Interviews

ByAvel & Men

Interviews

We wanted to question Xavier Broise about the choices of the technical materials and other allusions to the world of the water sport in the range Avel and Men. These choices are already evoked in the page ” materials and technique ” by our web site, but we wished to have more precision.

Writing(Editorial staff) Avel and Men: Xavier Broise, you wish to position Avel and Men as a luxury brand and city-dweller for the lovers of the regatta. How can we reconcile a spirit veil with a city spirit?
Xavier Broise: it is clearly the challenge for Avel and Men! The marine products which exist on the market offer very often a very casual spirit / weekend. Yet(now) it is clear that numerous amateur sailors are in the bar(helm) of their sailboat the weekend, then to the office(desk) on Mondays mornings, in a dress-code let us say more elegant than the jacket of quarter. Avel and Men addresses this target, by proposing him(her) a sophisticated range which evokes the water sport in small touches subtle.

RAV: how do you evoke this universe?
XB: we worked on the alliances(wedding rings) of materials and developed an exclusive lining(stand-in) “wind map”. It is about a resumption of isobariques cards used by the sailors to know the forecasts of wind: essential in regatta to anticipate the changes and encircle the day weather report. The used materials are the dyneema for the handles of backpack; the carbon fiber (that we find on the backpack; the key ring and the notebook – our logo is engraved on this plate; and of the technical rope for our accessories of watch RAV: in what do these elements evoke the water sport and more exactly the world of the regatta?
XB: the carbon, the dyneema and other ropes using the exotic fibers are used on the boats of race. The price drop of materials sometimes allows to use them on cruise ships, but they remain mainly used for the regatta. The characteristics of these materials are interesting for the competitors who always look for more speed. Indeed, the carbon is lighter and more stiff than the plastic; the dyneema from his/her part lengthens less than more traditional ropes for a lower weight. His resistance is so important that he replaces wire cables for certain applications.

Finally it materials has the advantage to épisser , so that he sometimes allows to eliminate mechanical rooms as shackles on board.

RAV: why is the hunting in the weights so important on board?

XB: it is very important, in particular in the small airs, and also to allow the boat to glide as quickly as possible. For riggings , it is absolutely strategic: a relieved rigging allows to lower the center of gravity of the boat, to reduce the movements parasites of the boat who perturb flows while participating in the general weighty reduction in the sailboat. If you add to it that, as evoked earlier, these materials are also more stiff and lengthen less, the advantages are even stronger because the boat so becomes more nervous and more lively.

RAV: can the former(old) boats evolve and equip themselves with these materials?
XB: absolutely, and it can give birth(rise) to real jewels! I have to admit that it was the real source of inspiration when we began the Avel and Men project with Agnès. We had in mind to work the alliance(wedding ring) of the traditional materials with the technical materials. Then, in our first ones mood-board, got involved marmots for leather watch with the photos of Half-Tonner; the twill of cotton used for our linings(stand-in) was next(went alongside) to a photo of 5o5 wooden equipped of one boom in carbon … These boats which progress are thus magnificent; I navigated wooden Fireball equipped with modern veils(sails). This boat was beautiful as a work of art and seemed almost fragile: he(it) was nevertheless extremely competitive and particularly fast on the water!

RAV: your cases watches are very simple and nevertheless evoke the sea …
XB: yes our lining(stand-in) ” card(map) of winds ” is a real electrical wire and with small surfaces of fabric(tissue), lets in us to the universe Avel and Men. Finally our marmot leather closes with a technical rope and a flat knot: we are happy to teach to our customers some rudiments of sailing navigation!