Owantshoozi, Create or die!

OWANTSHOOZI

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Text: Christine Holmes Photos: Mito & Pierre Leibar
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Just as manure helps roses grow, remarkable treasures can sprout from the most unlikely waste materials. But it takes a sharp eye and Owantshoozi’s know-how to spot them and reveal their potential.

After their studies (Master’s at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne for her, Bachelor’s with the Melkweg Award at Eindhoven Design Academy for him), the brother and sister decided to create their brand.

When the time came to give the brand a name, they leafed through the Basque dictionary from A to Z and, surprised at not finding a name that struck the right note, Ddiddue exclaimed “Owantshoozi!” They need look no further! This exclamation was now the name of the family brand.
And this name fits them like a glove as surprise is the very essence of Owantshoozi. It’s the kind of surprise they like to unleash on others, but above all it’s the kind of surprise they seek to bring to life, again and again, in their creative process.

Indeed, Juana and Ddiddue are big kids with a mischievous eye: the children of a father who was a champion of culture and a mother who loved fashion; the grandchildren of a grandmother, who ran a grocery shop in what is now their current workshop in Ordiarp; but also the children of Soule, the wildest province in the Basque Country – in the best sense of the word, of course.
Far be it from them to indulge in unfathomable, folkloristic Basque mythology. These two are deeply rooted in modernity. Nevertheless mythology is firmly anchored in their soul, like the tattoo they sew onto the skin of Kautera, a character from the Souletin masquerade, giving the Basque tradition a pop-culture makeover.

At the mercy of materials
Juana and Ddiddue have not established any hierarchy of materials. For them, rubber is no less valuable than gold or silver, no better than stone. Because value comes not from the materials themselves, but from the way we look at them. As genies of the lamp, they grant the wish of the rubber boot that dreamed of becoming a cap, the parachute canvas that wanted to be a handbag or the public transport floor tile that already saw itself at the top of the shrub, as a birdhouse.
Both the meticulous artisans roll up their sleeves to make needles and scissors dance: they do everything themselves, from the design to the needlework, from collecting the scraps to putting the finished items in the shop.

Ddiddue and Juana swim against the tide of consumerism and disposability. They’re ready to save anything they can get their hands on to give it a second life. Like Mary Poppins and her bag of tricks, they manage to squeeze a boot, tractor inner tube and parachute canvas into a single cap.

Robust levity
Juana and Ddiddue are not reluctant when it comes to racking their brains and having a good laugh. In their opinion, true wisdom consists in nurturing one’s madness. Their latest creation is clear evidence of this. The four cushions, created with delicate stitching, illustrate the four elements through an endless thread that outlines fine, intricate designs on recovered canvas. But the attentive observer will notice that the wind is represented by flatulence and water by an ample and abundantly squirting femme fontaine.

This humorous audacity, which adds an extra dimension to Owantshoozi’s work, also highlights Juana and Ddiddue’s humility: their creations never seek to provide answers but rather to raise new questions.

And they don’t see the customer as a passive recipient of finished objects.
For example, their birdhouses, made from public transport floor tiles, are designed as jigsaw puzzles that anyone can assemble at home, without nails or screws. In this way, these generous designers choose to share the thrill of the creative process with the buyer.

Decorated accessories
If they could have told their grandmother that hats and accessories created in her old grocery shop would win them Chanel and Hermès awards, she would probably have found it hard to believe (would she have exclaimed ‘owantshoozi!’?). Yes indeed! Distinctions are flying thick and fast for Juana and Ddiddue. But they don’t have time to let this fame go to their heads. True to their nature as hard-working and tireless artisans, they got back to work without missing a beat.

Away from the spotlight, they have used these awards to nurture their creativity, working with Chanel workshops, discovering new machines and even equipping themselves with them, so that they can work again, work always, work better, without ever getting bored.

Because, as they say, “Sorkuntza ala hil!” (Create or die!).

Alki unveils its new headquarters: a sustainable workshop with a showroom and shop

ALKI UNVEILS ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS

Text: Christine Holmes Photos: Mito & Pierre Leibar
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The Basque cooperative Alki has embarked on an important new chapter in its history by leaving Itsasu, the location of its original base for more than 40 years.

Alki’s new workshop, designed by Leibar & Seigneurin, is a shining example of sustainable innovation. Covering 8,260 m², it illustrates the cooperative’s strong commitment to the Basque Country’s economic and cultural development while placing sustainability at the heart of its priorities.

The building’s architecture was designed to adapt to the site’s sloping topography, reducing ecological impact and optimising manufacturing processes. Its ensuing circular organisation provides greater comfort for the teams and more efficient production.

“It can operate without heating or air conditioning thanks to its advanced insulation”

The site goes even further in terms of energy efficiency. It can operate without heating or air conditioning thanks to its advanced insulation, while natural lighting, amplified by open facades, minimises the use of artificial light. In partnership with local energy supplier Enargia, electricity is already 100% renewable, and solar panels will soon cover all the site’s energy needs.

An immersive showroom: a space for creation and discovery
The 400 m² showroom, designed by Iratzoki Studio, provides a glimpse into the world of Alki through a series of curves and apertures laid out around a curtain measuring over 100 metres in length. Here, both private individuals and professionals can discover Alki’s furniture collections, whether creations for the home, solutions for the hospitality industry or fitting out offices. The showroom is laid out with various spaces that stage different settings, for example a restaurant, lounge, projection room, library, that highlight the versatility of Alki’s creations.

