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!).

Loreak Mendian gabardine: the desire for great summits

LOREAK MENDIAN

Text: Naia Zubeldia / Photos: Loreak Mendian
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In 1992, Xabi Zirikiain, who had just graduated in mechanical engineering, returned to Donostia-San Sebastián after a sabbatical year marked by an Atlantic crossing and a trip to India.

Inspired by his experiences, he began producing flocked T-shirts bearing the slogan “Loreak Mendian” (mountain flowers). In 1995, with his friend Victor Serna, he opened a small shop in the port of Donostia. Xabi designed the clothes, Victor sold them. Their offering: an urban style reflecting a closeness to nature.

Original shop at San Sebastian harbour

The brand has carved out its path
Loreak Mendian quickly became a fixture on the local fashion scene. Its floral sweatshirts attracted a young and varied clientele in both the south and north of the Basque Country. True to its values, from the outset the brand offered unisex clothing inspired by cultural and social trends. In 2011, it employed sixty people and ran twelve shops.

A stylistic shift
From 2015, Loreak Mendian abandoned its initial positioning between surfwear and streetwear for more sophisticated collections. The style became graphic and chic, while remaining true to the brand’s identity encompassing creativity, territorial roots and universality. This move towards a more mature aesthetic is embodied in the Ura (water) gabardine raincoat.

“Available in neutral or electric shades, Ura quickly became one of the brand’s flagship products”

Ura: an emblematic item
Inspired by the Basque Country’s rainy weather, this gabardine coat combines minimalist elegance with technical sophistication. Made from a waterproof British woven cotton fabric, it provides protection from the rain without the shiny finish of an oilskin. Available in neutral or electric shades, Ura quickly became one of the brand’s flagship products.

An endless horizon
Today, Loreak Mendian is making a name for itself in international markets and is turning its attention to major retailers. In 2019, the brand merged with the Ternua Group, which specialises in textiles and sports equipment, and is committed to an ecological approach. Present in 50 countries, Loreak Mendian continues to broaden its branches without ever abandoning its roots.

The Hemendik book: The History of 50 Iconic Objects from the Basque Country

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