Cornish-born sustainable clothing and accessories brand Finisterre, known for its cold-water surf and coastal lifestyle offering, has unveiled a limited-edition womenswear capsule collection, designed in collaboration with acclaimed designer and environmental activist Amy Powney.
The collection with Powney, who stepped down from British sustainable luxury label Mother of Pearl to launch her own purpose-driven brand, Akyn, earlier this year, marks a strategic step forward in Finisterre's evolution of its womenswear, as it offers a more fashion-led offering.
Finisterre states that the 17-piece capsule collection is designed for the "modern woman navigating life between the city and the sea," offering elevated silhouettes and refined detailing that will "resonate with a growing audience of style-conscious, environmentally aware women who seek functional pieces without compromising on aesthetic or ethics".
On the collection, Amelia Hornblow, chief product officer at Finisterre, told FashionUnited: "This is Finisterre's first womenswear-only collaboration, designed by women, for women. Our aim was to create a capsule that captures Finisterre's essence of fit-for-purpose, durable clothing, while reimagining some of our bestselling styles through Amy's perspective.
"The result is a collection that bridges urban and rural landscapes, carrying you seamlessly between the two."
"Finisterre has its roots and ethos infused with the same values and ethics which I have strived to bring to my collections over the last 10 years," explained Powney to FashionUnited, on why she wanted to collaborate with the British brand. "They are committed to environmental responsibility and sustainability is integral to everything they do. It felt like the perfect opportunity to create a capsule collection that was a fashion-led hybrid of their impeccable technical knowledge infused with my design."
Called 'All Rivers Lead to the Sea,' the Finisterre x Amy Powney collection includes outerwear, knitwear, jersey, and woven staples, all designed to be multifunctional and versatile, while bringing together technical performance with understated style, crafted from natural and lower-impact materials, such as Tencel, NetPlus, certified organic cotton, recycled fills, and 100 percent Merino wool, staying true to both Powney and Finisterre's sustainability ethos.
Powney added: "I have an inherent desire, with everything I create, to develop it with as little impact on the planet as possible, which married incredibly well with Finisterre's desire to have a positive impact on our oceans.
"Materiality was incredibly important. Many people might not be aware of what goes into their clothing, or where those fibres came from. They can either be natural materials such as cotton or wool, which is still essentially industrial agriculture, or synthetics, which are made from fossil fuels and the same as what you put in your car.
"Each piece has been designed to reflect a thoughtful balance between functionality and form alongside fashion-led design, all created to stand the test of time."
Finisterre x Amy Powney capsule designed to "empower" women
Finisterre, a B-Corp company, which has strived to incorporate environmental responsibility into its collections and business, said they were inspired by Powney's film Fashion Reimagined and her drive "towards responsible sourcing and transparency," and felt that her "design sensibility and handwriting fit naturally" with the brand, added Hornblow.
The collection is defined by a palette of earthy, grounded tones like mossy greens, deep sea blues, and muted neutrals inspired by the rugged natural landscape of Cornwall, and aims to offer women adaptable and versatile pieces to allow them to "fluidly move between urban life and coastal landscapes".
The outerwear anchors the collection and features a storm-ready waterproof parka, crafted for both the cityscape and coastal trails, a boxy quilted liner jacket inspired by military classics, and a beach robe with warm fleece touches.
Complementing the outerwear are knitwear pieces, including a Fisherman rib rollneck and Aran jumper, which offer an elevated take on Finisterre's heritage pieces, with soft, voluminous silhouettes "for modern layering," and foundational wardrobe staples, from a high neck T-shirt to pleated trousers that blend "durability with subtle femininity".
Powney added: "I wanted to create a collection for women which, from a design perspective, speaks to our many layers and passions. In the rhythm of modern life, each day we ebb and flow through multiple environments and, simultaneously, many versions of ourselves. I wanted to create a multifunctional and versatile capsule, empowering women to transcend landscapes.
"The collection exists of core pieces, staples which will sit in your wardrobe for years on end. This is the ultimate antithesis to fast fashion and the most sustainable approach to design."
To celebrate the collaboration, Finisterre has launched an 'all rivers lead to the sea' campaign, shot by Lucy Laucht, which features raw and beautiful imagery that pairs the quiet strength of the pieces with the beauty of the coastline.
In addition, the Cornish-based brand is donating 5,000 pounds to support Thames21, an environmental charity that works with communities to restore and ensure the protection of the river.
"With Finisterre's commitment to protecting the oceans it felt fitting to support a charity which is focused on protecting the river Thames," added Powney.
When it comes to whether customers can expect more fashion collaborations from Finisterre, Hornblow added: "We have always collaborated with like-minded brands, artists, and artisans to bring fresh concepts and ideas to market and we will continue to do so in the future."
The Finisterre x Amy Powney capsule will be available exclusively via finisterre.com and in select stores from September 4. Prices start from 25 pounds for a pair of cable knit socks to 295 pounds for the waterproof parka.