Designer Spotlight: Sease

Designer Franco Loro Piana is an Italian given to strong appetites. Fashion is a big one: you likely know his surname because his family is behind some of the best wool fabrics ever woven. However adventuring is his main passion.

Now, alongside his brother Giacomo, Franco is fusing his two greatest loves into one dynamic brand. SEASE (a portmanteau of 'sea' and 'ease’) makes its American debut this season: a high quality, high performance fashion line that uniquely straddles city life and outdoor escapes.

Keeping with their family legacy of superior textiles, the proprietary fabric SUNRISE features in several pieces: Based on a lightweight British military wool called Solara, SEASE weaves in bio-nylon made from castor seeds for durability and stretch.

To properly introduce SEASE, we are presenting a pop-up shop in downtown Manhattan at 160 West Broadway, now through November 3rd. Stop by to see the clothes and to meet the Franco Loro Piana in person. And if you want a lifestyle like his–and trust us, you do–here’s your winter itinerary, straight from the man himself.

The Alps

I’m from Milan–well, not from Milan but a little town underneath the Monte Rosa, so the Alps, very close to Milan. And I grew up with the mountains at my back, in my vision. My favorite place to ski is Monte Rosa. As well as the Swiss Alps, like St. Moritz and Engadin.

Monte Rosa is basically 40 minutes from where I grew up, and it’s a very authentic place. Not a fancy destination where you go more for restaurants or parties. It’s a rough mountain, back to the roots. It’s a freeride paradise. The amount of rocks and level of technical difficulty is scary, but if you get the right day, maybe you climb up a bit and find a completely untouched place. It’s the kind of mountain where you finish your day and you’re proud of yourself.

I’ve always been skiing, with my dad, my sister, my brother. Probably I am the one now who mainly is looking for freeride and ski touring, those kinds of journeys where it’s about going up as well–not just about going down and getting into the restaurant as soon as possible. And since I do like to chase powder, travel is super important.