Lorenzo Osti: So complicated. It took us two years to try to synthesize what it is. We came up with a map that was named «Arcipelago». It’s made of seas and islands; it summarizes all the values, traits, and characteristics of the brand. Long story short, there is no way to synthesize C.P. Company in a single sentence. Different people can take different roots through the values, stay consistent with the brand, but interpret it in different ways. One of the reasons why this happened is that, contrary to many fashion brands, C.P. Company always focused just on products. We don’t target people or lifestyles. That keeps it open for interpretation. Maybe if I have to synthesize, that can be kind of the core. We focus on what we’re good at. For us, it’s been garments, and especially, fabric experimentation. And we are lucky; the brand has been adopted by different subcultures in very unexpected ways: from the casual sort of football style in the UK and all over Europe, to the French rap scene, to the Paninari back in the 80s in Italy.

Basically, we don’t use anything as it comes; we always have to transfer it somehow. Every season, we come up with at least four new fabrics. The most iconic one is «50 Fili», back from the 90s. It’s a fabric made up of 33% nylon and 67% cotton and garment dyed. It’s the thing where we excel. We dye a fully finished garment. Instead of buying colored fabric, we buy white. We build everything and dye it. And we are the only ones who can garment dye apparel items, because this is very complicated. Garments react differently. It could get less ink and remain lighter. Or—more ink and get darker. So this is a very special possibility.

My father was the one who mastered it back in the day. Basically, there are two main reasons. One was industrial. If you don’t have a big number, as they did ahead of time, you cannot offer many colors. In this way, you buy white and can dye 20 different colors. So, this is a practical industrial reason. But the other reason is that my father wanted to have this more worn effect when something gets a little bit old. And experimenting with this, he saw that garment dyeing was the best way to achieve this.

I’ll give you some context. My father ended up here by chance. He was a graphic designer, and he got into this industry with no background. He wanted to do something practical, and he asked himself: «How can I do this»? He started to study and collect military wear. Because every detail is there for a reason. There is nothing purely decorative. He sketched and tried to kind of infuse this concept into the garments. That’s where the functionality comes from; he was inspired by these kinds of garments. This way, the whole creative process is so different—you have to deconstruct what you learn. And to be able to use it in another condition.

We are functionally driven and inspired, but we are not purely functional. Because in this case, you miss the emotional part. For example, mountain wear is much more functional than our pieces. But at the same time, it doesn’t give you the same emotion. Here is where the evocative part is. 

Functional is something you evoke. There is always a detail that has a function. For example, you don’t buy a jacket because its pocket is big; you buy it for something else. That is done by the innovation of the fabric, the unexpected look, and the feel of the fabric. It is all part of the emotion. You take parts of the functionality, but the emotional part is always the leading one.

Look, it’s July, but it’s autumn here in Germany. But seriously, I’m interested in that topic. We have a huge heatwave in Italy. We get easily up to 35. 

What is affecting fashion is seasonality. It’s what we face. You were buying winter stuff in September. Now, at least in southern Europe, it’s warm until November. On the other hand, we are used to start to serve summer things in February, and it probably doesn’t get hot until now (and it’s 18 degrees on the 2nd of July). We need to change the timing. 

Plastic is one of the problems we know about. But plastic is not a problem itself; it’s the usage you make of it. You can make a pacemaker that lasts 50 years and saves someone. And you can make wrapping paper that lasts 2 minutes. The same goes for fashion. I don’t want to offload the responsibility. We have it. But also, the system of fashion pushes you every 6 months to throw away and buy new. 

The recycling funnel was always leading to Africa. Before, when the general quality of the apparel was better, a smaller amount was at the end of the funnel. Now the fast fashion quality is so cheap, it’s not sellable or usable, so everything goes directly to Africa. How do we face this? Our path to sustainability consists of two things. Secondarily, we use recycling as much as possible. We replace all our best-selling fabrics with recycled versions. The other — most important and most consistent thing in our history — is longevity. We have a huge secondary market of C.P. garments from the 80s and 90s. Our garments can last long. That’s the best way to fight the impact—buy less, buy better.

Of course, sometimes you need to update your pieces. That’s why we do workshops like this. We want to teach people that if some old things are broken, they are not «dead». You can still use it and transform it, both aesthetically and functionally. From a functional point of view, we signed a partnership with United Repair Centre, a Dutch company, that support us delivering the repair service we offer to our clients through both our online platform, THE LONGEVITY HUB, and our flagship stores in Milan, Amsterdam, Riccione, London, Cannes, Lyon.

Here we teach the same: how to keep a garment relevant, adapting to changes in taste and society. I think this is the right thing we should do with fashion. Everybody needs to dress, but we don’t need to buy 50 new items every year.

It’s true. Education will make people aware of what is happening because of fast fashion. However, it is more complicated. Indeed, for some people, buying fast fashion can be impulsive and light. But buying a high quality piece of €1,000 that could last 40 years is like buying a house in proportion.