A shop dedicated to local expertise
To enhance the experience, there is a shop adjoining the showroom that sells items designed in partnership with local artisans and brands. Discover or rediscover Basque know-how through a careful selection of original items, made on site or by other designers in the region. The showroom and shop is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.

Find out More: Alki’s new headquarters

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Fournier cards: masters of the game

FOURNIER

Text: Christine Holmes / Photos: Mito
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The first games of Mus, a one-of-a-kind card game, took place in the heart of the province of Gipuzkoa.

This “Basque poker”, mentioned as early as the 18th century by Father Larramendi in his Corografía o descripción general de la muy noble y leal Provincia de Guipuzcoa, calls for cunning, bluffing and subtle communication between partners. With Basque expressions such as “hordago” and “eduki”, the game bears witness to its origins, which are deeply rooted in the local culture.

Heraclio Fournier (1849-1916)
The factory in Victoria Gasteiz at the end of the 19th century

Heraclio Fournier: the ace of aces
It was in 1870, in Vitoria/Gasteiz, that Heraclio Fournier, who came from a long line of French printers, opened his own lithography workshop at the age of 19. Seven years later, he commissioned the local painter Diaz de Olano and the professor of the city’s art school to design a card game called “Vitoria”. Without realising it, Fournier laid the foundations for what would become the most iconic card game on the peninsula: the “baraja española”.

Enthusiastically adopted by Mus players, this game of 40 cards with neat graphics quickly became inseparable from this popular tradition. It even won an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889.

“Mus” card game Ramiro Arrue (1892-1971) – Basque Museum in Bayonne

A brand with a global reach
The success of Fournier cards did not end with the game of Mus. With constant growth, the brand diversified and conquered new markets. In 1986, Naipes Heraclio Fournier SA joined forces with The United States Playing Card Company, becoming the world leader in the playing card market.

The House of Fournier’s former logo with its production plant in Vitoria/Gasteiz.

“Despite its international expansion, Fournier remains true to its roots.”

A manufacturing operation still rooted in the Basque Country
Despite its international expansion, Fournier remains true to its roots. Its cards continue to be produced in Alava and are now used in casinos all over the world. Thanks to the Basque diaspora, they travel far beyond the Iberian Peninsula, bringing to life Mus tournaments played in Buenos Aires, Vancouver and Sydney.

Fournier cards, symbols of unique expertise, perpetuate a centuries-old tradition while adapting to the challenges of a global market. And while the game seems well underway, the final bell is still far from ringing.

Hemendik Book: The story of 50 iconic objects from the Basque Country

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Sancheski, the first skate in Europe

SANCHESKI

Text: Christine Holmes / Photos: Mito
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The Basque skateboard, Sancheski, has never had any reason to be jealous of its counterparts across the pond. Thanks to an Irun family who have been able to ride the new wave of urban sliding sports.

In 1964, when surfboards were sweeping over waves off the Basque coast, another type of board landed at Biarritz airport. The “roll-surf” or “pavement surfboard” arrived from California and took up residence in the region’s urban spaces. A day without waves no longer meant a day without sliding. A minor revolution had hit the streets.

From snow to asphalt
The event did not pass unnoticed by one particular family in Irun. At the helm of the ski and sports equipment manufacturing company, Sancheski, founded in 1934, the Sanchez family was struggling to sell its products in the face of growing competition from French and Austrian brands. In 1966, the head of the family decided to diversify the company’s business activity. In addition to catering for the snowy slopes, Sancheski adapted its machinery to create boards intended for hurtling along the streets.

All that remained was to promote this new sports activity, which was only at its beginnings in Europe. The Sanchez brothers created the Sancheski Team and travelled across Spain and France to provide skateboard demonstrations at schools and any other places that were willing to welcome them.

Trailblazer in Europe
The first European brand of skateboard had been rolled out. Different models were made from the same set of materials: a solid wood deck mounted on trucks with roller skate wheels. Then came bent plywood, fibreglass and, finally, polyethylene for the “Top Naranja” model, which quickly became the yardstick model at the beginning of the 1970s. It was renamed the “El Sancheski”.

Skateboard demonstration by the Sancheski team in Madrid – 1978

“The continent’s first skatepark was constructed in Erromardie (Saint-Jean-de-Luz) in 1977.”

Surging renown
Technical improvements were soon made to the deck and the urethane wheels, rolled out in 1973, were a veritable revolution. These wheels were longer lasting and held the road better; they triggered an explosion in the skateboarding phenomenon worldwide. Indeed, enthusiasm for this sport crossed the borders of the Basque Country and spread throughout Europe. The continent’s first skatepark was constructed in Erromardie (Saint-Jean-de-Luz) in 1977. Others followed in the towns of Getxo, Gernika and many towns installed ramps in order to attract riders.

Sancheski has inspired numerous other local skateboard brands, but the company’s pioneering spirit continues with the next generation of the Sanchez family and their offering of skateboards, which are increasingly high-performance and innovative. The latest to be rolled out is the Surfskate, created in 2016 to celebrate the brand’s fiftieth anniversary. It has a more flexible truck that enables the rider to carve the streets using similar manoeuvres to surfing. The beach… on the pavement!

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