the scale but blend in contemporary design. The end goal was to create an outdoor brand with pieces that will act as tools, but not only because the consumer needed a tool, but fufills his/her functional and emotional need as well.
How is the brand balanced between performance and functionality as opposed to style?
Our core is performance and functionality, although the surface looks might be a little deceiving at first, but 90% of our products are developed through a “functional need fulfilling process” that is, a specific need in a use case in the outdoors and then what are the problems that are either unsolved, solved in a ugly way, or solved in a way that hasn’t progressed for decades. After the functional need is met, then we start modifying elements that can be improved aesthetically, especially on partial cuts, fits, sewn lines, quilting patterns, colours, all those that would dramatically change the aesthetics but would not sacrifice the functional purpose the piece is built for.
The great outdoors and the Gorpcore movement seems to be ever on the rise. How do you perceive this new-wave in dressing?
I think the actual outdoor itself will and always has been on a steady rise, reflecting the fact that humans going into the outdoor is inherent and won’t reverse. However, the Gorpcore is something else, I see it as more of a “trend style” that resulted in a lot of new comers that specifically wanted design elements that more or less still explicitly showed “outdoorness”. As the trend progressed, the new consumers that joined the movement, because of a stylistic reason at first, realised the actual benefits of wearing functional outdoor clothing on a day-to-day basis, which is something I would say rural residents have been accustomed to long ago, but now city dwellers are getting used to as well.
Would you describe UPPERVOID as a brand that can be as fitting in the city as it is outdoors?
Absolutely, and we hope to as well, but we pride ourselves on the fact that we can be worn in proper demanding outdoor environment.
Who is the brand targeting as a customer and in what locations have you seen most interaction?
- People who have more of an emotional calling to the outdoors.
- People who have just got tired of all the vanguard outdoor brands looking more or less the same .
- Younger people who haven’t exactly had vanguard outdoors’s heritage imprinted in their minds yet.
You recently opened a new store in Méribel, France. How did that materialise and would that suggest you are a ‘performance’ related brand?
We worked with a French partner who operated outdoor shops in the village, it was a rather quick decision after a meeting. The reason for choosing Meribel is exactly its connotation and fit for a performance brand. Our later expansion into the US would have us target our first store in Aspen as well.
Any plans to open in a city somewhere? If so, where would that be?
Yes, we are planning a city store in Vancouver.
Tell us about any plans to extend the product range. It already seems to have a wealth of jackets for both men and women?
Our plan is actually to consolidate the product range for a short while, we have experimented on a wide range of categories and we are much more clear on what works and what our strengths are. We can’t beat niche competitors just yet. We will be expanding our offering for women, as we see a gap in the offering and demand for women’s technical apparel.
Find out more about UPPERVOID here
