Off on an adventure
Why are you here? What is your purpose amongst seven billion other distinctive individuals? You and I are just a little blip in the expanse of space and time, a fact no secret to anyone. At some point in our lives, all of us will have pondered at the very question: why am I here?
There is an innate desire within you and me - a longing at the heart of our very being for adventure, to seek for what matters most. We pursue abundance, pleasure, influence, glory: an ever-growing list of what a good and successful life resembles. Peel it all away, and the question still remains: why are we here?
Within weeks of the global declaration of the pandemic, success took a back seat and survival became the principal driving force of humanity. We, as a species, battled to get back on our feet. For the first time in a very long time, our homes became both our offices and schools; the lines that separate profession, recreation and relaxation faded away.
It felt like the world took a breath from the hustle and bustle. We became more aware of our immediate surroundings, and we began to prioritise our most important relationships and goals. The thoughts, ideas and questions that we did not previously have time to reflect on gradually bubbled to the surface. Perhaps during this period of uncertainty, as we make more time for our own personal adventures to seek out the answers to our most relenting questions, we may find that they are closer than we first thought.
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The journey of the Arden, from our sketchpad to your doorstep.
We started the design process for the Arden with a list of all the essential features we dreamt of having in a backpack. Additionally, we spoke about the durability of the materials we wanted, and that we would go against the industry by selecting the best rather than the cheapest. We believe that a reliable product is only as good as the materials used - no matter how well the construction.
Ali from Francli Craftwear
Principal designer for the Arden project.
Ali is an incredibly talented designer and maker based in Cornwall. We had the pleasure of being able to work with her on the Arden backpack as she brought our ideas and sketches to life. Her patience, care and willingness to help were exceptional during the numerous FaceTime video calls we had throughout the lockdown months, as we worked to flesh out the final design of the Arden. We could not imagine anyone better to have worked with on the design of the Arden backpack and are extremely proud of what we have created in partnership with Ali.
British Millerain in the early 1900s
Original manufacturer and supplier of British waxed cotton canvas.
It did not take us very long to decide on the Arden's primary structural material. It became apparent during the early stages that the British Millerain's iconic waxed cotton canvas was our ideal choice. Founded in 1880, British Millerain is the original manufacturer of waxed cotton canvas. The textile manufacturer has evolved and improved its processes and technologies to continue delivering the highest quality cotton canvas, yet staying faithful to their heritage and roots. Their canvases are made in Rochdale - North West England, which was the centre for textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.
Carolyn Denham and Roderick Field
Co-founders of Merchant & Mills, based in Sussex.
An inner lining was one of the key features we wanted in a backpack. Ali recommended Carolyn Denham and Roderick Field from Merchant & Mills to us: they founded the company because of their passion for unique and beautiful fabrics from around the world, and have become a sought-after supplier for numerous global fashion titans. Both Carolyn and Roderick value the art of slow making, home sewing and carefully thought out designs. We found it an absolute privilege to be able to work with them to use one of their fabrics for the Arden's inner lining - we call it the Ticking Duck.
UK’s leading manufacturer of marine and safety equipment
Makefast’s precision engineering team, situated in Wales.
The G hook is the centrepiece of the Arden backpack. It is custom milled by the precision engineering team at Makefast, the UK's leading manufacturer of marine and safety equipment. The engineering team did not spare any expense on the workmanship, as we unanimously decided on 316 stainless steel because it is more corrosive resistant and exhibits better strength at high temperatures. This feature is due to the additional presence of the alloy molybdenum, which makes it ideal in boat fittings.
Arthemis is part of a talent team that manufacturers the Arden
She leads the project at our manufacturing partner’s European hub.
It has been an absolute joy working with Caroline, Arthemis, Zsolt, and the team at Versapak to sample and iron out the details of the manufacturing process. Versapak is a family-run manufacturing company based in Kent and was awarded the Royal Warrant in 2014. They have taken on the project with great enthusiasm, and we could not have asked for a better manufacturing partner. The team’s care and attention to detail have been demonstrated in the workmanship of the production samples. We are confident you will find this to be true when you finally receive the Arden backpack.
The Arden
Shot and written in England.