Shortly before Oi Polloi closed its doors at the end of last month, we wrote about Unfeigned here. Though we’re used to French and Italian brands finding their way onto the shelves of Oi Polloi and plenty of others, the presence of a brand formed in the Spanish capital is rare. With this in our minds, we thought we’d reach out to find out more about Unfeigned., posing a collection of questions to founder Rafa Gómez.
So firstly, introduce us to unfeigned. What is it about and how long has it been around?
Unfeigned is a menswear line dedicated from the start to quality, clean design and a genuine commitment to bringing a human touch to the business of getting dressed.
We are a family business created in Madrid in 2019 with a focus on everlasting pieces and an eye towards shaping a fresh vision for high-end fashion.
Our brand is a new take on classics. We work with simple lines, high-tech fabrics and timeless cuts, creating a modern but understated look.
Every piece is locally made in Portugal and Spain with select materials that stand the test of time for a variety of lifestyles. We are talking about garments for city-wear, that offer limitless comfort while looking good in the process.
We launched our first ready-to-wear collection for Spring/Summer ’20 in the UK and Germany. Since then, the brand has developed its wholesale channel and expanded our presence in the US and Japan.
Now unfeigned has a physical presence with its first flagship store in Madrid, which includes our office and showroom.
Who are the people behind the brand and what are their own backgrounds?
I am the founder of the brand and initially extended the team through my sister Maria. These days unfeigned has a team of 15 people, including five Gómez siblings, including Quino (Sales), Carmen (Finance) and Juanma (Logistics), lead one area of the company.
I am Rafa, CEO and head of design. I studied law and business and I have a tech background. However, my hard-core passion for fashion inspired me to develop the line. María manages the art direction and communication for the business and studied Journalism and Fashion and has previously worked in the field as a stylist.
What are the key influences behind the brand?
Firstly, us. It started with our curiosity and interest in developing something cool that we could wear over and over without getting tired of it.
Being well-travelled, we always have our eyes open towards new brands and the latest trends. Very much inspired by our own active lifestyles, which fuse sports and city life, we found that certain Japanese and Korean brands were offering something close to what we were looking for. And at the same time, we wanted to reflect that idea of being on point for any occasion, which belongs very much to our own Mediterranean culture.
The goal was simple: to live day-to-day, travel, go to work or meet friends, but always showing up with a smart, yet comfortable look that could offer both style and high quality.
Even though nowadays our line combines both organic cotton with recycled technical fabrics, the root of unfeigned starts with my favorite piece: the basic T-shirt. I was struggling to find a simple, durable white T-shirt that was stylish but could also last. The unfeigned T-shirt has a longer length at the back, side slits and is made from a heavyweight 100% organic cotton, and remains our best-selling piece.
We can see from your website, you’re fully committed to sustainability. Tell us about your plan on that?
The matter of sustainability remains at the core of our business. We have consciously designed each piece to the last detail by using responsible and recycled materials. From 100% organic cotton and tencel, to post-consumer polyester, recycled PA and seaqual, unfeigned’s focus has always been on offering the best quality pieces by choosing fabrics and processes that support the philosophy of our brand.
As part of our commitment to the planet, our products are shipped without using any plastic on packaging and, should we have to, we use recycled sources. Additionally, the label on each piece is made with recycled material.
We make it easy for our customers to track the entire journey of each product so that they know the whole process behind each piece before purchasing. This starts with the yarn and fabric suppliers and continues to the final steps, with arrival at our warehouse and delivery to their home. Additionally, it is in our plans for the next year to become B-Corp registered.
Your clothing is made in Portugal, that’s great from a carbon footprint point of view, but also in terms of being able to be hands-on with development. How involved in the process are you?
One of the best advantages of manufacturing in Spain and Portugal is proximity and the feeling of extending the family affair with our own suppliers. I travel to visit our manufacturers very often, from material suppliers to final garment making.
This close relationship and short deadlines between processes and approvals are key to our principles as a brand. This means we protect our product, supervising every single detail so we can offer the highest quality pieces.
The brand is based in Madrid. Are you Atletico, Real or maybe even Getafe?
Real Madrid forever.
What was the last song you listened to?
What you wanna try – Masego.
What can we expect from unfeigned in the near future?
An expanded presence in new markets such as France, Italy and Scandinavia; a consolidation of unfeigned’s formal tech-wear as a go-to smart look for events; growth in our Madrid community where our flagship store is located; and as we always claim, to contribute to reshaping the world by making the right fashion choices.
What would you like unfeigned’s legacy to be in years to come?
To be a top of mind brand for contemporary menswear. To continue offering a line that we love and people love too. To keep the family growing and to be happy.
Where can we find unfeigned gear?
Select stockists worldwide, Madrid flagship store, online at unfeignedgear.com
