For Madrid-based brand on the rise, unfeigned, the past year has been one of exciting growth as well as a renewed focus on the importance of developing the name on home soil.
Having launched the flagship store in Madrid back in September 2022, unfeigned, ran by founder Rafa Gomez and four of his siblings including co-founder and communications director Maria Gomez, is about to embark on two major collaboration drops this season and has also ventured into new territories.
“The business entered into wholesale in South Korea and is now available to buy for the summer season via Barbershop multi-brand store in Seoul,” says Maria. “Being able to travel there to meet clients was amazing and also inspiring for the design team.”
Additionally, the team have worked hard building relationships globally with both media and buyers via trade shows and in April will launch their co-designed Travel Suit with Monocle, a tech fabric two-piece ideal for those travelling for work and needing to maintain a style. In May, they will launch their partnership with go-to streetwear retail Mecca Mini Shop, Madrid, with two variations on a two-piece shirt and shorts combination.
“Both drops are extremely important for the brand and really highlight the success of the collections and the reputation of unfeigned. We have worked with Monocle a number of times, so it was great that they asked to meet us with a store partnership in mind,” says Maria. “Sharing those values of clean lines, and travelling in style meant that we were able to work together on the new Travel Suit which we designed with their team. The result is a beautiful two-piece that can be worn and adapted easily in a specific technical fabric produced for this partnership.”
“The Mini Shop pieces were inspired by their team’s love of our baggy seersucker fabric shirting and we have produced two shirts with two tailored shorts in this fabric with mini Shop’s well-known phrase Peace & Love embroidered on. The pieces will be sold in both unfeigned and also Mini Shop,” she adds.
Following a successful 18 months of the store being open, unfeigned is maintaining its successful streak with its rise in popularity and loyal customer base. “Obviously we are becoming better known now, but we also have customers that are retuning to the shop to buy products,” says Maria. “For example, if we get 20 visitors to the shop, 15 or 16 of them will buy something, which is very good.”
“Our most sellable item is the basic T-shirt, but we see ourselves as a go-to destination for men to get what they need, from stylish suiting, through to water-repellent shell jackets and that all-terrain aesthetic. We are also now looking to increase our range of accessories so that our customers can create their own outfits with the finishing touches and have partnering brands in-store to help us do that including Sandqvist, Paraboot, Merrell and South Korean brand Catch Ball.”
In terms of footfall clientele, unfeigned has witnessed an even split between local neighbourhood shoppers and international visitors, with the store’s location in the Justicia neighbourhood, one of the niche, but cool areas in the city. “Each area in Madrid has its own style. So we have to make sure that we are communicating and speaking to our own community as well as that international market,” adds Maria. “This year we are really making sure that we grow our roots in Spain as our heritage is so important to us all.”
With many newcomers to the brand surprised by the brand’s Spanish heritage, likening it more to a Scandinavian or UK workwear label, the unfeigned team see it all as a positive. “It puts the spotlight on Madrid and Spain and people are liking the brand, product and what we stand for, so that can only be a positive thing,” says Maria. “We totally get it and we still have people surprised by where we are from, but that’s ok, it lets us talk about what we’re doing.”
With the sibling element still an eye-brow raiser for many, unfeigned continues to work collectively as a team to achieve both short and long-term goals, “Of course many people would find it hard to work daily in a professional environment with their siblings,” says Maria, “But we are very lucky and blessed in that sense. Each of us is allowed a voice and to have input, but the key element is respect and we never lose that. At the end of the day, Rafa is the boss and he has the final word without argument.”
With the flagship store doing so well, unfeigned does have one eye on further expansion in terms of retail space, with Spain and the UK being considered. “Of course it would be great for us to expand in our own country and that could be in Barcelona, San Sebastian or even our home city of Malaga,” adds Maria, “In the UK, we are also very interested in London and we have great relationships there, but for now it’s a ‘watch this space’ situation.”
For further information regarding unfeigned, their latest SS24 collection and latest news, please visit www.unfeignedgear.com
