INTERVIEW | The Garbstore Enlists Sage Nation for ‘Archive Editions’ Capsule Collection
For those of you who have been living under a proverbial rock for the past year or so, which is kind of understandable in the midst of a pandemic, Sage Toda-Nation is an emerging designer from London, a graduate in fashion design and commandeer of his eponymous label - Sage Nation -, all at the modest age of 22 years old. His approach to work is corroborated by a rigorous work ethic which is the result of a burning desire to create and an artistic flair that runs through his bloodline; his grandfather was a fine artist who mainly worked with heavy paints and canvas, while his mother dabbled in photography, to say the least. With his DNA coursing with creative energy, this is further exacerbated by his dual-heritage - a polarising match of Japanese and British - which saw Sage exposed to Japanese culture from an early age before moving to Milton Keynes, UK to begin secondary school. In his most expansive collection to date, unveiled in July 2020, Sage translated these two cultures to us through his dedicated study of military uniforms and flowy, oversized silhouettes which prioritised functionality in a modern sense.
For Spring/Summer ‘21, Sage Nation has collaborated with London-based retailer, The Garbstore, in what is a very fitting combination of their individual skill sets - a shining example of collaboration in the 21st century fashion industry. Sage has focused on reconstructing and breathing new life into vintage The Garbstore garments, in the process furthering their lifeline and preventing them from going to waste whilst creating a wholly unique product. The resulting ensemble is a limited run of 32 units consisting of workwear jackets and shirts, functional trousers and shorts and a plethora of accessories indicative of Garbstore’s utilitarian flair. Having been produced in such limited quantities, many of the pieces feature contrasting colour and fabric combinations, only adding to the character of the garments. A standout for us is an interpretation of a Sage Nation classic, the three-dimensional pleated pants made using multiple old The Garbstore shirts; again, a further showcase of this true collaboration between two unique entities.
We were given the opportunity to reach out to Sage for an impromptu Q&A, touching bases on everything The Garbstore-related, his approach to modular design and his family's artistic background.
eye_C: Hi Sage! First of all, congratulations on your first collaboration, especially with a name like The Garbstore, you’ve definitely garnered quite a reputation since your debut collection last July. Perhaps you could start off by telling us how this partnership came about?
STN: Hi guys. I appreciate the kind words and thank you for having me here to shed some light on the project. This was very much an organic partnership which I’m grateful for. Garbstore was familiar with SAGE NATION from the first collection we did last year and since then, they reached out and we started the conversation of planning a potential collaboration. It made sense for a lot of reasons and was a pleasure working with them.
eye_C: You come from a dual heritage background - Japanese and British -, if I’m correct, and your family seems to have been quite familiar with art as a creative medium; your grandfather, for example, was a fine artist and your mother started as a photographer. How do you think your heritage and artistic family background have influenced your work ethic?
STN: That's right, my Grandfather (Yoshi Saburo) was a fine artist but I hadn’t been exposed to his works until I revisited my hometown in the later years of my adolescence. This was a pivotal time for me and helped to shape the visual perspective I carry today. Until then, he was permanently situated in Japan whilst I was in the UK and sadly passed just before my long-term return. I was still, of course, vaguely aware of it and, as you mentioned, my mother was a great sounding board and source for visual narrative growing up. My work ethic is definitely based on my innate way of thinking and in that sense it's everything that I am: my mother’s son and my grandfather's grandson. Everything is relative.
Now, looking back, I see how they influenced me in a more direct sense. My grandfather was very drawn to the female subject, something I translate as an infatuation with the source of life and nurture. My mother also leans towards documentary-style film imagery. It’s helped me to be attentive to my immediate surroundings and find the decisive moment when it comes to my own visual output.
eye_C: For those living under a proverbial rock, maybe you could try and describe your approach to design work and the vision you embed into each piece?
STN: I’m particularly drawn to clothes that are designed for an innate purpose and intention. With that in mind, my years in garment construction have almost always returned me to the principles of purpose, perspective and balance - three elements I consider as pillars to the brand’s language. In a world full of noise, it is important to be able to find clarity so this helps me do that. Photography and film were always the initial passion for me, so the visual output and product are equally as important.
eye_C: In your debut collection, we got a real taste of your approach to modular design - the Hybrid Detachable Jacket served as both a jacket and layerable utility vest, while the Poncho could be adapted and reimagined as a waterproof skirt. Why do you think modularity is so important, especially in regards to clothing?
STN: I think that if it is possible for a product to be multifunctional, then why not strive for that outcome? I am also aware, however, that sometimes products can be over functional just for the sake of it. I try not to force it. For example, when sampling the poncho and draping it, it naturally lent itself to being used as a skirt as well. It was just about seeing the potential there and utilising it.
eye_C: Drawing on the previous topic of modularity in clothing, do you think it’s important as a young designer in the 21st century to take some responsibility and craft garments with an intended purpose?
STN: Of course. For me, responsibility and the real root of the problem with any form of production come down to the designer's intention for the product. All things that are produced should be done with compassion for our environment, but that is a baseline expectation. Choosing an intention for your product, one that will truly equip a person for their own practical purpose will navigate your work to a conscious consumer. The sooner we move from momentary design perspectives and closer to those that truly enable a self-aware consumer the better. It all comes down to supply and demand at the end of the day.
eye_C: The resulting pieces you’ve produced for Garbstore are fantastic, it’s the epitome of a truly collaborative relationship - something we need more of in the industry. Were you given a lot of creative control over the pieces you reworked?
STN: For sure, I’m definitely blessed to have been entrusted the way I was with this collection. It was evident that myself and the team at The Garbstore had a great sense of empathy towards each other's approach to design, so the synergy that you speak of was sort of inevitable. Our communication through the process was consistent and brought a lot of joy to those involved.
eye_C: What vintage Garbstore pieces were you particularly excited to work with and ultimately produce?
STN: I was particularly drawn to the earth tone colour palette which I leaned towards, choosing the garments that I felt worked together in their tonalities and could compliment someone's wardrobe seamlessly. I wanted to make this capsule something that people could visualise working into their everyday life and not distracting from their current uniform. The Garbstore pieces are very well constructed, a personal favourite of mine is those that use Cordura fabric, they’re great for everyday use and comfort.
eye_C: When reworking/reconstructing vintage garments or fabric, do you have to approach the project from a different angle as you would with virgin materials? If so, are you limited in any way?
STN: Re-imagining archive surplus garments meant working with what we had; the range of sizes often meant that it was only possible to produce 1-of-1 in some cases. With this in mind, the final products are very limited. It was about stripping back to the fundamentals of garment construction and getting tactile with my work again.
eye_C: With each piece crafted from excess and leftover Garbstore clothing, there’s a certain sustainable angle on the whole collection. Is this something you were consciously aiming for or a successful by-product of the process?
STN: Upcycling pre-existed garments and giving them a new purpose is a sustainable approach in itself. It is the purest way of being sustainable - working with resources that already exist. With my mainline work, it is all about cut and sew, producing work from abundance, so it was fun to see how I could work within the restrictions of pre-existing items. We turned one of The Garbstore Wool Duffle Coats into a tote bag and a detachable hood, for example. It was a fun way of dissecting something familiar to us into something new but still functional.
eye_C: Lastly, what can we expect to see from Sage Toda-Nation in the coming year?
STN: We have some more external projects that I'm excited to reveal. As well as this, my second collection will be released as part of SS22 and it will be the first of mine to be available from certain stockists.
The limited collaboration with The Garbstore is available in-store and online via www.couvertureandthegarbstore.com now.
