Florence Marine X S/S 22 Wetsuits Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Wetsuits S/S 22 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Florence Marine X
Interviewee: Edd Seater, Marketing Manager

The surge in the wetty category overwhelmed even some of the biggest players of the market. How did you cope with the demand in SS21?
Well for us we were still in our research & development stage in SS21, so the surge in demand for wetsuits only added to our inspiration when building out our wetsuit category. It was exciting to see the demand grow and equally interesting to see how the market reacted. Through John and the team, our focus has been to create a wetsuit category that meets a world-tour level performance requirement while ensuring that through the craft and construction of our suits, they are built to last.

Can you please give an overview of your different ranges (performance, constructions, prices) for SS22?
We’re pretty unique in that, we really only offer one range of wetsuits. Where most brands have entry, mid and premium levels, we’re 100% focused on making the warmest, most comfortable, most long-lasting wetsuits possible only using the best materials. You can expect the brand to remain consistent here and stay true to these standards we’re setting for ourselves.

Which are your key innovations for SS22? (materials, constructions, styles…)
Our wetsuits are crafted from 100% premium Japanese neoprene – which is the most quality, supple, long-lasting neoprene available. Each suit is put together by hand, one at a time- creating a water-tight seal that eliminates the need for stiff interior tape. Additionally, the pattern making in Japan (which ultimately impacts fit) is more sophisticated than anywhere else in the world. The result is a suit that fits better than anything we’ve ever experienced in all our years in the water.

Bold colors and graphics seem to be a thing of the past among the Spring-Summer wetsuit offer. Is the period more prone to fine details, textures and low profile prints?
Throughout our product categories we have grounded our products in clean lines, solid colours and minimal prints. From the start, we wanted to create a wetsuit category free from any unnecessary bells and whistles but rather focusing on the craftsmanship of our suits and providing a world-class in-water experience. Working with such a small crew in Japan has meant that we’ve focused on the finer details and ensured we haven’t strayed away from what we feel should be the most important aspects of a wetsuit – building something that lasts while meeting the highest level of performance.

Sustainability is key in the wetsuit category: which materials/process did you implement in SS22?
Doing our best to protect the ocean and land is a key tenant of our brand and we made the decision to use premium grade Japanese neoprene for the very reason it lasts so much longer and is so much more durable than typical neoprene used in the market. All ‘eco-friendly’ neoprenes are currently chloroprene-based or non-recyclable, so we feel the best thing we can do from a responsibility standpoint is create a quality wetsuit that lasts as long as possible without sacrificing performance. This helps us ultimately contribute as little to the landfill as possible.

Key Products:

Florence Marine X S/S 22

2mm Full Suit – Premium Japanese craftsmanship and materials means this is built to last. Each suit is put together by hand one at a time, creating a water-tight seam that eliminates the need for stiff interior tape. With a chest zip entry and strategic mix of neoprene thickness throughout, our Full Suit will keep you insulated and flexible through every season.

1.5mm Wetsuit Jacket – The Florence Marine X 1.5mm Wetsuit Jacket is one of John John’s essentials when he’s home in Hawaii. Hand-crafted from incredibly supple, durable Japanese neoprene, this wetsuit jacket is built to last long and stay out of the landfill. A lower collar is more comfortable than a traditional wetsuit neck, letting you breathe easier while still preventing flushing.

2mm Impact Springsuit – For a long time, riding big waves was just about survival. The arrival of padded suits gave some added confidence – but movement became difficult due to the sheer amount of padding. Fast forward to present day, John John wanted a suit he could trust on those outer reef days but still allowed him to move and perform to the best of his ability. The Florence Marine X 2mm Impact Springsuit answered that brief.

Florence Marine X S/S 22 Wetsuit