Yes, you need to be sure you will use it. Education could help. On the other hand, I think we need regulations from the institution. The free market never led to all good. We always say that there is a downside. You produce a lot; you have to take care of your waste. We need to tell people that when you don’t wear clothes anymore, you bring them back to the store, and they will take care of that. It’s a brand’s responsibility, and that’s fair. 

This is another problem, even more complicated, because it is transnational: you sell here, but you create damage there. And sometimes it’s difficult to prove. I know it because we did all the auditing of our supply chain. I understand that even if you want to fix it, it’s difficult.

It’s amazing to work with them. You know, as it happens in a close and serious partnership, it is a love–hate relationship. As I said, because we always want to push the boundaries, we never take the fabric as it is. We want to dye; we want to transform. So it is a lot of work for them. At the same time, it pushes us out of our comfort zone.

In our brand, there is a guarantee of performance. So we made an invitation. It’s not automatic. You have to apply and have some standards. They also have their own regulations.

Buy less, buy better, 100%! I also would like to move away from seasonality. Clients need to extend the shelf life. We have to create something that has a purpose and is useful. And not forced by the industry to do and throw away. But there is a big resistance to the idea of buying less. If you are a brand, you have to grow, and you cannot sell less. Otherwise, how can you make money? And so, who is ready to accept slowing down and selling less? 

Usman Latif: I am a creative consultant in the music and fashion industries. My parents are Pashtun, but they were raised in the Middle East, and I was born in Germany and grew up between Frankfurt and London. I’ve always asked myself the question of what I can call home. In Middle Eastern circles, I was considered too whitewashed and European, but in German circles, I didn’t fully fit in either.

Because I looked different from the people around me, I often struggled with beauty standards, which is why I so desperately wanted to go into the fashion industry. Although I ended up in the music industry first, the launch of my own brand is now the beginning of a new era and a return to my original aspirations.

The theme of beauty has accompanied me since I was little. I had a distorted self-image for a long time, which only improved over the years. Today, I remember what my parents always said – that beauty comes from within. The Arabic word for beauty «Jameel» is featured in many of my designs. It stands for both inner and outer beauty. Just as the Arabic word for light «noor» can also mean a person’s aura. I really like this way of thinking – seeing a person as a whole.

I dedicated my first exhibition to this theme two years ago, showcasing images of 25 people whom I simply find beautiful. I took their pictures and told their stories in a book. For this project, I travelled to the Middle East with my best friend and stayed there for two months. I used an analogue camera to capture everything that inspired me. Beauty is also patterns, shapes, everyday moments.

Exactly. For the first time in my life. As a consultant you immerse yourself in another’s vision and want to make it shine. Of course, there’s always a part of yourself in the process, but not to the same extent as when you start your own project. My label should now become pure self-expression.

The first thing I designed was merchandise with the word «beauty» on it, in both Arabic and German scripts, but the latter is only noticeable at second glance. So here again it’s a game with two facets. The question is: «Do you really look closely, or are you more superficial»? At first glance, the Arabic script might seem intimidating. It’s red, striking, and looks unfamiliar. Here, it’s often perceived negatively.

Unfortunately, that’s true. For a long time, I perceived being between cultures as something negative. Now it’s time for me to turn it into something positive. That’s always the best strategy in life.

I come from a middle-class household. My parents didn’t spend an insane amount of money, but they valued quality. They liked to have things tailored. Clothing had a high value in the culture they came from. In the Middle East, it’s quite normal for things to be uniform yet individually tailored, and to be elevated with accessories like a watch or good shoes. This attitude has shaped me from day one of my life.

It used to be different in the past, and I think we should return to that. That’s why I created a small collection with seven pieces that function like a uniform. I’m not a trained designer, but I rely on my sense of aesthetics. Basically, I create seasonless men’s silhouettes, but that doesn’t mean they can only be worn by men. I’m inspired by both worlds I grew up in, in a contemporary way. I often look at how young people from a similar background. What do they adopt, what do they break with, how do they mix? Finding a balance between Berlin style and my origins – that’s my goal.

I founded the label here because I am German. And because I see that there are kids out there who need role models. In Turkey, there is Les Benjamins, which combines migrant culture and streetwear fashion. GmbH is another example. But I wanted to find a different way for myself. Arabsoda is Berlin-based, but it was always important to me to involve locals from the Middle East. And it’s important to me that it’s contemporary. It’s not about being nostalgic and romanticizing what you remember from your parents. It’s much more interesting to look at the current aesthetics of the Middle East and bring that to the West.

For example, I was inspired by a Thawb that is deconstructed in its trousers and shirt. You can see it in the collar and the clear silhouette; otherwise, the ensemble looks modern and simple. I don’t want it to be in-your-face.

My aim is to bring worlds together. For that, it’s also important that Arabsoda is affordable. It’s not a niche product, but for people who appreciate good clothing. If I wanted to reach the masses, I would design hoodies. Period. It’s about Bottega quality but not a Bottega price.